Our client is an well established hotel and hospitality group, providing memorable travel experiences across their network of UK-wide sites. With a proud heritage and a passion for service, they’re on an exciting journey to modernise and grow and their people are at the heart of that transformation.

Role: Head of People

Location: Bournemouth (with regular UK travel, approx. monthly)

Salary: £60,000 to £65,000, car allowance and bonus

 

Job Purpose

The Head of People is a senior leadership, responsible for shaping and delivering the Group’s full People Strategy to support commercial growth, performance, and culture. Acting as a trusted partner to the Managing Director and Senior Leadership Team, the role combines strategic vision with hands-on leadership to build a progressive, modern HR function that drives engagement, capability, and business success. This is a critical appointment, providing the leadership, systems, and strategic direction to evolve HR from a reactive service to a proactive, data-led, commercially focused business partner.

 

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

  • Design and deliver a People Strategy that aligns directly with business objectives, growth ambitions, and organisational culture.
  • Act as a strategic advisor to the Managing Director and Board, providing expert insight on workforce planning, succession, culture, and change.
  • Champion a high-performance, people-first culture that drives engagement, inclusion, and accountability across all levels.
  • Lead the evolution of the HR function from administrative to strategic: building capability, introducing modern systems, and establishing clear measures of success.

Manager Capability & Leadership Development

  • Design and deliver a Leadership Development Framework that strengthens management confidence and skill across all levels.
  • Introduce structured succession planning and career development pathways to build internal capability and readiness for future growth.
  • Promote a coaching culture where feedback, learning, and accountability are part of everyday leadership.

 

Employee Relations & Culture

  • Oversee complex and sensitive ER matters, ensuring consistent, fair, and legally compliant outcomes.
  • Coach and empower managers to handle people issues confidently and in line with best practice.
  • Proactively drive a positive employee relations climate and culture of trust, communication, and engagement.
  • Develop and monitor people metrics (e.g. turnover, absence, engagement) to inform business decisions.

Recruitment, Onboarding & Employer Brand



  • Oversee all attraction, selection, and onboarding processes to ensure quality, consistency, and alignment with company values.
  • Partner with Marketing and Operations to build a compelling employer brand that reflects the organisation’s culture and ambition.
  • Ensure all new employees receive a comprehensive and engaging induction experience, reinforcing values and expectations from day one.

Reward, Compensation, and Benefits

  • Lead the design and implementation of a Reward and Recognition Strategy that supports performance, retention, and engagement.
  • Oversee the development of pay frameworks, job evaluation processes, and benefits schemes, ensuring competitiveness and internal equity.
  • Partner with Finance to manage the annual pay review, bonus structures, and incentive plans aligned to business performance.
  • Introduce transparent total reward communication and benchmarking practices to strengthen the employer value proposition.

 

 Learning & Development / Apprenticeships

  • Design and implement structured L&D and apprenticeship programmes that support growth, progression, and compliance with levy funding.
  • Partner with external providers to deliver accredited learning and management development programmes.
  • Track ROI on learning activity and integrate development initiatives with performance and succession planning.

 

HR Operations, Compliance & Systems

  • Oversee HR operations, payroll accuracy, and compliance with employment law and H&S regulations.
  • Introduce and maintain modern HRIS and reporting tools, improving visibility, efficiency, and decision-making.
  • Develop and implement clear policies and procedures that support consistency, compliance, and fairness across all sites.

 

Skills, Experience & Qualifications

  • CIPD-qualified (Chartered Member preferred) with evidence of continued professional development.
  • Extensive experience in a senior HR leadership role within a multi-site, customer-facing business (hospitality, leisure, retail, or travel).
  • Demonstrable success in designing and delivering People Strategy, leading change, and embedding organisational culture.
  • Proven experience in reward design, pay benchmarking, and compensation frameworks.
  • Strong capability in HR transformation, culture change, and leadership development.
  • Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills; credible at Board level, trusted by operational teams.
  • Commercially astute, data-driven, and comfortable balancing strategic foresight with hands-on delivery.
  • Flexible and willing to travel regularly across UK locations.

 

Lily Shippen is a leading business and executive support recruitment agency in the UK. We recruit top-tier talent across HR, executive support, and business operations roles, ensuring organisations can access the expertise needed to thrive.

We recruit for a broad range of positions, including Executive Assistants, Personal Assistants, Office Managers, Chief of Staff, and HR roles. Our services span across Leeds, Newcastle, Manchester, London, and the wider UK, including remote and international roles. Whether you’re hiring for permanent, temporary, or fixed-term contracts, we offer tailored recruitment solutions to meet your needs.

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