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VP of People
VP of People
Application Deadline: 1 August 2026 Department: People & Talent Employment Type: Full Time Location: Zinc - London Reporting To: Sam Norman Compensation: £95,000 - £100,000 / year
About the Role
We've grown from 45 to 170+ people in two years, and we are now ready to scale our People function to take us further. We’re hiring our first VP of People, a genuine leadership role that sits within the leadership team from day one and owns the strategy for taking Zinc from 150 to 200+ people while preserving its unique culture.
You’ll partner directly with our COO and the wider leadership team on:
- Orch design
- Culture
- Manager capability
You won’t be a support function or an HR Business Partner (HRBP)—this is a seat at the table, a voice in the room, and real ownership of one of the most critical levers in a scaling business. If this role aligns with your ambitions, we’d love to hear from you. 🎉
What You Will Focus on First 🏆
- People strategy: Define a 2-year plan for attracting, developing, and retaining the talent we need to meet our growth targets. Translate business strategy into people priorities and present to leadership quarterly.
- Culture and Employer Value Proposition (EVP): Take ownership of what makes Zinc a great place to work and ensure it remains defensible as we grow.
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Key Responsibilities
What You'll Own 📋
- People strategy:
- Own the 2-year plan for talent strategy, shaped with the business
- Org design:
- Advise the leadership team on structural decisions as we scale, including layers, reporting lines, and team evolution
- Culture and EVP:
- Define what makes Zinc a great place to work and drive initiatives to maintain it
- Learning and development:
- Build a framework that scales to 200+ people
- Performance and progression:
- Own the philosophy and cadence above existing performance frameworks
- Leadership partnership:
- Chair the leadership team as a peer, not as a support function
Required Skills, Knowledge, and Expertise
What We’re Looking For 🔍
We’re seeking a VP of People with:
- Experience operating at VP or Director of People level in a SaaS or tech business, ideally at the 200–500 person stage
- Hands-on experience in org design decisions, not just advisory
- Deep understanding of startup culture as a competitive advantage, not something to discard
- Comfortability succeeding in a room of opinionated, high-performing leaders, knowing when to push back
- Ability to be data-informed, not overly reliant on data—trusting your instinct in the room
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Benefits
At Zinc, you’ll have the opportunity to work on disruptive data-driven hiring, enjoy a supportive work environment, and benefit from:
- 📊 24 days holiday + Bank Holidays + birthday off
- £1,200/year benefits allowance (ThanksBen – from month 2)
- ✅ Unlimited access to mental well-being coaching (MoreHappi)
- 🍱 Free lunches on Mondays
- ✈️ Annual company retreat abroad (e.g., Italy)
- 🌍 30 days “Work from Anywhere” policy
- 🚗 Eligibility to lease an electric car (via Electric Car Scheme)
- 🏆 Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave
- 📈 Statutory pension (3% employer contribution, 5% employee)
- 🇮🇸 Zinc shares (via EMI Scheme)
- 🏢 Nursery workplace benefit scheme (Yellownest)
- Team and social events, including quarterly team socials
- Celebrated Zinc anniversaries to foster loyalty and belonging
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