9-Month Fixed-Term Contract
Location: Dorset (multi-site)
Hybrid Working: Up to 2 days per week from home
Contract: 9-Month Fixed-Term Contract
We are seeking an experienced and strategic HR leader to join a large, complex organisation undergoing significant transformation. This is an opportunity to lead a broad HR Operations portfolio, shaping both strategic direction and operational excellence across a workforce of more than 10,000 employees.
As Associate Director, HR Operations & Wellbeing, you will be responsible for leading key people services including Talent Acquisition, Employee Relations, Temporary Workforce, Occupational Health, Wellbeing, Psychological Support Services and Workforce Operations.
Reporting to the Chief People Officer, you will play a critical role in delivering an outstanding employee experience, driving continuous improvement, ensuring operational effectiveness and supporting the organisation’s wider transformation agenda.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide strategic and operational leadership across multiple HR functions.
- Lead large, specialist teams delivering high-quality people services.
- Ensure delivery against key people metrics, service standards and organisational objectives.
- Act as the senior HR lead on complex employee relations matters, organisational change programmes, restructures, TUPE activity and employment tribunals.
- Build strong relationships with senior executives, operational leaders, employee representatives and external stakeholders.
- Drive policy development and ensure compliance with employment legislation and best practice.
- Lead the continued improvement and transformation of HR processes, systems and service delivery.
- Oversee Occupational Health, Wellbeing and Employee Support services, ensuring a proactive and impactful approach to workforce wellbeing.
- Utilise data and analytics to inform decision-making and measure effectiveness.
- Manage significant operational budgets and identify opportunities for efficiencies and savings.
- Deputise for senior People leaders at executive, regional and national forums when required.
We are looking for a commercially minded and highly credible HR professional who can operate confidently at executive level.
You will bring:
- Significant senior HR leadership experience within a large, complex organisation – ideally NHS.
- Proven experience leading operational HR functions and large multidisciplinary teams.
- Strong expertise in employee relations, organisational change and employment law.
- Experience working in highly regulated environments.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence at Board and Executive level.
- Track record of delivering service improvement, transformation and cultural change.
- Experience managing substantial budgets and delivering efficiencies.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
- A collaborative leadership style with a focus on inclusion, wellbeing and employee experience.
What’s On Offer
- A high-profile leadership opportunity with significant organisational impact.
- The chance to lead and shape critical people services during a period of transformation.
- A collaborative, forward-thinking leadership team.
- Competitive salary and benefits package.
- Hybrid working with a maximum of 2 days per week working from home.
Please note: This opportunity is offered on a 9-month fixed-term contract basis only. Day-rate or interim consultancy arrangements will not be considered.
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