Head of Talent and Colleague Experience

About the role

What if your next role didn’t just develop talent, but redefined how it feels to work somewhere? At Lincolnshire Co-op, we’re building something bigger than jobs. We’re creating meaningful careers, stronger leaders, and experiences that people actually want to be part of. That’s where you come in.

Ready to shape the experience of almost 3,000 colleagues?

This isn’t a typical “Head of Talent” role. You’ll be shaping how it feels to join, grow and stay here. From the first interaction with us, through leadership development, to the moments that matter most in someone’s career — you’ll design an experience that truly works for our people. You’ll lead our approach to learning, leadership, engagement and inclusion, turning insight into action and strategy into something real, practical and measurable.

Responsibilities

• Make colleague experience tangible; something our people see, feel and benefit from, not just something we say.
• Shape how leaders show up, through clear, consistent leadership development pathways.
• Turn data, feedback and insight into meaningful change across the colleague lifecycle.
• Build an approach to learning that’s relevant, accessible and future‑focused.
• Embed inclusion into everything — not just as an add‑on, but as a given.
• Partner with senior leaders to influence thinking, challenge constructively and drive better outcomes.
• Create tools, frameworks and simple solutions that help managers take ownership locally.
• Lead and develop a high‑performing team that delivers both strategy and hands‑on impact.

You won’t be doing this in isolation. You’ll be working closely with our Executive team, People colleagues and leaders across the Society to make sure people experience is part of how we run our Society — not something that sits on the side.

About you

You might already be in a ‘Head of’ role. Or you might be ready for your next step. Either way, you’ll know how to turn big ideas into something that actually works in a real, complex organisation. You’ll probably recognise yourself in this, if:

• You’ve led talent, learning or experience functions in a multi‑site or customer‑facing environment.
• You know how to balance strategy with delivery — and aren’t afraid to roll your sleeves up.
• You’re comfortable influencing at senior level, even when it means challenging the status quo.
• You use data and insight to make decisions, not just instinct.
• You care about creating inclusive environments where people feel they belong.
• You’ve built leadership capability frameworks or large‑scale development programmes.
• You’re as comfortable in a workshop room as you are in a boardroom.
• You’re driven by one thing: helping people grow and perform at their best.

If you’re CIPD‑qualified or hold another relevant professional qualification, great. If not, but you’ve got the experience — we still want to hear from you.

Why this role matters

• How leaders lead
• How people grow
• How work feels, day‑to‑day

And ultimately, how we deliver on our purpose: bringing together ideas, energy and resources to make life better in our communities.

What you’ll get in return

• 34 days annual leave, rising to 39 in line with service (plus bank holidays)
• Private medical insurance, underwritten by BUPA
• Pension scheme with up to 12% employer contribution
• Colleague discount across our family of businesses
• Annual discretionary bonus based on the achievement of your objectives
• Wellbeing support and community engagement opportunities

A final thought

You’ve probably seen roles like this before.

But how many give you the space to truly shape the colleague experience across an entire organisation?

If you’re curious about what that could look like here… we’d love to talk.

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