People Puzzles
Fractional People Director
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Build a portfolio career. Transform businesses. Join an award-winning community.
Are you an experienced HR Director, People Director, CPO, CHRO, or Senior HR Consultant looking for greater flexibility, autonomy, and impact?
People Puzzles is looking for an exceptional People Director to join our established West Midlands team, supporting ambitious business leaders across Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, and the surrounding areas.
This is an opportunity to step away from the constraints of corporate life and build a rewarding portfolio career, helping business owners solve their most important people and organizational challenges while enjoying the support of an established national brand and a collaborative network of trusted experts.
Our clients range from growing mid-sized businesses to larger, established organizations seeking experienced People leadership to support growth, transformation, and organizational performance.
Whether you're already operating as a consultant, exploring a portfolio career, or ready to take the next step away from corporate life, we would love to hear from you.
Why Join People Puzzles?
Build a Successful Portfolio Career With the Support of an Established Network
Many experienced HR leaders are drawn to consulting and fractional working but are unsure about making the move from corporate life.
At People Puzzles, you'll enjoy the flexibility and variety of a portfolio career while benefiting from the support, opportunities, and collaboration that come from being part of an award-winning team.
You'll benefit from:
- Earnings potential of £60,000 to £135,000+, with the flexibility to shape your own working week and client portfolio
- An established and trusted brand, chosen by over 1,000 ambitious business leaders across the UK
- A collaborative community of 80+ experienced People Directors, sharing expertise, ideas, and support
- Marketing and lead generation support from a dedicated team focused on building awareness and creating opportunities
- Business development support to help you grow your portfolio and maximize your success
- Referral opportunities through the wider People Puzzles network
- Ongoing CPD and professional development, including access to carefully selected strategic partners
- Proven tools, methodologies, and resources that help deliver exceptional client outcomes
- Independence without isolation, giving you the autonomy of self-employment while remaining part of a supportive, high-performing team
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No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
People Puzzles provides the infrastructure, support, and community to help you build a rewarding and sustainable consulting practice while focusing on what you do best: helping organizations thrive through their people.
Requirements
This Could Be Right For You If...
You are:
- ✅ An experienced HR Director, People Director, CHRO, CPO, or Senior HR Consultant
- ✅ Commercially minded and confident operating at Board level
- ✅ Passionate about helping business leaders unlock business performance through their people
- ✅ Looking for more flexibility, autonomy, and control over your working life
- ✅ Curious, pragmatic, and action-oriented
- ✅ Comfortable building trusted client relationships and influencing senior stakeholders
- ✅ Excited by the opportunity to develop your own portfolio while being part of a supportive community
- ✅ Someone who enjoys collaborating with like-minded professionals and sharing ideas, challenges, and successes
- ✅ Comfortable using technology and AI to improve business performance, people outcomes, and decision-making
What You'll Be Doing and the Experience You'll Bring
As a trusted advisor to senior leaders, you'll help organizations navigate growth, transformation, and complex people challenges. You'll bring a proven track record of delivering similar outcomes and be comfortable operating at both strategic and operational levels.
You'll have experience of:
- Developing and executing people strategies that support business growth and organizational performance
- Partnering with Boards, Executive Teams, and senior stakeholders to shape business direction
- Leading organizational change, transformation, and culture initiatives
- Improving leadership capability and building high-performing teams
- Designing effective organizational structures and operating models
- Developing talent, succession, and workforce plans
- Enhancing employee engagement, wellbeing, and performance
- Building trusted relationships and influencing stakeholders at all levels
- Using commercial insight and people data to support business decision-making
- Balancing strategic thinking with hands-on delivery to achieve measurable outcomes
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Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
You'll be naturally curious, commercially minded, and comfortable challenging thinking to help leaders make better decisions.
AI and Technology
Technology is rapidly reshaping the world of work, and our clients increasingly look to us for guidance.
You'll be confident embracing technology and AI, with the ability to:
- Use AI and digital tools to enhance productivity, insight, and decision-making
- Leverage people data and analytics to inform workforce and organizational decisions
- Support leaders in understanding the opportunities and implications of AI in the workplace
- Stay informed about emerging trends and help clients apply technology in practical, commercially valuable ways
Most importantly, you'll understand that great People leadership combines commercial acumen, human insight, and the intelligent use of technology to drive business success.
Better people. Better business. Better life.™
Benefits
Earnings potential of £60,000 to £135,000+, with the flexibility to shape your own working week and client portfolio An established and trusted brand, chosen by over 1,000 ambitious business leaders across the UK A collaborative community of 80+ experienced People Directors, sharing expertise, ideas, and support Marketing and lead generation support from a dedicated team focused on building awareness and creating opportunities Business development support to help you grow your portfolio and maximize your success Referral opportunities through the wider People Puzzles network Ongoing CPD and professional development, including access to carefully selected strategic partners Proven tools, methodologies, and resources that help deliver exceptional client outcomes Independence without isolation, giving you the autonomy of self-employment while remaining part of a supportive, high-performing team
People Puzzles provides the infrastructure, support, and community to help you build a rewarding and sustainable portfolio career while focusing on what you do best: helping organizations thrive through their people.
To learn more about working with People Puzzles and our recruitment process, we invite you to watch our Talent Team's short FAQs videos.
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