Head of People

Hours: 0.6 FTE (though flexible)

Salary: £45,000 per annum (pro rata) depending on experience

Reports to: COO

Job Purpose

Empire Fighting Chance has grown significantly in recent years and we have ambitious plans for the future that require us to grow and develop as an organisation. Our new Head of People will lead our efforts to create a talented, happy and motivated team capable of realising our ambition. This role emphasizes leadership, development, and fostering a strong organisational culture. To enable you to focus on strategically advancing our people strategy, we have partnered with Be The Change (BTC), a local HR consultancy. BTC handles HR administration tasks such as contract management and recruitment support, ensuring your time is freed up for more impactful, strategic initiative.

Main duties and responsibilities

1. Leadership and Strategy

• As a member of the SLT, you’ll contribute to the charity’s organisational leadership and strategic development, you’ll:
• Lead the development and implementation of a people strategy that will enable Empire’s staff to flourish.
• Review and strengthen our practices related to people, including internal communications, CPD and onboarding.
• Support the transition of Empire from a founder led organisation to a founder inspired charity, including through the development of a Senior Leadership Team.

2. Culture and Wellbeing

• Work with colleagues to define the Empire workplace culture, recognising the charity’s heritage, values, and future plans.
• Develop a behavioural competency framework aligned to Empire’s culture, beliefs, and strategic objectives. We have a working name of Empire DNA, but we’d like you to develop this.
• Lead on the development and implementation of practices that strengthen Empire’s culture and support people’s wellbeing at work. Work with our HR Consultant to make this practice into policy.
• Explore using an annual staff survey to evaluate and enhance culture and wellbeing.

3. Professional Development

• Provide leadership, training and support to Empire’s managers.
• Introduce a standard of line management, and support staff to develop skills and a culture to achieve this
• Train and support managers to provide clear, timely feedback.
• Develop and implement Empire’s approach to Continuous Professional Development (CPD), ensuring the charity offers training and support that enhance people’s skills and career growth.

Knowledge and skills

• Strategic thinker, able to identify an organisation’s goals and align people and culture strategies to achieve them.
• Strong leadership skills, with an ability to lead and ‘own’ a critical function for the charity.
• Exceptional communication skills, verbal and written.
• You get what it takes to maintain organisational cultures.
• Ability to develop, upskill and coach people.
• High level of emotional intelligence, able to empathise and understand the needs of employees.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with an ability to build trusted relationships and influence leaders and other staff.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently and autonomously. Able to engage critically in Empire’s work and the issues it tackles.

Experience

• Experience of making a significant contribution to an organisation’s people and culture strategy.
• Experience of developing and implementing people related strategies that achieve an organisation’s objectives.
• You do not need “HR” experience, but a light understanding of employment practices would be useful.

Personal qualities

• Comfortable working in an informal environment.
• Authentic, confident and inspiring leader.
• A changemaker, who can encourage others to step out of their comfort zone.
• Takes a personal, collaborative and positive approach.
• Aptitude to deal with challenging situations.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and uphold high ethical standards.
• A passion for and commitment to Empire’s mission and beliefs.
• Understanding of and interest in sport (essential) and boxing in particular (desirable).