About the Role
Following a successful 18-month period of interim leadership, we have developed a new People Strategy, established clear priorities and strengthened the foundations from which our people agenda can continue to evolve.
As our Director of People & Culture, you will take that progress forward while bringing your own leadership, perspective and ambition to what comes next.
Reporting directly to the Chief Executive and as a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will influence far beyond the People function. You will work closely with senior colleagues and our Board of Trustees to shape organisational strategy, strengthen leadership and capability, and create a culture where colleagues and volunteers can thrive.
Leading Recruitment, Learning & Organisational Development, People Partnering and Volunteering, you will bring together the teams responsible for attracting, developing, supporting and retaining the people who enable Norwood to deliver outstanding services.
This is not about starting again. It is about recognising what is working, building on the progress already made and having the confidence and vision to take Norwood's people agenda further.
Ultimately, your impact will be felt beyond People & Culture. By creating the conditions for our people to do their best work, you will help enable exceptional support for the children, families and adults who rely on Norwood.
Who we are looking for
We’re looking for an experienced and credible People leader who can combine strategic thinking with strong operational judgement and who understands the role that people, leadership and culture play in delivering an Norwood's ambitions.
You’ll be comfortable operating at Executive and Board level, providing trusted advice, influencing strategic decisions and building strong relationships across a complex, multi-site organisation. Equally, you’ll stay connected to the everyday colleague experience and understand what good People practice needs to look and feel like across our services.
You’ll bring experience of leading and developing multidisciplinary teams, shaping People strategy and successfully leading organisational and cultural change. You’ll know how to translate strategy into meaningful action, using insight, data and clear measures of success to understand what is working and where we need to go further.
Your leadership style will matter as much as your experience. You’ll be someone who listens, builds trust and brings people with you. You’ll have the confidence to challenge constructively, the judgement to navigate complexity and the integrity to make decisions that balance the needs of our people with those of Norwood.
Above all, you’ll understand that great People leadership is not an end in itself. It creates the conditions for people to thrive and, in turn, enables Norwood to continue delivering outstanding support to the people and communities we serve.
Your day to day
You’ll move between strategic conversations, organisational priorities and the leadership of a multidisciplinary People & Culture function.
You will:
- Work alongside the Chief Executive, Senior Leadership Team and Board of Trustees, providing trusted advice and shaping Norwood’s strategic direction
- Lead the delivery and continued development of our People Strategy, ensuring it evolves alongside the organisation
- Lead our Recruitment, Learning & Organisational Development, People Partnering and Volunteering functions
- Strengthen leadership capability, colleague engagement and organisational culture across Norwood
- Ensure our people practices, policies and employment approaches are fair, effective, legally compliant and aligned with our values
- Shape how we attract, develop, engage and retain talented, values-led people
- Lead organisational and cultural change, helping colleagues and leaders navigate change effectively
- Champion equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging across our people practices and colleague experience
- Use people data, insight and meaningful measures to understand performance, identify priorities and inform decisions
- Ensure workforce planning and recruitment respond effectively to operational needs while supporting the reduction of agency reliance
- Lead the People & Culture budget, ensuring resources are focused where they can have the greatest impact
- Stay connected to colleagues and services across Norwood, ensuring our People agenda reflects the realities of the people delivering our work every day
Above all, you’ll turn People strategy into everyday experience, creating the conditions for our colleagues and volunteers to feel supported, developed and empowered to do their best work.
Experience, Qualifications & Training
You will bring:
- A relevant HR qualification, preferably MCIPD or above
- Substantial People/HR leadership experience within a multi-site, people-intensive organisation
- Experience operating as part of a senior leadership team and making meaningful contributions to organisational strategy
- A strong track record of leading, developing and bringing together high-performing multidisciplinary professional teams
- Experience developing and delivering People strategies that support organisational priorities, culture and performance
- Demonstrable experience of leading change programmes and embedding cultural change
- Strong knowledge of employment law, employee relations and contemporary people management practice
- Experience developing performance frameworks and using people data, insight and KPIs to inform decisions and improve performance
- Strong commercial and organisational awareness, including an understanding of budgets, resources and workforce planning
- Experience advancing equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging through organisational practices and culture
- Strong coaching, mentoring, influencing and stakeholder management capability
It would be advantageous if you also bring:
- Experience within the care sector and an understanding of its regulatory environment
- Knowledge of relevant regulatory and compliance frameworks
- Knowledge and understanding of the Jewish community
You do not need to be Jewish to join Norwood. What matters is your alignment with our values, your commitment to our purpose and your ability to lead a People agenda that enables colleagues and the organisation to thrive.
Reward and Benefits
- 21 days annual leave + 8 Bank Holidays (FTE) + Jewish Festival Days
- Enhanced parental pay
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Health cash plan covering dental, optical, and therapy treatments, with virtual GP access, private consultations, and wellbeing tools via the My Medicash App
- Blue Light Card scheme access
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Free on-site parking
- A supportive, and experienced leadership team.
A bit more information: Norwood’s Broadway House, located at 80 - 82 The Broadway, Stanmore HA7 4HB, is the charity’s head office and main administrative base.
It brings together Governance, Leadership, Fundraising, Finance, People and Culture, and Marketing and Communications, providing coordination and support to Children & Family Services and Adult Services.
The office supports Norwood’s mission to help people with neurodevelopmental disabilities, their families, and children in need across London and the South East. It is also the main point of contact for referrals, general enquiries, and charity business.
Safe Recruitment: Norwood is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children, young people, and adults we support. This role is subject to safer recruitment checks in line with CQC Regulation 19, and appointment is conditional upon satisfactory pre-employment checks, including Right to Work in the UK and a DBS check appropriate to the role.
Disclaimer: At Norwood, we welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates. At this time, Norwood is not a UK Home Office licensed sponsor and is unable to offer visa sponsorship.
Executive Search: This appointment is being managed exclusively by Starfish, Norwood’s appointed Executive Search partner. All applications, enquiries and candidate engagement for this role will be directed to Starfish.
Click APPLY to be taken directly to the vacancy on Starfish.
