Head of People / Senior HR Manager

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Head of People / Senior HR Manager

Recruiting a Head of People or Senior HR Manager is a vital step for any growing business. These HR leaders are essential in developing talent strategies, fostering a positive company culture, and ensuring that people operations are aligned with business goals.

At Peeq, we specialise in sourcing experienced HR professionals who have a strong track record in driving employee engagement, leading key HR functions, and managing complex people-related initiatives. Our deep knowledge of the HR market, including trends in leadership, compensation, and the latest in HR technology, ensures that we find candidates who will not only manage but enhance your company’s HR capabilities.

We are here to support you in making this critical hire, ensuring that you bring on board a Head of People or Senior HR Manager who can take your organisation to the next level and make a meaningful, lasting contribution.

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UK Talent Market Insights

TALENT POOL
18,333 Heads of People and Senior HR Managers​ on LinkedIn in the UK
GENDER SPLIT
Female = 77%
Male = 23%
REMUNERATION
London: £75k-£95k
Tech/Fintech: £80k-£110k
North and Scotland: £55k-£75k
Wales: £50-£70k
TENURE
2.8 years on average spent in role
TOP LOCATIONS
London Area - 6,273 ppl
Manchester Area - 795 ppl
Greater Leeds Area - 593 ppl
Greater Glasgow Area - 329 ppl
Greater Bristol Area - 314 ppl
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Candidate Profiles

We have relationships with a diverse range of Heads of People and Senior HR Managers to suit the needs of your business. 

Strategic Leader

Core Skills:
Skilled in optimising HR processes to boost efficiency and streamline compliance across multiple sites.

Expert in talent retention strategies, focusing on leadership development and succession planning.

Strong background in driving HR digital transformation initiatives to enhance employee experience and data-driven decision-making.

Achievements:
Led an HR transformation project in a manufacturing firm, reducing operational costs by 20% while increasing employee engagement by 35%.

Implemented a leadership development program that resulted in a 50% increase in internal promotions over two years.

Operational Specialist

Core Skills:
Specialist in process improvement and HR analytics, driving cost-effective HR solutions.

Experienced in handling complex employee relations cases and ensuring regulatory compliance.

Proven ability to implement scalable HR systems that enhance performance management and reporting.

Achievements:
Overhauled the HR operations in a logistics company, leading to a 30% reduction in recruitment costs and a 25% decrease in turnover.

Introduced an employee relations framework that cut the number of grievances by 40% within the first year.

Culture Champion

Core Skills:
Strong advocate for diversity and inclusion, with a track record of creating high-impact engagement strategies.

Experienced in developing learning and development programs that foster continuous growth and leadership skills.

Skilled in building collaborative workplace cultures that inspire innovation and teamwork.

Achievements:
Led a cultural change initiative at a creative agency, boosting employee engagement scores by 50% and reducing attrition rates by 35%.

Designed and implemented a mentoring program that supported career progression for over 100 employees in the non-profit sector.

Want More Information?

Call or message us today to discuss the candidate profiles above and your specific needs.

Role Overview and Responsibilities

The Head of People / Senior HR Manager is a senior-level role responsible for leading and executing the HR strategy within an organisation. This hire plays a crucial part in shaping the company’s culture, driving employee engagement, and aligning the HR function with business objectives to support growth and performance.

Below is an overview of the typical roles and responsibilities associated with this position:

  • Develop and implement a comprehensive HR strategy that aligns with the company’s long-term business goals.
  • Partner with senior leadership to provide guidance on people-related matters, such as workforce planning and organisational design.
  • Oversee the end-to-end recruitment process to attract and secure top talent for the organisation.
  • Create talent development and succession planning frameworks to build a strong pipeline for future leadership roles.
  • Design and implement learning and development initiatives to support employee growth and leadership skills.
  • Facilitate training programs that enhance both technical and soft skills across the organisation.
  • Establish and manage performance management systems to drive individual and team productivity.
  • Develop KPIs and feedback mechanisms to promote continuous improvement and high performance.
  • Lead initiatives to foster a positive and inclusive company culture that enhances employee satisfaction.
  • Implement strategies to boost engagement, reduce turnover, and create a collaborative work environment.
  • Ensure HR policies and procedures comply with employment laws and regulatory requirements.
  • Oversee payroll, benefits administration, and HR systems to optimise operational efficiency.
  • Lead and manage organisational change processes, including restructures, mergers, or business transformation projects.
  • Develop communication plans to support change initiatives and align employees with the company’s vision.
  • Develop DE&I strategies to build a diverse workforce and promote an inclusive work culture.
  • Implement initiatives that encourage equal opportunities, reduce biases, and enhance a sense of belonging for all employees.
  • This role typically reports to the CEO, Managing Director, or COO in small to medium-sized enterprises, emphasising HR’s strategic role in driving business growth and operational efficiency.
  • In larger companies, the role often reports to the Chief People Officer (CPO) or Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), supporting the broader HR strategy within a structured HR leadership team.
  • This role will often sit on the senior leadership team or executive committee, contributing to high-level decision-making and collaborating with department heads to align people strategies with overall business objectives.

Hiring Process Guidance

Recruiting a Head of People or Senior HR Manager is a critical decision that can significantly impact the success and culture of a business.

Here’s some advice you might want to consider when hiring for this HR leadership role:

Clarify the Role’s Strategic Impact: Define the specific goals you expect the role to achieve, such as improving employee engagement, reducing turnover, or supporting growth. This will help you attract candidates with the right strategic mindset.

