Chief People Officer

Our client is a leading professional services organisation with a values based approach to doing business and a culture of putting its staff and clients first.  Due to their high service levels, the organisation has experienced exponential growth in the last five years with the number of customers increasing by 50% as well as staff numbers doubling (both in the UK and internationally).  Staff retention is high and the recent results of the engagement survey are such that any company would be proud of, so the organisation is starting to gain the enviable reputation of ‘Employer of choice’.

However, as with many fast-growing businesses, the challenge now is how to develop people as they progress in the business, particularly at management level and above.   Succession planning is key for the business so building and developing a strong talent pool at the mid to high level is a strategic priority in the business.  The organisation is looking for a new Chief People Officer to act as a collaborative and effective member of the Leadership team.

They will build on the work of the retiring CPO and will be instrumental in the development of the organisation’s overall strategy with a focus on developing a structured approach to succession planning and leadership development (particularly Manager level and above ). The CPO will be expected to bring rigour to professional development at all levels, from the new starters and graduates through to senior management, enabling the organisation and its talent to fulfil their potential.

 The ideal candidate for this role will be a visionary, authentic and engaging leader who shares the same strong value mindset as the rest of the business. A passion for collaboration and team work as well as a desire to treat staff well and put customers first are also valuable characteristics. Experience of working at a senior/Board level in a large customer centric organisation would be ideal – professional services or financial services exposure would be an advantage.

 As the strategic focus for the CPO role is centred around organisational design and development including leadership training and succession planning, strong experience in this area and a passion for developing people are particularly interesting to the client.  The CPO role is a great opportunity for an experienced HR leader to come in and make a difference to an already successful business by driving leadership training and development practices.

 The CPO will be a key driver in enabling change and growth and work as part of an executive team who are keen to improve and make the organisation as good it can be.