Head of HR Job Description
Hire a strategic HR leader to own people strategy, employee lifecycle and HR operations for your business.
What does a Head of HR professional do?
Senior HR leader responsible for strategy, people management, policy, employee relations and HR operational delivery.
Head of HR job description template
Use this employer-ready example as a starting point, then replace the placeholders and adjust the content so it accurately reflects your vacancy.
Head of HR
About the role
We are seeking an experienced Head of HR to lead our people function and support the executive team on workforce strategy. You will design and deliver people plans across [UK / regional / international] operations, lead a team of HR professionals, and act as the senior adviser on employee relations, performance, development and organisational change. Location: [Location]. Reports to: [Reporting line]. Salary: [Salary range].
Key responsibilities
- Develop and implement the organisation’s people strategy aligned to business goals and culture.
- Lead, coach and develop the HR team; set priorities, manage resourcing and build capability.
- Provide senior stakeholder counsel on employee relations, restructures, disciplinary and redundancy processes.
- Oversee recruitment strategy for senior and volume hiring; manage employer brand and talent pipelines.
- Design and deliver performance, reward and career development frameworks.
- Own HR policy, compliance with UK employment law and data protection standards.
- Manage HR operations and systems (HRIS), reporting, workforce planning and people metrics.
- Drive change programmes including organisational design, major restructures or integrations where required.
Essential skills and experience
- Significant HR experience, typically 7+ years with at least 3 years in a senior leadership role.
- Proven track record of setting and delivering people strategy in a multi-site or multi-team organisation.
- Strong working knowledge of UK employment law and best-practice HR processes.
- Experience leading and developing HR teams and working with senior leaders and board-level stakeholders.
- Demonstrable experience managing complex employee relations and change programmes.
- Excellent communication and influencing skills, both written and verbal.
Desirable
- CIPD qualification or equivalent HR professional accreditation.
- Experience with HRIS implementation and working with HR analytics and reporting tools.
- Experience in the same sector (e.g. professional services, tech, retail) or with international HR responsibilities.
- Background in reward design, talent management or learning & development at senior level.
- Experience of M&A, integration or large-scale organisational design projects.
What we offer
- Pension contribution (employer placeholder)
- Flexible / hybrid working arrangement (employer placeholder)
- Annual bonus or performance-related pay (employer placeholder)
- Private medical insurance or health benefit (employer placeholder)
- Generous annual leave entitlement (employer placeholder)
- Professional development budget and paid CPD (employer placeholder)
How to apply
Apply with your CV and any additional information requested. Make the interview process, closing date and any assessment stages clear where known.
Use this as a starting point rather than a final advert. The strongest version will reflect the real role, salary, location, systems, responsibilities, benefits and working arrangements.
What is a Head of HR role?
A Head of HR leads an organisation’s people function, translating business objectives into HR strategy and policies. The role combines strategic planning with operational delivery: advising senior leadership, managing HR teams, overseeing employee relations and compliance, and delivering talent, reward and development programmes that support organisational performance and culture.
Senior leadership remit
Owns people strategy and advises the executive team on workforce decisions and organisational design.
Team leadership
Manages HR professionals, builds capability and ensures consistent HR delivery across the business.
Operational ownership
Responsible for HR policy, compliance, systems (HRIS) and reporting to inform senior decisions.
Typical Head of HR responsibilities
Responsibilities should reflect the real scope of the vacancy rather than every task someone in this profession might ever complete.
Develop
Develop and implement the organisation’s people strategy aligned to business goals and culture.
Lead, coach
Lead, coach and develop the HR team; set priorities, manage resourcing and build capability.
Provide senior stakeholder counsel on
Provide senior stakeholder counsel on employee relations, restructures, disciplinary and redundancy processes.
Oversee recruitment strategy for senior
Oversee recruitment strategy for senior and volume hiring; manage employer brand and talent pipelines.
Design
Design and deliver performance, reward and career development frameworks.
Own HR policy
Own HR policy, compliance with UK employment law and data protection standards.
Manage HR operations
Manage HR operations and systems (HRIS), reporting, workforce planning and people metrics.
Drive change programmes including organisational
Drive change programmes including organisational design, major restructures or integrations where required.
Head of HR skills and experience to look for
Keep the essential list focused on what the person really needs to perform the role. Move useful-but-trainable experience into desirable criteria.
