Job Description

We're looking for a strategic, culture-first

Head of People

to drive organisational clarity, team unity, and operational effectiveness as we grow our team in

Somerset West (in-office)

.


This isn't a traditional HR role. We need a builder, a leader, and a people architect--someone who gets scale-ups, knows how to scale people systems, and thrives in high-change environments.

OUTCOMES:

What success looks like

Aligned & Engaged Teams + Cohesion across functions, with shared values and a clear rhythm of work. Strong internal communication. High trust. Low drama. Efficient, Compliant People Ops + Payroll runs clean. Contracts are handled. Governance is sharp and scalable. Policies make sense for both people and the business. Great People in the Right Seats + A repeatable hiring system that puts the right talent into key roles--quickly, thoughtfully, and without chaos. From 70 to 100+ people without culture erosion. Culture as a Strategic Asset + Values are not slogans. They're practiced. You make sure culture is reinforced through hiring, onboarding, feedback, recognition, and how we lead.

CONTEXT:

Where the work happens

You'll work as a core member of the leadership team in a fast-growing, high-ambition environment. The business is moving through a scale-up phase, with growth expected well beyond the current 70+ team size. Things move fast, but intentionally.


This role will operate across all levels of the organisation--from shaping strategy with senior leaders to implementing foundational systems. You'll also be responsible for building a People function over time, including recruitment and admin support. You'll have wide influence, but autonomy too.


Culture matters here--a lot. The expectation is not just HR operations, but culture stewardship. That includes fostering alignment, psychological safety, and deep engagement.

COMPETENCIES:

What you bring

Strategic thinking with a bias for action. Experience at pace, preferably in startup or scale-up environments. End-to-end talent expertise, including hiring, performance, engagement, and retention. HR governance chops--contracts, payroll, compliance--done with confidence and clarity. Culture builder, not culture manager. You know how to make values tangible. Emotional intelligence and people intuition. Trusted, calm, reflective. Comfort with ambiguity, and a builder mindset. You don't wait for perfect systems--you create them. Learning mindset--open, adaptive, and constantly refining.

CUSTOMER:

Who this work serves

The team: Every employee deserves clarity, care, and opportunity. This role ensures they get it. The leadership: A trusted partner in navigating growth, structure, hiring, and team dynamics. The business: Efficient operations, strategic talent, and cultural alignment drive performance. That's what this role fuels.

Requirements

IDEAL PROFILE SNAPSHOT

5-10+ years in people leadership roles. Strong exposure to scale-up environments, ideally having supported growth from 70 to 100+ people. Not purely operational, not purely cultural--you bring both. You've hired and led recruitment teams or built people ops from scratch. High EQ, low ego, sharp instincts. * You've done this before--or you've been close enough to know exactly how to do it now.