Interim Head Of People Development & Reward

Title: Interim Head Of People Development & Reward

Contract Length: 6 months

Location: Southampton (Hybrid Working)

This is a senior interim People/HR leadership role responsible for bringing together company's Centres of Expertise across Learning, Leadership, Talent, Succession, Organisational Development, Culture, Reward and Employee Experience. The role will provide strategic direction, connect specialist teams and translate workforce priorities into practical People programmes that deliver business value. It is suited to an experienced People leader who can operate strategically while also driving practical delivery, organisational capability, leadership development and change.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Centres of Expertise (CoE) portfolio covering Learning, Leadership, Talent, Succession, Organisational Development, Culture, Reward and Employee Experience.
• Bring specialist People teams together so they operate as a coordinated and integrated function.
• Translate organisational and workforce priorities into practical, prioritised and deliverable People plans.
• Work with HR Business Partnering and workforce planning teams to identify future skills, capability and talent requirements.
• Lead the development of learning and leadership programmes to strengthen leadership capability across the organisation.
• Oversee talent management, succession planning, career development and internal mobility strategies.
• Lead organisational development and culture initiatives to improve organisational health, team effectiveness and readiness for change.
• Provide strategic oversight of reward, recognition and benefits, ensuring effective governance and compliance.
• Manage external specialist advisers and support senior-level decision-making, including remuneration and pay negotiations where required.
• Make informed decisions on which People initiatives to build, improve, simplify, sequence, stop or retire, balancing long-term strategy with practical delivery.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Senior-level experience leading an integrated People/HR, Talent or Centres of Expertise portfolio.
• Broad experience across areas such as Learning, Leadership, Talent, Succession, Careers, OD, Culture, Reward and Employee Experience.
• Strong strategic workforce planning and workforce capability experience.
• Proven ability to turn organisational skills and capability needs into practical People solutions.
• Strong leadership development experience, including building effective and sustainable leadership capability.
• Experience leading and managing specialist HR/People teams and senior professionals.
• Good understanding of reward, benefits, governance and employment-related compliance.
• Strong commercial judgement with an understanding of affordability, business priorities and organisational readiness.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication and influencing skills, particularly with senior leaders.
• Pragmatic, evidence-based and people-focused approach, with strong judgement, integrity and the ability to lead calmly through change.