Senior Director Human Resources

Director of People Overview Our client is seeking an experienced and commercially focused Director of People to lead the continued transformation of its People function into a high-performing, strategically aligned business enabler. Reporting directly to the COO and working closely with the executive leadership team, this role will play a critical part in delivering the organisation’s long-term growth ambitions, operational excellence, and high-performance culture. This is a senior leadership opportunity suited to an experienced HR executive with a strong background in professional services, organisational transformation, talent strategy, and operational modernisation. The successful candidate will lead a multi-disciplinary People function and help shape a future-focused, data-driven, and commercially aligned people strategy. The role can be based in any UK office location operated by our client, with hybrid working available. Responsibilities Strategic People Leadership Develop and implement a commercially focused people strategy aligned to the organisation’s long-term business objectives. Position the People function as a strategic business partner that drives performance, profitability, workforce optimisation, and future capability. Lead cultural transformation initiatives focused on supportive high performance, accountability, and continuous improvement. Partner with senior leadership to advise on organisational change, workforce strategy, and people-related business initiatives. Support leadership processes relating to senior stakeholder and partner frameworks, including remuneration and governance procedures. Operational Excellence & HR Transformation Lead the modernisation and digital transformation of the People function through streamlined and scalable processes. Oversee optimisation of HR operations, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and high-quality service delivery. Drive HR systems transformation, including preparation for the implementation of a new HRIS platform. Establish robust people analytics, reporting capability, and governance frameworks to improve decision-making. Ensure employee lifecycle processes are modern, efficient, and technology-enabled. Talent, Performance & Workforce Planning Lead and embed performance management frameworks aligned to organisational objectives and reward structures. Drive succession planning, leadership development, and workforce planning strategies to support sustainable growth. Oversee talent acquisition and emerging talent programmes, including graduate, apprenticeship, and early careers initiatives. Define future skills requirements and support programmes focused on leadership capability, digital transformation, and AI-enabled working. Strengthen employer branding and employee value proposition initiatives to attract and retain high-performing talent. Culture, Engagement & Inclusion Ensure all people services deliver a consistent and positive employee experience. Strengthen onboarding, development, engagement, and retention initiatives. Champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and wellbeing strategies across the organisation. Support the development of employee engagement and people experience programmes. Lead benchmarking activity across reward, talent, and workforce models to maintain market competitiveness. Reward & Commercial Performance Lead the development and enhancement of reward frameworks, benefits strategies, and performance-linked incentives. Ensure people initiatives demonstrate measurable business value and return on investment. Embed commercial awareness across leadership teams, linking people decisions to business outcomes and profitability. Provide financial oversight for the People function, including budgeting, forecasting, and risk management. Leadership of the People Function Provide visible and inspirational leadership to the wider People team. Develop and coach senior HR leaders to build a collaborative and high-performing function. Drive organisational design, role clarity, and continuous improvement initiatives within the People directorate. Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and proactive business partnering. Requirements Essential Experience Significant senior HR leadership experience within professional services, partnership structures, or complex multi-site organisations. Proven experience delivering HR operational transformation and process improvement programmes. Demonstrated success embedding high-performance cultures and driving organisational change. Strong commercial acumen with the ability to connect people strategy to financial performance and business growth. Experience leveraging HR analytics and data-led decision-making. Strong stakeholder management skills with experience influencing executive leadership teams. Deep understanding of talent management, workforce planning, organisational development, and leadership capability frameworks. Desirable Experience Experience leading international People functions during periods of organisational transformation. Experience managing or overseeing partner remuneration frameworks. Previous HRIS implementation or transformation experience. Background within legal or wider professional services environments. CIPD qualification or equivalent professional accreditation. Skills & Behaviours Commercially minded with strong financial awareness. Operationally focused with a passion for process improvement and scalable delivery. Data and technology oriented with strong HR systems capability. Confident change leader with strong influencing skills. High emotional intelligence and credibility across all levels. Strategic thinker with a hands-on leadership approach. Outcome-driven with a focus on measurable improvement. Passionate about developing supportive high-performance cultures. Benefits Competitive salary package. Hybrid working arrangements. Opportunity to shape and lead a transformative People agenda within a highly respected professional services environment. Significant strategic exposure working alongside executive leadership. Long-term career growth and leadership impact opportunities. Application Process Applications are being managed exclusively by our client’s retained recruitment partner. Interested candidates should submit an up-to-date CV outlining relevant leadership experience, transformation expertise, and professional services background. Our client is committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace and welcomes applications from candidates of all backgrounds. Reasonable adjustments are available throughout the recruitment process where required.