Head of People

Hybrid | UK (Liverpool / Leeds) | Full-time

At Velstar , we believe great businesses are built by great people. We’re looking for a Head of People to shape and lead our people strategy, ensuring our culture, talent, leadership and ways of working support the next stage of our growth.

Reporting directly to the CEO and sitting on the Senior Leadership Team, this is a strategic leadership role for someone who can balance commercial objectives with creating an environment where people can thrive, develop and perform at their best.

The role

As Head of People, you’ll own the people agenda end-to-end, from workforce planning and organisational design through to employee engagement, leadership development and HR operations.

You’ll act as a trusted advisor to leaders across the business, helping them make informed decisions on people, performance and organisational growth. This role combines strategic thinking with hands-on leadership and requires someone who is equally comfortable influencing at board level and supporting managers through day-to-day people challenges.

What you’ll be doing

People Strategy & Leadership

• Developing and delivering a people strategy aligned to Velstar’s commercial goals

• Leading workforce planning and organisational design across the business

• Contributing to strategic decision-making as part of the Senior Leadership Team

• Preparing board-level reporting on key people metrics, risks and opportunities

• Supporting budget planning and investment decisions across people initiatives

HR Operations & Employment Law

• Acting as the senior advisor on employee relations, performance, absence, grievance and disciplinary matters

• Ensuring employment contracts, policies and documentation remain compliant and fit for purpose

• Supporting organisational change, including restructures, acquisitions and TUPE processes

• Owning and developing the HRIS to improve reporting and decision-making

Recruitment & Employer Brand

• Leading recruitment activity across the business

• Managing the candidate experience from first contact through to offer

• Building and maintaining a proactive talent pipeline

• Strengthening Velstar’s employer brand in partnership with Marketing

• Managing relationships with recruiters, ATS platforms and careers channels

Learning, Development & Performance

• Owning and evolving the performance review process

• Building career pathways, progression frameworks and development plans

• Designing and delivering leadership and manager development programmes

• Coaching managers to support performance, growth and capability development

• Identifying and nurturing future leaders across the business

Employee Experience & Internal Communications

• Driving a culture of engagement, belonging and high performance

• Leading employee feedback and engagement initiatives

• Ensuring a consistent employee experience across all locations and working patterns

• Owning internal communications strategy, channels and company-wide updates

• Supporting leadership communications and organisational change messaging

AI & The Future of Work

• Championing the adoption of AI tools and ways of working across the business

• Helping leaders understand how AI is shaping roles, skills and workforce planning

• Identifying opportunities to improve people processes through technology and automation

• Building confidence and capability around AI adoption across teams

People Leadership

• Line managing and developing the People & Workplace Manager

• Setting clear expectations, objectives and development plans

• Acting as a role model for Velstar’s values and leadership behaviours

What we’re looking for

You’re a commercially minded people leader who combines strategic thinking with strong operational execution. You’re comfortable influencing senior stakeholders, managing complexity and building trust at every level of the organisation.

You’ll likely have:

• CIPD Level 7 qualification or equivalent experience

• 5+ years’ experience in a senior generalist HR or People role

• Strong knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice

• Experience contributing to business strategy and leadership decision-making

• A track record of leading recruitment, employer branding and talent initiatives

• Experience managing complex employee relations matters

• Strong analytical skills and confidence using people data to inform decisions

• Experience supporting organisational change and transformation

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

• Experience using AI tools and helping organisations adapt to new ways of working

Nice to have:

• Experience within a digital, technology or agency environment

• Exposure to mergers, acquisitions or integration projects

• Previous line management experience within a People function

Why Velstar?

• Hybrid working (minimum 3 days per week in our Liverpool or Leeds office)

• A seat on the Senior Leadership Team with genuine influence on business direction

• The opportunity to shape the future of people, culture and leadership within a growing agency

• A collaborative and ambitious environment where people matter

• The chance to build a modern, forward-thinking people function that supports both commercial success and employee growth