Working at London’s second largest borough brings challenge and pace. With government reforms, budget pressures and political attention, no two days are the same.
We are seeking an experienced and strategic Head of Human Resources to lead the Council’s people agenda at the highest level. As a member of the Corporate Management Team, you will play a central role in shaping organisational direction and ensuring our workforce strategy supports the Council’s objectives, vision and values.
You will develop and implement HR strategies, policies and programmes that drive organisational performance and enable high-quality service delivery. Working closely with senior leaders, you will identify priorities, influence decision-making, and deliver practical, forward-looking HR plans. You will provide strong leadership to the HR function, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, professional development and accountability.
A key focus of the role is leading HR transformation and embedding the Council’s culture. You will strengthen organisational behaviours, ensuring that values are consistently demonstrated across the workforce. You will also hold responsibility for workforce wellbeing, ensuring that people are supported to perform at their best in a demanding environment.
Working within the early stages of a restructure plan for the wider HR Team, you will be operating within financial constraints and ongoing reform, you will lead the continued evolution of HR systems, structures and workforce planning, adapting to changing priorities while maintaining resilience and effectiveness.
About You
Experience within a Local Authority environment is preferred, alongside a proven track record of organisational design and restructure, although exceptional candidates from similarly complex environments will be considered.
You will bring experience of creating and implementing HR strategies that drive business performance, along with the ability to contribute proactively at Corporate Management Team level. You will be confident advising and influencing senior leaders, creating an enabling culture that supports delivery.
You will combine strategic leadership and change management expertise with the ability to look ahead and plan for the workforce of the future. Experience working in a complex, ideally political environment is important, as is the ability to lead teams effectively and get the best from people.
You will ideally be a Chartered Member of the CIPD and committed to continuous professional development. Strong knowledge of best employment practice, sound judgement and attention to detail will be essential to your success.