Director HR UK

London 4 days per week onsite initially, reducing to 3 days per week

About the Role Director of HR, UK

London 4 days per week onsite initially, reducing to 3 days per week

About the Role

We're looking for an experienced, standalone HR professional to take on the newly created role of Director of HR, UK. This is a true generalist leadership position, you will be the most senior HR presence in the UK, owning everything from day to day employee relations through to senior stakeholder management, while a wider HR team based in the US is on hand to support with group level or particularly complex matters.

This role suits someone who has genuinely operated as a standalone HR function before, comfortable being the only HR person in the room, confident making autonomous decisions, and able to flex seamlessly between strategic partnership and hands on execution.

Key Responsibilities HR Business Partnership & Leadership

• Act as the primary HR advisor to leaders and employees across the UK business.
• Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, coaching and influencing on people matters.
• Partner with managers on organisational effectiveness, team performance, and workforce planning.
• Balance commercial objectives with sound HR practice and legal compliance.
• Confidently challenge and influence leaders while remaining collaborative and solutions-focused.

Employee Relations & Employment Law

• Lead employee relations across the UK workforce, including investigations, disciplinaries, grievances, performance management and absence.
• Ensure compliance with UK employment legislation and company policy at all times.
• Escalate and partner with the US HR team on sensitive, complex, or group-level matters.

Organisational Development & HR Operations

• Own the development and implementation of HR processes, programmes and policies for the UK.
• Drive consistency in manager practice, documentation and people decision making.
• Maintain accurate, confidential HR records and documentation.
• Lead annual HR cycles, performance reviews, compensation planning, talent discussions and engagement initiatives.

Talent Acquisition

• Lead full cycle recruitment for the UK business across permanent, fixed term and contractor hires.
• Partner with hiring managers to shape requirements and recruitment strategy.
• Own candidate experience and oversee onboarding and integration of new starters.

What We're Looking For

• Significant, progressive HR experience gained supporting UK-based workforces.
• Proven experience operating as a standalone HR function, covering everything from senior stakeholder management to day to day HR delivery.
• Strong working knowledge of UK employment law and best practice.
• Hands on experience leading employee relations casework and workplace investigations.
• A confident, independent operator who can manage competing priorities without close oversight.
• Excellent communication, relationship building and influencing skills.
• Ideally, experience gained within a founder led or entrepreneurial organisation.
• Background outside of the media, digital or related sectors is preferred.
• CIPD qualification or equivalent is desirable but not essential.