Director of People Services

East Riding of Yorkshire Council
£106,305 - £116,305
Hackney

East Riding of Yorkshire offers an exceptional quality of life alongside a strong sense of community. From its stunning coastline and rolling countryside to its historic market towns and thriving rural communities, the area combines natural beauty with opportunity. The Council is reshaping how it works, with a new operating model, a refreshed senior leadership structure and a Chief Executive who is investing in modernising the organisation. The people agenda is central to that, and this is a moment when the Director of People Services will have genuine influence over how the council develops.

THE ROLE

The Director of People Services will lead a team of over 150 staff across recruitment, payroll, advisory services, HR business partnering, organisational development, policy and reward, safety services and occupational health. Reporting to the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and sitting on the Corporate Leadership Team, you will be responsible for the strategic direction and operational delivery of the council’s entire people function.

The council employs over 9,500 people across one of the largest geographical areas in the country, and the workforce challenges are varied and complex. Recruitment and retention pressures look different in a rural authority compared to a city council, and you will need to think creatively about how to attract and keep good people in a competitive market. At the same time, the council is embedding a new operating model and a refreshed leadership structure, and there is important cultural work to do in supporting managers and staff through that transition.

You will lead the council’s approach to workforce planning, employee wellbeing, organisational development and learning, and you will be the person who connects the people strategy to the council’s wider transformation ambitions. The Chief Executive is clear that the people agenda is a corporate priority, not a support function. You will have a seat at the top table and the backing to make change happen.

We are looking for someone who brings both strategic thinking and operational credibility, who is comfortable challenging the way things have always been done, and who can build the confidence of managers and staff across a large and diverse organisation.

For further details, please click below for the link to the council’s dedicated webpage.

INFORMATION

For further details, please click below for the link to the council's webpage, role profile and structure chart, or for more information please contact Tim Farr on 07756 293292 or tim.farr@starfishsearch.com

Role Profile     Structure Chart     CLICK HERE
Timeline

Closing Date: 23rd August 2026

Longlisting (applicants not required): w/c 24th August 2026

Technical Interviews (via Teams):  4th September 2026

Preliminary Assessment (applicants required on site): 18th September 2026

Shortlisting (applicants not required): 25th September 2026

Final Panel Interviews (applicants required on site): 9th October 2026

How to apply

To make an application, please click on the apply now button below, with the following prepared:

  • Your CV (no more than three sides of A4).
  • A supporting statement (no more than three sides of A4) that sets out why you think this role is the right move for you and how you meet the knowledge and experience criteria.

If our client is a member of the Disability Confident Scheme and you would like to apply under the scheme, please state that clearly at the top of your supporting statement, along with any adjustments you require to be made if invited for interview.

Apply