Head of People - United Kingdom - xUnlocked

Description

xUnlocked ( is an edtech scale-up experiencing rapid growth. We are an on demand video-delivered B2B platform with two core products: Sustainability Unlocked and Finance Unlocked . Our platform delivers thousands of premium learning courses, all created in-house with 200 world leading expert practitioners and we work with globally recognised clients including Santander, Airbus and GSK.

We are also a B-Corp, focused on making a positive social impact through the power of education, and we are proud to have an employee NPS score of 65, and Glassdoor average review score of 4.9/5.

Who we are looking for

We are seeking a hands-on Head of People with experience in a fast-paced, technology-driven scale up business. This will be our first dedicated People role so you will have the opportunity for you to build and shape things, and have a huge impact on our team and our business.

Job Description

• Scalability: at the heart of this role is the need to embed scalability into all People processes so that we can continue to grow our team efficiently and effectively. This will include selecting and implementing suitable SaaS tools and other infrastructure as needed.
• Organisational strategy: You'll help us plan and evolve our organisational structure as we scale, supporting in building out management layers as required.
• Talent and employer brand: You'll lead on defining a consistent and repeatable recruitment process, sourcing external support as needed and streamlining internal processes. As part of this, you will also help us articulate and communicate our employer brand so that we attract high-calibre and diverse people.
• Pay and benefits : You'll see that our team is suitably rewarded and incentivised in line with our size and stage of business so that we continue to attract and retain outstanding people. This will include: regular benchmarking of salary bands, a clear and consistent pay review process, ongoing review of working arrangements and suitable benefits schemes.
• Learning & development: You'll make sure our people have access to the right learning resources to support their individual development and that of the overall company. Alongside this, you will own and develop our career matrix (or equivalent) to help facilitate the right developmental discussions at the right time.
• Team culture and cohesiveness: You'll be a key cultural champion, finding creative ways to bring our company values to life and encouraging desired behaviours across the team. This will include ensuring we collectively make the most of our new office space. You will also plan and oversee our regular team social events and our annual company offsite (last year we went to Chamonix)
• Employee onboarding: You'll be responsible for new starters having an amazing experience when they first join the company, evolving our existing onboarding process so that new starters can be effective as quickly as possible.
• Performance management: You'll spearhead a candid feedback culture and ensure everyone is aware of their strengths and weaknesses and recognised for their successes through relevant mechanisms, including the appraisal cycle, regular 1:1s, etc.
• Employee satisfaction : You'll be a key point of contact for any employee concerns, fostering a climate of open communication and a continuous feedback loop.
• Legal & compliance : You'll implement and maintain HR policies, procedures, and best practices to ensure legal compliance and a fair and equitable workplace, using external experts as needed.
• Sustainability and impact : You will help us continue to meet our people-related B Corp commitment, which includes a broad range of topics such as pay equity, diversity, volunteering and our overall impact as a business.
• People champion: You'll build strong bilateral relationships with all department heads and the CEO so that you can champion People initiatives across the business.
• And lots more...: There will be a lot more to do in this role and you will evolve and grow it over time. Your experience and approach will continue to help define the People roadmap and your responsibilities well beyond what we have listed above.

Qualifications

Must haves

• Proven success in (or working alongside) a People team within a scaling technology business.
• Strong understanding of employment law, compensation, benefits, organisational planning, HR best practices, laws, and industry trends in the UK.

About you

• You understand that in a small business you will often need to roll up your sleeves and get things done yourself.
• You are able to switch seamlessly between strategic thinking around People plans and goals, and in-the-detail execution.
• You are empathetic and able to build solid and long-lasting relationships at all levels both internally and externally.
• You have a large network of relevant people that can help you succeed in this role - you're self-aware enough to acknowledge that you can't be an expert in everything.
• You can work cross-functionally and influence without direct authority.
• You have a passion for making a lasting impact on the world.

Additional Information

Our offer

As well as the usual things you'd expect (statutory pension contributions, 25 days holiday, EMI options, competitive salary) we also offer:

• Hybrid working - you will work from our office in Bloomsbury, central London as much as you like (a minimum of four days per month), and from home for the rest of the time.
• Working from home - we provide the equipment you need to do your job well, plus a one-off allowance to make your home setup comfortable
• Team activities - we host regular in-person team meals and activities and an annual company offsite.
• Private healthcare - we provide a healthcare cashback scheme with Medicash covering medical, dental and other healthcare expenses
• Enhanced parental leave - we are proud to offer flexible enhanced parental leave for both parents
• Giving back - we allow up to two days of paid volunteering time per year to support a cause of your choice and regular team volunteering activities organised by the company

Our vision and values

A strong culture is vital to us, and we look for people who share our values, which are:

• Inspire learning: We invest in our own learning and growth and inspire our learners and customers to grasp all available opportunities.
• Do the right thing: We consider how our decisions and choices affect all stakeholders; we believe in the power of education to empower more competent, skilled professionals and a more inclusive and sustainable world.As a public commitment to this, we are a certified B-Corp.
• Relentlessly progress: We have a strong sense of accountability and act as owners. We go the extra mile, both personally and for the team, consistently striving to innovate to help the company, customers and learners.
• Deliver simplicity: We take pride in meeting customer and learner needs with simple solutions, meaning we must often navigate complexity to deliver clear and focused outcomes ultimately.

Support - If you have a medical condition or an individual need for an adjustment to our process, and you believe this may affect your ability to be at your best - please let us know so we can discuss how we can best support you and any adjustments needed. All interviews in the early stages will be virtual.