Head of HR

The Bukola Group is partnering with a large, established organisation to appoint an experienced Head of HR into a key leadership position.

This is a highly visible role leading the people agenda across a complex, unionised workforce. Reporting into the Executive Leadership Team, you will provide strategic and operational HR leadership, ensuring the delivery of a commercially focused people strategy while maintaining strong employee and industrial relations frameworks.

The successful candidate will bring significant experience operating within a unionised environment and will be confident leading on complex employee relations matters, organisational change, and trade union engagement.

• As Head of HR, you will lead the HR function, partnering with senior leaders to deliver people initiatives that support organisational performance, workforce engagement, and business objectives.
• You will be responsible for driving a proactive HR agenda while ensuring the organisation maintains effective employee relations practices and positive relationships with recognised trade unions.
• Leading the HR function and providing strategic direction across all people-related activities
• Acting as the senior HR advisor to executive and operational leadership teams
• Developing and implementing HR strategies aligned to organisational objectives
• Leading employee relations and industrial relations activity across the organisation
• Building and maintaining effective relationships with trade union representatives and employee forums
• Providing oversight and guidance on complex and high-risk employee relations matters
• Leading organisational change programmes, restructures, workforce planning initiatives, and consultation processes
• Ensuring compliance with employment legislation and HR best practice
• Developing management capability through coaching, guidance, and leadership development initiatives
• Driving employee engagement, performance, talent, succession, and workforce development strategies
• Using people data and insights to identify risks, opportunities, and areas for improvement

You will be a commercially minded HR leader with extensive experience operating within a complex, unionised environment.

• Proven experience in a senior HR leadership role, such as Head of HR, or HR Director level
• Significant experience leading HR within a heavily unionised workforce environment
• Strong employee relations and industrial relations expertise, including engagement with recognised trade unions, redundancy work, and employment tribunals
• Experience leading organisational change, consultation, and workforce transformation programmes
• Excellent knowledge of UK employment law and its practical application
• A track record of influencing and partnering with senior leadership teams
• Strong leadership, coaching, and stakeholder management skills
• Experience managing and developing HR teams
• CIPD Level 7 or equivalent professional qualification

• Opportunity to lead and shape the people agenda within a large and complex organisation
• Significant exposure to senior leadership and strategic decision-making
• A broad and impactful remit covering both operational and strategic HR activity
• The chance to influence organisational culture, employee engagement, and workforce effectiveness

You must demonstrate substantial experience leading HR within a unionised environment, with a strong track record in employee relations, industrial relations, and trade union engagement