The Opportunity
We are supporting a fast-growing, founder-led SaaS business in the search for a Chief People Officer (Fractional).
The company is self-funded and operating at a Series A–equivalent stage, with around 50 employees, strong product-market traction, and a solid base of recurring revenue. Having successfully established itself in a primarily B2C-led motion, the next phase of growth is focused on scaling into a more structured B2B and enterprise SaaS business.
This is an important appointment, reporting directly to the CEO and working closely with the leadership team to build a high-performing organisation, strengthen leadership capability, support with re-orgs, implement changes required to be compliant with changes to employment law and create the people infrastructure required to support the next stage of growth.
The business already has an HR Manager in place, and a key part of this role will be mentoring, developing and empowering them as the People function matures.
This is a fractional leadership opportunity, expected to require approximately c.2-3 days per week, although the exact commitment will evolve with the needs of the business and stage of the engagement. We're looking for someone who can offer flexibility and adapt their involvement as the company continues to scale.
The Role
As fractional Chief People Officer, you will:
- Ensure compliance with UK employment legislation and HR best practice while balancing commercial pragmatism.
- Review and develop people policies, processes and systems that are light-touch, modern and engaging, providing the right level of structure without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.
- Define and execute the company's people strategy, ensuring it supports ambitious commercial and growth objectives.
- Partner with the CEO and leadership team on workforce planning, succession planning, and leadership development.
- Mentor, coach and develop the existing HR Manager, helping evolve the HR function from operational to strategic.
- Lead all aspects of talent acquisition, employee engagement, learning and development, performance management, and reward.
- Design and oversee compensation, benefits and reward frameworks, ensuring they remain competitive and commercially aligned.
- Partner with commercial leadership to develop, review and administer sales commission and incentive structures that drive performance while maintaining appropriate governance.
About You
We're looking for a People leader who combines strategic thinking with a practical, hands-on approach - someone who is decisive, knowledgable and able to operate in a clear but kind way.
You would ideally have:
- 8+ years' experience in senior People, HR or Chief People Officer roles, ideally within high-growth SaaS or technology businesses.
- Strong knowledge of current UK employment law and HR best practice.
- Experience supporting businesses of approximately 50–70 employees through periods of growth and change.
- A proven track record of partnering with founders and executive leadership teams to build scalable people functions.
- Experience mentoring and developing HR professionals and building capable internal People teams.
- Experience administering or overseeing EMI share option schemes or similar employee equity programmes.
- Experience designing performance management, compensation, career development and organisational development frameworks.
- Excellent coaching, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
- A commercial mindset with the ability to balance employee experience and business performance.
- A collaborative, pragmatic and hands-on leadership style suited to a founder-led environment.
Pay: £500.00-£750.00 per day
Application question(s):
- Please confirm your day rate and availability (including any notice period);
- Do you have experience working with start-up/ scale-up businesses?
Experience:
- People Leadership: 5 years (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in London
