Head of People

The KILLSTAR brand-universe is an invitation for people to explore, discover, and become who they are. We help affirm this invitation by creating an inclusive, supportive environment where our team members are embraced exactly as they are.

As our People Manager, you will play a key role in shaping and delivering the people strategy, ensuring an inclusive and high-performing workplace across our teams in the UK, US, and EU (Germany). Managing a People & Talent Partner, you will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day HR operations, acting as a trusted advisor to employees and managers while ensuring compliance with HR policies, employment laws, and best practices. In this role, you will work closely with senior leadership to drive employee engagement, talent development, and workforce planning, ensuring that our people practices align with business objectives. You will also lead recruitment efforts, partnering with hiring managers to attract and retain top talent while embedding a strong employer brand.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced HR professional to take ownership of the HR function in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, where your contributions will directly impact employee experience, business success, and long-term growth.

If this sounds like the opportunity for you — we would love to hear from you!

  WHAT YOU’LL DO:

People & Culture

• Act as a key HR advisor to managers and employees, providing expert guidance on all aspects of the employee lifecycle, including performance management, employee relations, and development opportunities.
• Develop and implement initiatives that enhance employee engagement, workplace culture, and overall job satisfaction, ensuring a positive and inclusive work environment.
• Lead Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, embedding inclusive hiring practices and fostering a culture that values diverse perspectives.
• Oversee learning and development programmes, identifying training needs and working with leadership to implement structured development pathways that support career growth.
• Manage employee relations matters, including grievances, disciplinaries, and conflict resolution, ensuring a fair, consistent, and legally compliant approach.
• Support leadership with succession planning and talent development strategies, ensuring high-potential employees are identified and nurtured for future growth.
• Act as a key point of contact for employees, ensuring HR policies and procedures are effectively communicated and consistently applied across the organisation.

Talent Acquisition

• Lead and oversee recruitment processes, partnering with hiring managers to attract, assess, and onboard top talent that aligns with the company’s culture and growth strategy.
• Implement best practices in talent acquisition, ensuring an efficient and engaging candidate experience from application to onboarding.
• Strengthen employer branding initiatives, working with leadership and marketing to position KILLSTAR as an employer of choice within the fashion and creative industries.
• Ensure a seamless and structured onboarding experience, providing new hires with the tools and support needed to integrate successfully into the business.
• Build and maintain relationships with external partners, including recruitment agencies, industry networks, and universities, to develop a strong and diverse talent pipeline.

HR Operations & Compliance

• Ensure HR policies, procedures, and frameworks are up to date, aligned with UK and international employment laws, and effectively implemented across the business.
• Oversee HR systems and data management, ensuring employee records are accurately maintained in HiBob and used to inform strategic decision-making.
• Work closely with finance and payroll providers to ensure accurate payroll processing, benefits administration, and compliance with tax and employment regulations.
• Track and analyse HR metrics, providing leadership with insights on workforce trends, engagement levels, and areas for improvement.
• Partner with leadership to align workforce planning with business goals, ensuring the right structures, skills, and talent are in place for long-term success.
• Provide leadership on change management and organisational development initiatives, supporting the business through transitions such as restructures, process improvements, or cultural shifts.
• Conduct regular HR audits and risk assessments to ensure compliance with employment laws and mitigate potential risks within the organisation.

WHO YOU ARE:

• Strategic Thinker : You see the bigger picture, aligning people strategies with business goals.
• Culture Champion : You thrive in building and maintaining a strong company culture that attracts and retains top talent.
• Proactive Problem Solver : You anticipate challenges and develop solutions before they become obstacles.
• Inspiring : the people you work with are motivated to do their best, and you inspire others by inviting their input, sharing ownership and visibility, and ensuring that everyone on your direct and extended teams are valued for their contributions.
• Solid Decision Maker : your solutions and suggestions are based on wisdom, critical thinking, experience, and sound judgment.
• Analytical : you can look at numbers all day, and help them make sense to others; you take a data-driven approach to problem-solving and management.

• Data Driven Leader : You make informed decisions based on HR metrics, employee feedback, and trends.
• Influential Communicator : You can engage and inspire employees at all levels of the organisation.

YOUR EXPERIENCE INCLUDES:

• Extensive experience in a HR leadership role, preferably in a global organisation.
• Proven experience managing payroll and compliance across UK market.
• Strong understanding of employment laws and HR best practices in multiple jurisdictions.
• Experience in organisational development, employee relations, and workforce planning.
• Track record of successfully developing and executing talent acquisition strategies.
• Proficiency in HR systems, payroll software, BrightPay, and data analytics.
• Hands-on experience with people platforms, advantageous if implemented or used HiBob (HRIS), TeamTailor (ATS) and Health Assured (EAP).
• CIPD Accreditation, Level 5 or 7.
• Strong financial acumen, including experience working with department budgets and annual audits.

BONUS IF YOU:

• Have experience working in high-growth, fast-paced environments, particularly within fashion, retail, or creative industries.
• Have a track record of successfully scaling HR and people functions globally, supporting rapid expansion across multiple regions.
• Have expertise in leveraging HR technology and analytics, using data to inform strategic workforce planning and drive organisational performance.
• Have successfully led remote and hybrid workforce strategies, ensuring engagement and productivity in distributed teams.
• Have experience with building and implementing leadership development programs, fostering high-potential employees and succession planning.

WORK HOURS & LOCATION:

Here at KILLSTAR, we support a hybrid working model. This means you will join us on site for three days a week at our HQ in Brighton. The other 2 days can be spent working from wherever you choose, either on-site, remotely or from home. Some domestic and international travel may be required periodically.

This role is a full-time position of 37.5 hours, with hours worked between 08:00am – 06:00pm, Monday through to Friday.

DOES THIS SOUND LIKE YOU?

KILLSTAR is committed to a world where what makes us different makes us strong. We are a proud equal opportunity employer, and we back that up with a “come as you are� culture that is welcoming, inclusive, and safe. If you can see yourself being successful and excited in this role, we want to hear from you.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other basis prohibited by law.