About this role
Job summary
Interim Director of People & Culture
Contract: 6 months fixed termHours: 37.5 hours per weekLocation: Oxford is the primary location, with some opportunity for hybrid workingSalary: £80,000 per annumClosing date: 12th June 2026 12 noon
Help shape the future of the worlds first children's hospice and make a lasting different to local families.
We are seeking an experienced Interim Director of People & Culture to join our Executive Team during a significant period of organisational change.
This is a unique opportunity to shape our people strategy, culture and organisational design while ensuring we continue to deliver compassionate, high-quality services to those who need us most.
Main duties of the job
Key Deliverables
Provide strategic people leadership to the organisational operating model review, ensuring and assuring an effective and legally compliant process to deliver positive outcomes.Lead and implement an organisational review of terms and conditions of employment to ensure consistency and fairness as far as practicable.Develop and implement an organisational culture strategy aligned with organisational objectives and strategic priorities.
About us
Helen & Douglas House is a registered hospice charity based in Oxford, providing palliative, respite, end-of-life and bereavement care to life-limited children and their families.
We foster a climate where team members feel able to openly question, debate and appropriately challenge their own and the practice of others; as such, we welcome new ideas and strive to constantly improve our delivery of care to our patients.
Please note that everyone working for Helen & Douglas House are required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check. Helen & Douglas House is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
We are an equal opportunities employer and value the benefits of a diverse workforce. We positively encourage applications from all areas of the community.
Please contact [email protected] if you require any adjustments during the recruitment process.
Job description Job responsibilities
The role:
Reporting to the CEO and as part of the Executive Team, you'll lead the People function through a period of organisational change.
Lead and deliver key organisational change, including operating model and workforce reviews.Develop and embed a clear, valued-led culture and people strategy.Act as a trusted adviser to the CEO, Executive Team and Board, providing expert insight on people, culture and organisational design.Ensure effective, compliant people practices while strengthening capability across staff and volunteers.
Who we're looking for:
You are a credible, experienced people leader who delivers impact at pace.
Director level experience in HR/People/Organisational Development with complex environments.Proven track record of leading transformation and shaping organisational culture.Strong employment law expertise with the ability to influence at Executive and Board Level.CIPD Level 7, CIPD Chartered Membership or equivalent (CIPD Chartered Fellow desirable).A pragmatic, collaborative and values led approach.
For the full job description and person specification, please see the attached job description in the supporting documents.
Person Specification
Knowledge and skills Essential
Proven leadership of multi-disciplinary teams, including HR, L&D, and organisational transformation. Strong professional credibility in employment law and HR best practice. Strategic thinker with a strong track record of operational delivery and leading people-focused change. Excellent communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills. Demonstrated ability to shape organisational culture and lead sustainable organisational change. Innovative, ambitious, and digitally competent.
Qualifications Essential
Professionally qualified in Human Resources Management with either CIPD Level 7, CIPD Chartered Membership, or equivalent.
Desirable
Professional qualification as a CIPD Chartered Fellow.
Experience Essential
Senior leadership experience, at a Director or equivalent level, in People & Culture, HR, or Organisational Design & Development within complex or multi-site organisations. Demonstrable experience of leading significant change or transformational projects across medium-sized organisations.
Desirable
Demonstrable experience of operating successfully as an interim and/or fixed term post to deliver at pace. Experience of charity, healthcare or hospice sectors. Experience with large volunteer workforces.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer details Employer name Helen & Douglas House
Address 14a Magdalen Road
Oxford
Oxfordshire
OX4 1RW
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.helenanddouglas.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)