Prioritise Cultural Fit: Look for candidates who align with your company’s values and can foster the desired workplace culture. A great Head of People should be able to champion your organisation’s vision and create an environment where employees thrive.

Evaluate Leadership Skills: Assess the candidate’s ability to lead and influence both HR teams and senior leadership. Strong leadership skills are critical to drive organisational change and gain buy-in for new initiatives.

Seek Experience with Scaling Organisations: If your company is in a high-growth phase, prioritise candidates with experience in scaling HR functions within fast-growing businesses. Their insight into handling rapid expansion will be invaluable.

Test Analytical Abilities: The ability to use data to drive HR decisions is essential. Look for candidates who can analyse metrics, predict trends, and use insights to inform people strategies that align with business objectives.

Assess Change Management Skills: A great Head of People should be adept at navigating change, from mergers to restructures. Evaluate their track record in leading and managing organisational change with minimal disruption.

Focus on DE&I Commitment: Diversity, equity, and inclusion are crucial components of modern HR. Look for candidates with a proven history of implementing successful DE&I initiatives to create a more inclusive work environment.

Consider Long-term Potential: Hire someone with the potential to grow with your company. This person should be capable of evolving their strategies as your business scales and ready to take on greater responsibilities as the organisation expands.

Similar Roles Recruited By Peeq

Here’s a selection of some of the successful Head of People and Senior HR Manger hires we’ve made at Peeq.

Head of
People

Head of HR
Shared Services

Head of HR
Operations

Katie and Mark from Peeq are an amazing team, couldn't thank them or recommend them enough. We had a truly great experience, with them not only taking their time to understand our company's needs, who we are, and how we worked, but also delivering! Best recruiters hands down.
Angus Griffin
Business Owner
I've had the pleasure of collaborating with Mark and Katie on a number of people, workplace, and resilience initiatives. They are extremely experienced, highly client focused and a positive team. I find it inspiring to see the impact they're having in the HR and recruitment space. But this should be no surprise given their dedication to their clients and projects. I can't recommend them enough.
Cecilia Shandeva
Learning and Development Specialist
I’ve worked with Mark and Katie for a number of years and have always been impressed with their honesty, innovation and professionalism. It’s rare to find individuals who go above and beyond to collaborate and bring people together without any hidden agendas - they simply have a passion for what they do and deliver it beautifully! I can’t wait to work with them again in the future!
Charlotte Kao
Head of Talent and Performance
Katie and Mark. Building on the lifetimes expertise and commitment you both share to the profession at a corporate and an individual level I cannot wait to see the innovation you will bring to recruitment, HR consulting and candidate success. I look forward to working with you in your new venture.
Jeannine Mortlock
Managing Director
Mark has consistently delivered on a number of high profile recruitment projects for me. He understands the market, is incredibly well networked and is solutions oriented. Currently I am seeking a new role and Mark has given me some invaluable advice on increasing my personal activity on LinkedIn, as well as improving my personal profile. Thanks Mark for everything! Looking forward to working more together in the future.
Jo Bricoe
Group Head of Talent
Mark has consistently delivered on a number of high profile recruitment projects for me. He understands the market, is incredibly well networked and is solutions oriented. Currently I am seeking a new role and Mark has given me some invaluable advice on increasing my personal activity on LinkedIn, as well as improving my personal profile. Thanks Mark for everything! Looking forward to working more together in the future.
Jo-Anne Watermeyer
Leadership Coach
Peeq is certainly the people specialist team to watch! Having worked with Katie in the past I found her to be collaborative, innovative and a delight to interact with. Katie Barnicoat is a proficient and effective professional and I wish her every success with her new venture.
Jo-Anne Watermeyer
Leadership Coach
The team at Peeq excel at what they do and would be my go-to port of call for any HR talent acquisition needs. They always take the time to really understand not just my role(s) but my organisation's culture, and the way they manage candidates through the process is outstanding. I got to experience the innovative way they use media to showcase opportunities which clearly worked from an attraction point of view and helped to project our company culture and brand. A great partner for me and my business!!!
Lee Burrows
Chief People Officer
Having worked with Katie on HR projects I was very impressed as to the how professional and responsive Katie was. It was a pleasure to work with her and look forward to doing so again.
Paulette Bushay
Learning and OD Professional
I am a Chief People Officer with over 20 years’ experience in global roles, and I can honestly say that Mark at PEEQ is simply the best recruiter I’ve ever worked with. He manages to strike a rare balance of support and guidance for the client and the candidate. Mark has exceptional coaching skills, guiding his clients to get crystal clear on the skills and attributes they most need – whilst coaching the candidate throughout the process, empowering them to deliver their best. He expertly leads the recruitment journey, ensuring it is grounded in transparency, respect, inclusion, development and fairness. I would wholeheartedly recommend PEEQ – to business leaders and any candidate looking for their next role - the world needs more recruitment specialists like this.
Rudi Symons
Global Director of Inclusion and Diversity
I have been very impressed in all my dealings with PEEQ - most amount of value add I ever seen from a recruiter/head hunter agency - and you were a pleasure to work with to boot! Thanks for getting us there.
Thomas Granier
CEO
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We appreciate that there’s a lot of information on this page. If you’d like any further advice or want to discuss anything we’ve covered please get in touch.

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