Human Resources Director

About the Role

We are seeking a strategic Human Resources Director to join a growing international company headquartered in Exeter. This permanent, full-time leadership position will work closely with the CEO and Executive Leadership Team, serving as a trusted advisor and commercial partner. The successful candidate will helm the organisation's people strategy, influencing business performance through people management, organisational design, and executive talent development. The role requires travel throughout Europe and includes oversight of an HR Manager in Exeter alongside a broader European HR team.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the CEO and Executive Leadership Team to frame business strategy through HR initiatives and provide commercially minded HR counsel supporting decision-making and performance.
• Develop, lead, and execute the company-wide People Strategy, fostering workforce capability, effective succession planning, organisational culture, and overall effectiveness in alignment with business goals.
• Design and implement leadership development, learning programs, and enterprise talent management systems to build robust leadership pipelines for sustainable future growth.
• Establish and manage the reward strategy, including salary frameworks, market benchmarking, and pay review procedures, alongside leading recruitment and talent acquisition efforts.
• Supervise the Exeter-based HR Manager and European HR teams to ensure consistent, high-quality HR practices across all locations.
• Oversee employee relations, workforce risk, organisational restructuring, change management, and policy exceptions, ensuring balanced and commercially sensible outcomes.
• Ensure compliance by aligning HR policies, programs, governance, and systems with applicable employment laws and regulatory standards across jurisdictions.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Extensive, advancing career experience in HR leadership roles, including managing teams and acting as a strategic business partner within complex matrix organisations.
• Experience in government contracting or similarly regulated sectors, with knowledge of prime and sub-prime contract structures.
• Proven track record of leading organisational design, transformation projects, and large-scale change management initiatives.
• Strong business acumen with the skill to align people strategies with overall business objectives.

Compensation and Benefits

• Competitive salary up to £90,000 annually depending on experience.
• Permanent, full-time employment with significant influence at the Board and Executive levels.
• Opportunity to shape leadership and organisational capability in an international environment.

Additional Information

Due to visa restrictions, candidates must have the right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship. This role involves regular European travel and reporting lines to the executive team. We welcome commercially adept HR leaders eager to impact on international business growth.