Director of People

Director of People

Are you innovative and people focused? Are you experienced in driving change, employee engagement and people development? Are you authentically values-driven? Do you share our belief in the power of good relationships, and the potential that is in all people to live good lives and put their past behind them?

Pact , the Prison Advice and Care Trust, the national charity for people affected by imprisonment, is seeking a new Director of People to join its Senior Leadership Team to ensure effective and efficient delivery of our people and learning and development goals and our strategic business plan, and to help shape our workplace culture, as we continue to grow and develop.

Reporting to the CEO, this role is critical in ensuring that our c400 colleagues and 500+ volunteers have the values, skills, and workplace culture, that will enable them to thrive, and deliver excellent services. In addition to acting as a strategic business partner and trusted advisor to senior leaders, you will have the professional business administration and leadership skills to help us build the right business processes, systems and structures, for maximum efficiency and cost effectiveness, so that our managers and frontline workers can focus fully on delivery. You will help us modernise, to keep our core costs as low as possible, so that even more of our resources can be spent to support people to cope with the impact of prison, and live good lives after release. But you will be more than your technical and business skills. You will be a people person too, and a role model and ambassador for
Pact’s ethos and values.

You will take a strategic leadership role in developing the capabilities of our managers, developing and implementing our business plan and people strategy, in alignment with the overall goals and values of the charity that have been developed over 125 years. You will lead initiatives that foster a sense of engagement and community and a ‘one team’ approach, for our dispersed workforce of small teams that deliver services in c70 prisons and a range of other locations across England and Wales. You will help build a culture of trust, collaboration and inclusion.

Key responsibilities include shaping our approach to talent management, and developing our recruitment and retention strategies, including embedding EDI into all aspects of the management and development of people to ensure we are able to attract, engage and retain a diverse and inclusive workforce. You will also share our passion and commitment to facilitating opportunities for people with lived experience of the criminal justice system to shape our thinking and be part of our workforce.

It is essential you are MCIPD qualified (or have evidence of working at this level) with senior HR and workforce development experience, including implementing your strong working knowledge of employment law and HR best practice and delivery of learning and development. You will also have experience of managing change, systems and business process improvement. As an experienced manager, you will have the skills to lead and inspire our People Team which includes the Training Manager, and Heads of HR and Volunteering as direct reports.

If this sounds like you, and you are committed to Pact’s mission, vision and values, then we would love to hear from you.

We offer:

• Hybrid working with expectation that up to 50% of time may be home-based with the rest based in a Pact London site or visiting other Pact sites in England and Wales.
• Permanent role
• This role is offered as full-time (37.5 hours per week) or may be offered part time (minimum of 30 hours)
• £80,000 per annum plus pension

Why Join Pact?

This role is more than a job; it’s a calling. You’ll be part of a growing organisation with ambitious goals and a compassionate mission. Pact offers a supportive environment where you can make a tangible difference, helping us achieve five strategic goals that include strengthening our impact, financial sustainability, workforce stability, and inclusivity.

If you’re ready to be a part of something greater and help us continue our important work, we’d love to hear from you. Join us in writing the next chapter of Pact’s story and make a difference that lasts.

How to apply:

If you feel that you meet the requirements of this exciting new role please complete an application form by clicking the 'apply now' button

* We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

Closing date: 9th December 2024 at 5pm
First Interviews will take place on 8th and 9th January 2025 in person in London

This post is subject to a 6-month probationary period, verification of identity and proven right to work in the UK, satisfactory references from previous employers covering a 3-year period, declaration of any unspent criminal convictions (and where appropriate a satisfactory risk assessment). You might also be required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service enhanced check, and a Counter-Terrorism Check (CTC). Please note the successful applicant will need to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Security Check for this post. Please note that being bankrupt or having County Court Judgements may affect your ability to be successfully vetted to work in a prison. The post holder will be expected to comply with any requirements of their registration/professional body to maintain their registration and good standing including continuing professional development, appraisal and revalidation where appropriate.

You may have experience of the following: Chief People Officer (CPO), Director of Human Resources and Development, Head of People and Culture, Director of Employee Experience, People and Operations Director, Senior Director of People Strategy, Director of Talent, Management and Workforce Development, Director of Workforce and Learning, Chief Talent Officer, People and Leadership Development Director, etc.

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