Head of People

Head of People – Pilot Group

About Us

Our organisation is a growing, medium-sized business entering an exciting period of development and transformation. We are enhancing our operational structure to support the next phase of our growth. Our head office serves as the central hub for two companies within our group, and we are proud to maintain a collaborative, high-energy, and supportive working environment.

As part of this evolution, we are seeking a highly experienced, people-focused, and strategically minded professional to step into the role: Head of People. This position will play a critical part in shaping our culture, strengthening our people practices, and supporting our leadership team as we continue to grow.

The role

As the Head of People at Pilot Group, you will be instrumental in shaping and driving the future of our HR function. Reporting to the COO you will lead a Team of two across Recruitment / Payroll. This is a strategic, a hands-on role will involve leading HR transformation, developing leadership capabilities, and ensuring our people policies evolve in line with both business needs and changing legislation.

You will be responsible for managing HR operations across two business units with a combined headcount of approximately 100 employees. A key priority will be developing and nurturing our company values and culture, ensuring they remain integral to everything we do. You'll lead initiatives to enhance employee engagement and foster a people-first, collaborative work environment.

Additionally, you will lead HR projects such as organizational change and process improvements, balancing day-to-day HR needs with the long-term goals of the business. Your expertise will be essential in creating a thriving, engaged workforce that aligns with the vision and values of Pilot Group.

Key Responsibilities

HR Transformation & Operational Excellence

• Lead the transformation and optimisation of systems, processes, and service delivery to enable a scalable, efficient, and data-driven HR function.
• Drive continuous improvement in the use of HR technology (including BambooHR) to enhance accuracy, reporting, and employee experience.
• Streamline core people processes (payroll, performance, and reward) for consistency and effectiveness.

Learning, Development & Career Growth

• Design and implement a structured Learning & Development framework, including career pathways, leadership development, and succession planning.
• Partner with managers to embed a coaching culture and ensure every employee has opportunities to grow and develop.
• Introduce clear capability framework that support both personal and organisational growth.

Policy, Compliance & Governance

• Review, modernise, and maintain all HR policies and the employee handbook — ensuring full compliance with current legislation while reflecting culture and tone of voice.
• Ensure fair, transparent, and consistent application of all policies and procedures.

Values Development & Embedding

• Lead the development, refinement, and articulation of core values, ensuring they are clear, meaningful, and aligned with our growth ambitions.
• Embed these values across the organisation through practical behaviours, leadership expectations, and day-to-day ways of working.
• Ensure our values remain a consistent foundation for communication, decision-making, and employee experience by creating effective feedback and reinforcement mechanisms.

Employee Relations & Day-to-Day HR Support

• Act as the key point of contact for employee relations matters — providing hands-on guidance on disciplinary, grievance, performance, and absence management cases.
• Coach and support managers to handle ER issues confidently and in line with best practice.
• Manage complex or sensitive HR cases directly when required.
• Oversee and mentor your direct report, ensuring day-to-day HR administration, documentation, and processes run smoothly.

Strategic People Partnership

• Partner closely with the SLT to align the people strategy with business priorities and growth plans.
• Use people data and analytics to inform decisions and measure impact.
• Support organisational design and workforce planning to ensure Pilot Group has the right structure and skills for future success.

Benefits

• 25 days holidays + bank holidays
• Holiday Purchase Scheme
• Life Assurance x 4 of your salary
• Health Shield – Cash plan, Thrive app, Employee Assistance Program, My GP anytime.
• Metro Money
• Location close to Manchester City Centre  with free parking – first come first serve basis.
• Enhanced maternity / paternity pay
• Annual Events including Christmas Party / Team Lunches

Recruitment Agencies: 

The Pilot Group operates a strict PSL and will not accept any unsolicited CVs sent to any member, employee, representative or business unit of the Pilot Group. Any unsolicited introduction will be treated as a CV 'sent in kind' and as such The Pilot Group rejects all liability to pay any such fees for an unsolicited introduction.

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