Human Resources Director

Business

Our client employs thousands of people across hundreds of UK sites. It is a long established and highly respected name in its market and is making impressively rapid progress towards renewed and enhanced operations, culture and performance.

The newly appointed Chief Executive is resetting the direction of the whole business, to be more aligned with its customers, supply chain and staff. As a B2B specialist, there is considerable value to its customers in the knowledge and expertise of its people, and as such a new and stronger emphasis is now being placed on engagement, support and advice to all employees, at every level in the business.

The new strategic plan for the business was set and implementation began long before the Coronavirus crisis, and whilst some of the goals are well on their way to being achieved, some are still to be tackled and new ones have arisen too as a result of lockdown. Like any responsible company, our client has taken every possible step to ensure its people are safe at work, and wishes to make a closer relationship with its people very much part of their “new normal”. Improved collaboration and communication will be cornerstones of the culture and the HR function and the HR Director in particular will be key to their realisation.

Role

Reporting to the CEO and PLC Board, the HR Director will be a key member of the senior executive. As such the HRD will have direct input to the formulation and revision of company strategy, which will be expected and encouraged. There is a substantial HR team under the HR Director managed through a handful of direct reports who will require leadership and motivation to achieve what is required of them. Priorities will include Organisational Design to realign operations with strategic objectives, Reward Structures to ensure coherent and consistent incentivisation across the company (including for senior executives), Training / Learning & Development to upskill an already experienced and knowledgeable workforce, Recruitment & Retention to ensure the mix of capabilities is fit for future purpose and Employee Engagement to engender a shared vision and collaborative and mutually supportive culture. Above all, the HR Director role will require pragmatism, problem-solving and innovative ideas that can be enacted robustly but considerately to add demonstrable value to the employees’ experience, as well as to profitability. The HR Director will need to establish themselves quickly, instil confidence in those around them and develop strong working relationships, especially with the CEO, CFO and Chair of the Remuneration Committee.

Candidate

• Qualified MCIPD / FCIPD
• Degree preferred but not essential
• First-class intellect
• PLC experience, ideally as HR Director
• Demonstrable success in senior HR roles in the B2B sector
• Relationship builder and developer
• Gravitas and credibility
• Has and demands high standards
• Owns issues and delivers results
• Resilient and robust, yet accommodating and patient with equanimity
• Strategic realist
• Can make and articulate a business case
• Influences and persuades, directive when necessary
• Experience of a geographically distributed business
• Can engage with problems, maintaining focus until resolved
• Unflappable with considered judgement and unemotional decision-making
• Approachable, with time for, and interest in, the people with whom they work
• Counsellor, supportive, but status agnostic
• Independent thinker
• Reliable and dependable
• Live or relocate within easy commuting distance of Head Office

To discuss this role in detail call Andrew Guy on 0121 794 0626 or Lorri Lowe on 0121 794 0629.

Friisberg & Partners International UK Ltd are the retained advisers on this appointment.

To apply, please send your CV by email to 5050.uk@friisberg.com

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