Group People Director

To build and lead a high-performing, scalable people function that supports rapid growth across a regulated Supported Living and Children's Services group. You will ensure the workforce strategy enables safe, compliant, and high-quality care delivery under CQC and Ofsted frameworks-without slowing down growth. This is not a "policy" role. It's about execution, scaling teams fast, fixing workforce issues, and keeping regulators satisfied., 1. People Strategy & Growth

• Design and execute a group-wide people strategy aligned to aggressive expansion plans (new homes, acquisitions, service lines).
• Lead workforce planning to ensure staffing keeps pace with occupancy and regulatory requirements.
• Build scalable hiring, onboarding, and retention systems across multiple regions.
2. Recruitment & Workforce Scaling
• Own end-to-end recruitment strategy for high-volume care roles and senior leadership.
• Reduce time-to-hire and agency dependency.
• Implement pipelines for Registered Managers, Deputy Managers, and frontline staff.
• Ensure safe recruitment practices (DBS, references, right to work).
3. Compliance (CQC & Ofsted)
• Ensure all HR practices meet regulatory standards and support inspection readiness.
• Partner with Operations to maintain compliant staffing levels, training, and supervision.
• Lead responses to workforce-related inspection findings.
• Maintain audit-ready documentation across all services.
4. Employee Relations & Culture
• Take control of complex ER cases (safeguarding, disciplinaries, whistleblowing).
• Drive a performance-led culture-deal with underperformance quickly.
• Reduce absence, turnover, and burnout across services.
• Embed values that align with quality care and accountability.
5. Learning & Development
• Build training frameworks aligned with CQC/Ofsted expectations (mandatory + developmental).
• Develop leadership capability across Registered Managers and senior teams.
• Implement clear progression pathways to improve retention.
6. HR Operations & Systems
• Standardise HR processes across the group (contracts, policies, payroll interface).
• Implement or optimise HRIS systems for scale and reporting.
• Ensure data accuracy across workforce metrics.
7. M&A and Integration
• Lead people due diligence on acquisitions.
• Integrate new services quickly without breaking compliance or culture.
• Align terms, policies, and workforce structures post-acquisition.
8. Leadership & Influence
• Act as a key member of the executive team.
• Challenge operational leaders when workforce practices risk compliance or quality.
• Provide clear, data-driven insight on workforce performance.
Key Metrics / KPIs
• Staff turnover rate
• Time-to-hire
• Agency usage reduction
• Compliance audit scores
• Training completion rates
• Employee engagement
• Inspection outcomes (people-related areas)
  
  Proven experience as a HR Director / People Director in a multi-site environment
• Strong background in Health & Social Care, Supported Living, or Children's Services
• Deep understanding of CQC and/or Ofsted frameworks
• Experience scaling teams rapidly (organic growth or acquisitions)
• Track record of improving retention and stabilising workforce issues
• Experience managing complex employee relations cases