Head of Human Resources

This is a senior leadership position with responsibility for shaping and delivering the College's People Strategy, Workforce Plan and organisational development priorities. You will play a key role in ensuring the College has the people, capability and culture needed to deliver excellent student outcomes and support future growth.

You will lead the HR Operations function, overseeing recruitment, onboarding, HR systems, workforce data, equality, diversity and inclusion, wellbeing initiatives and safeguarding compliance. A core part of the role is designing and embedding recruitment and induction approaches that attract and retain talented, diverse colleagues who are aligned to the College's values.

Working closely with the SLT and governors, you will provide expert advice on workforce matters, organisational risk and sector developments. You will use data, insights and HR metrics to inform decision-making, identify trends and drive continuous improvement across all areas of HR service delivery.

You will also lead workforce planning to ensure the College has the right capacity and capability to deliver curriculum priorities and organisational objectives. The role includes leading organisational change, restructures and transformation programmes, ensuring these are delivered effectively through strong communication, engagement and partnership working, including with trade unions.

In addition, you will be responsible for ensuring HR systems, policies and processes are efficient, compliant and future-focused. You will oversee the development of people metrics and dashboards, enabling the College to proactively manage workforce trends such as recruitment performance, sickness, engagement and diversity.

Alongside this, you will lead on organisational development and staff engagement, fostering a positive, inclusive culture where colleagues feel supported, valued and able to perform at their best.

You will be an experienced HR leader with a strong track record of operating at a senior level within a complex organisation, ideally in further education or a similar public sector environment.

You will bring significant experience of developing and delivering people strategies that align with wider organisational goals, alongside a proven ability to lead organisational change, workforce planning and service improvement. You will be confident balancing both strategic thinking and operational delivery, ensuring plans are translated into clear, measurable outcomes.

You will have a strong understanding of employment legislation, HR best practice and safer recruitment, as well as experience of working with data and metrics to inform decision-making and drive performance. Experience of working with trade unions and managing employee relations in a complex environment will be essential.

A skilled communicator, you will be comfortable working with senior leaders, governors and a wide range of stakeholders, able to influence, challenge and support effectively. You will also be experienced in building high-performing teams, creating a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous learning within your function.

You will lead with integrity, empathy and professionalism, demonstrating a genuine commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, staff wellbeing and creating a positive employee experience. Above all, you will be passionate about creating an environment where colleagues feel valued, engaged and empowered to deliver the best outcomes for students.

United Colleges Group provides education to over 11,000 learners a year, including 16-18-year-olds, adults, apprentices, and students with high needs, across our five campuses and two colleges; City of Westminster College and College of North West London. The Cockpit Theatre also forms part of the Group.

With an annual turnover of over £50m, we are one of the top 20 largest college groups in the UK. We offer education and training in almost all vocational areas at a variety of levels for a wide range of learners of all ages and starting points.

Our mission is to provide all our learners with the very best knowledge and to break down any barriers to learning. We pride ourselves on enabling our learners to meet their individual needs and aspirations and we deliver a learning experience that is unique, enjoyable and rewarding., United Colleges Group is committed to fostering a culture of respect, inclusion and belonging, where everyone is valued and supported. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and are happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.