Human Resources Director

Located in the home of England’s industrial revolution, the University has a long-standing reputation for teaching excellence and educational innovation. A leader of modern learning, the University is a key strategic regional stakeholder and civic partner known for producing high quality, industry-ready graduates. This sees Derby ranked in the UK top 30 and among the world's top 250 young universities, as well as being awarded the highest level TEF Gold for its teaching standards.

The University is now seeking to build on this track record of success with a bold and ambitious new corporate strategy (2018 to 2030) based on three core pillars: Game Changers – ensuring all students benefit from an industry-relevant and research-informed curriculum;  Positive Impact – delivering impactful research and raising  aspirations and improving the education, skills, health and well-being across its region; and Opening Doors – building further on its status as champion of social mobility and online learning by creating opportunities for all to benefit from a university education.  Key to the success of this new strategy will be the development of a high-performance culture with dynamic and results orientated leadership across all academic and professional disciplines.

As a full member of the Extended Vice-Chancellor Executive, the new Human Resources Director will be responsible for the implementation of a people strategy focused on delivering the University’s ambitions via a modern, flexible and high quality customer focused HR service. Meeting the needs of c3,000 diverse academic and professional staff, the new Director will be expected to provide both strategic and operational leadership of a team of 30 professional HR staff operating across the whole of the University community. Successful delivery of a number of key initiatives including the effective recruitment and retention of staff, maximising the benefits of a new HR system, providing expertise and support to staff, and being part of key decision making to help drive the university to further success through the achievement of its strategic goals and objectives.

The development of modern and flexible systems and processes, and embedding the people strategy to support cultural transformation will be initial priorities for the new Director. The new Director will also be a proactive key advisor to the University executive in respect of the people and organisational development challenges faced in a rapidly evolving and highly competitive higher education sector.

The successful candidate will be a clear thinker and be able to work at a strategic level but have the ability to switch to operations as necessary to ensure procedures and policies are implemented effectively to achieve the key strategic objectives of the University of Derby.

A graduate (or equivalent) with chartered membership of the CIPD you will have proven experience of successful strategic management of equivalent services in large and complex organizations. Understanding of the issues facing higher education would be advantageous but more important will be your experience of delivering transformative change, high-performance cultures and innovative service delivery. A technical expert you will also possess excellent interpersonal skills and have the ability to work effectively with a wide range of internal and external stakeholder.

To find out more about this exceptional opportunity with one of the country’s leading modern and innovative universities please contact our recruitment consultant Alan Walter, Dixon Walter Ltd on 0131 202 1000, email alan@dixonwalter.co.uk or visit www.dixonwalter.co.uk/opportunities/derby .

Closing date for applications is Monday 31st December 2018. Interviews will take place w/c 21^st January 201. Final interviews w/c 4^th February 2019.