Interim Director of People and Culture
Charity Sector
South-East (Hybrid)
Circa. £90,000
Starfish Search is working with a national social justice charity to identify an Interim Director of People and Culture. This is a critical opportunity to lead the organisation’s approach to People, Culture, and Organisational Development at a time of strategic growth and service expansion. The role will provide senior, independent leadership to ensure the charity’s people strategy is ambitious, values-led, and aligned with its mission to deliver high-quality, life-changing services across the communities it supports.
THE ROLE
You will:
- Lead a full review and refresh of the People and Culture strategy, ensuring it supports the organisation’s long-term ambitions and reflects best practice across reward, workforce development, wellbeing, and organisational culture.
- Oversee all HR, training, and development functions, strengthening systems, processes, and data insight so that they support high performance, compliance, and excellent staff experience.
- Embed the organisation’s values and a strong commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion across all People practices, ensuring they shape recruitment, development, recognition, and workforce culture.
- Enhance staff engagement and voice by developing effective feedback mechanisms, using insight to drive targeted improvements and strengthen organisational learning.
- Provide senior leadership on employee relations, workforce planning, digital transformation, and organisational change, including supporting new service mobilisation, tender activity, and TUPE assessments.
- Lead the development of progressive volunteering and service user involvement pathways, ensuring opportunities for participation, development, and co-production are built into the People strategy.
You will have:
- Significant senior leadership experience in People, Culture, or HR within a complex, values-led environment, with a track record of delivering ambitious people strategies and culture-change programmes.
- Expertise in managing complex employee relations, organisational risk, and TUPE matters, combined with the confidence to advise senior leaders and Boards on sensitive or high-impact issues.
- Strong knowledge of modern workforce, reward, and wellbeing approaches, with the ability to design people solutions that are inclusive, engaging, and aligned with organisational purpose.
- Excellent communication, collaboration, and influencing skills, with the ability to build strong relationships across the organisation and with external partners.
- Strong analytical, planning, and organisational capability, with commercial awareness and the ability to translate insight into practical, sustainable solutions.
- A values-driven, energetic approach, with a commitment to staff development, engagement, and the creation of high-performing, supportive cultures.
This interim assignment is expected to run for a period of 6-9 months and offers a salary of circa. £90,000-£100,000
The role has a national focus and you will be expected to travel to services across the UK as necessary. Presence in the South East office will also be necessary to drive the change projects.
Closing Date: Monday 8th December