Interim HR Director / Director of People Services (6 months)

Hays Business Support • Temporary • Manchester, Greater Manchester, England, United Kingdom • £800 - £1k / day • 2h ago

A rare opportunity to step into a Director-level HR leadership role during a period of significant organisational change, leading a well-established function at a critical point in its transformation.

Your new company
You will be joining a high-profile UK regulator operating as an arm's-length body, currently undergoing a period of significant organisational transformation.

With a workforce of around 1,000 colleagues across the UK, the organisation has a complex, national remit and is focused on strengthening its operating model, leadership capability and organisational culture. A number of major programmes are underway, including a structural evolution of governance arrangements, a large-scale relocation to Manchester, and a renewed focus on leadership behaviours and ways of working.

The People Services function is well-established, with a capable leadership team and clear strategic priorities, creating an opportunity for an experienced interim to make an immediate impact.

Your new role
This is a business-critical six-month interim appointment, providing senior leadership cover while the substantive postholder steps into a broader executive role.

Reporting into the Executive Director, you will lead a People Services function of approximately 40, overseeing a broad range of HR activity including workforce planning, employee relations, HR operations and organisational change.
The remit is strategic and hands-on, with responsibility for ensuring the organisation has the workforce capability, capacity and infrastructure to deliver its objectives.

Key aspects of the role will include:

Leading complex employee relations activity, including engagement with recognised trade unions
Supporting delivery of a wide-ranging organisational change agenda
Overseeing HR operations and service delivery
Providing visible, credible leadership across the People Services function during a period of high activity and transition

This role requires someone who can quickly establish credibility, operate at pace, and maintain momentum across multiple priorities.

What you'll need to succeed
You will be an experienced HR leader operating at Director or equivalent level within a complex, unionised environment.

You will bring:

A strong generalist HR leadership background, with particular depth in employee relations, HR operations and workforce delivery
Proven experience of working with trade unions, including managing and navigating challenging or sensitive relationships
A track record of leading HR teams through organisational change and transformation
Experience within the public sector, regulatory environments or similarly complex organisations
The ability to operate effectively at pace, providing clarity and leadership within a changing context
Strong stakeholder management skills, with the credibility to engage at senior level

While organisational development and culture are important elements of the agenda, specialist OD expertise is not essential.

What you'll get in return

A high-profile interim assignment at a pivotal point in the organisation's development
The opportunity to lead an established, capable People Services function with clear direction
A flexible, hybrid working environment (typically c.1 day per week in the office, with flexibility around this)
Exposure to a broad transformation agenda, including governance evolution, culture development and organisational change
A competitive day rate in the region of £800-£850 per day (with flexibility for exceptional candidates)

What you need to do now
This is an urgent requirement, with a shortlisting process already underway. We are looking to present a small, high-calibre shortlist immediately, with interviews expected to take place shortly.

If you are available (or becoming available within the next 4 weeks), and this opportunity aligns with your experience, please apply as soon as possible or get in touch for a confidential discussion.

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