Usually worth prioritising
- Significant HR experience, typically 7+ years with at least 3 years in a senior leadership role.
- Proven track record of setting and delivering people strategy in a multi-site or multi-team organisation.
- Strong working knowledge of UK employment law and best-practice HR processes.
- Experience leading and developing HR teams and working with senior leaders and board-level stakeholders.
- Demonstrable experience managing complex employee relations and change programmes.
- Excellent communication and influencing skills, both written and verbal.
Useful where relevant
- CIPD qualification or equivalent HR professional accreditation.
- Experience with HRIS implementation and working with HR analytics and reporting tools.
- Experience in the same sector (e.g. professional services, tech, retail) or with international HR responsibilities.
- Background in reward design, talent management or learning & development at senior level.
- Experience of M&A, integration or large-scale organisational design projects.
See our guide to what to include in a job advert before publishing.
How to write a Head of HR job advert
Small role-specific details can make the advert much easier for suitable candidates to assess.
Be explicit about remit and scope
State whether the role covers UK-only, regional or international responsibilities, the number of employees and the HR team size.
Clarify reporting and influence
Tell candidates who they will report to and which senior stakeholders they will work with to attract leaders comfortable with board-level engagement.
Sell the strategic priorities
Briefly outline the top priorities (e.g. scaling headcount, restructuring, culture change) so candidates can assess fit quickly.
Use measurable expectations
Where possible, include targets or examples of success (e.g. reduced turnover, implemented HRIS) rather than vague ambitions.
Head of HR salary considerations
Pay for a Head of HR varies widely. Set expectations by considering several role-specific factors rather than relying on a single market number.
depending on experience
- Use a genuine range
- Separate variable pay
- Avoid “competitive” alone
- Match salary to seniority
What Head of HR candidates will want to know
Practical details can influence whether a suitable candidate applies, even when the title and salary are attractive.
Who does this role report to and which board/executive relationships are expected?
Senior HR candidates need clarity on reporting lines and whether they are a direct adviser to the CEO/Board.
How big is the HR team and what is the span of control?
Candidates will want to know the size and structure of the team they will lead and direct reports.
Is the remit UK-only or international/multi-jurisdictional?
This affects required expertise in international employment law and cross-border HR policies.
What HR systems and data capabilities are in place?
Knowing which HRIS, payroll or analytics tools are used helps candidates assess delivery requirements.
What are the immediate priorities for the first 6–12 months?
Senior hires expect clear short-term objectives (e.g. restructure, implement HRIS, reduce attrition) to judge fit.
What is the total reward package and flexibility of the salary band?
Candidates need to understand base pay range, bonus structure and key benefits to evaluate the opportunity.
Where to post a Head of HR job
For a senior HR leadership role use a mix of channels: broad UK job boards and LinkedIn will reach active candidates, while CIPD jobs, HR-specific forums and senior people networks will target experienced HR professionals. If you need discreet or hard-to-reach candidates, consider executive search or specialist HR recruitment consultants. Tailor distribution by sector and geography to match the role’s remit.
Related human resources / people job descriptions
Recruiting for a slightly different role? These templates may be a closer fit.
Head of HR job description FAQs
How long should I advertise a Head of HR role?
For senior HR roles allow 3–4 weeks on public boards to build a candidate pool and run concurrent targeted outreach (LinkedIn, CIPD, networks). If using retained search, timelines depend on search scope and availability of suitable candidates.
Is CIPD membership required for a Head of HR?
CIPD membership is a recognised professional benchmark and valuable, but it is not legally required. Use it as a desirable criterion unless your organisation specifically mandates professional accreditation.
When should I use an agency or executive search?
Use an agency or retained search when confidentiality is important, the market is competitive, the role requires rare expertise, or you need faster access to senior, passive candidates.
What pre-employment checks should I carry out?
Standard checks include right to work, references and verification of qualifications. Criminal record checks (DBS) are only required for regulated work with vulnerable groups. Consider sector-specific checks where appropriate.
How can I benchmark salary for this role?
Benchmark using sector-specific salary surveys, professional networks, and comparator organisations of similar size and complexity. Factor in benefits and total reward when assessing competitiveness.
Use this Head of HR template to hire your next people leader
Copy and customise the advert paragraph, insert your specifics for location, reporting line and salary band, and advertise via the channels that best reach senior HR professionals. If you prefer help, consider specialist HR recruitment services or targeted board advertising to accelerate the search.
