Head of hr jobs

About the Aziz Foundation        

We at The Aziz Foundation are a family charitable foundation established to support British Muslim communities to flourish and give back to our country. Through our flagship Master's Scholarships programme, the Foundation has invested over £8 million into more than 700 scholarships for British Muslims pursuing postgraduate degrees, as well as working with employers to facilitate work experience and internships for young British Muslims. We have also supported a wide range of charitable initiatives, including funding of historic buildings, community sports, research into discrimination, interfaith activities and the engagement of British Muslims in the democratic process of our country. 

Job Purpose 

This is a new and vital role for the Foundation, involving developing our work around employment, which will support British Muslims to access employment and develop their careers in fields in which we are currently under-represented. You will be part of a matrix-working team that will collectively develop this piece of work, so you will not be simply implementing an existing plan; you’ll be there from the start with key input into how this should be designed and implemented. 

Your key role will be to engage with graduates and those with advanced vocational skills, to support them to develop the necessary skills to access employment and to support them once they are in employment in partnership with employers. Our target industries are journalism, law, arts, public policy, and tech/AI. This will involve direct engagement with employers, with graduates and other job seekers, with Aziz Scholarship/Internship alumni and with intermediary bodies that provide links between job seekers and employers. 

Internal relationships 

You will report to the Director of the Foundation, who will work closely with you in the development of this new programme. The Foundation currently has five staff, now growing to eight.We are a tight-knit team that goes over and above to support one another.

This role will work closely with the Head of Employer Engagement, who we are advertising in parallel.That role is more at the “demand” end – identifying and engaging employers to ensure that there are clear pathways for graduates and others seeking to develop their careers. 

Key Responsibilities 

Broadly, the main duties and responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, the following: 

• Build and manage engagement with British Muslim graduates/vocationally skilled job seekers in target sectors; journalism, law, arts, public policy, and tech/AI 

• Ensure our CRM system is maintained to track all external and internal communication for your area of work with graduates/job seekers 

• Convene and support development sessions for job seekers 

• Engage with the existing alumni network of Aziz Scholars and Interns 

• Collaborate with internal colleagues to support alignment of graduate skills with employer needs 

• Collaborate with the Communications function to ensure internal and external promotion of opportunities 

Person Specification 

When completing the cover letter as part of the application process, ensure that you address how you meet each of the “essential” criteria in the person specification and, where relevant, how you meet the “desirable” criteria. 

1. Experience

Essential 

• Minimum five years’ professional experience in a related role 
• Experience in recruitment, career development, or graduate programme management 
• Demonstrable commitment to equity and supporting underrepresented communities

Desirable

• Specific experience working in one of the target fields: journalism, law, arts, public policy, and tech/AI 
• Experience of managing networks of graduates or employees

2. Skills and Abilities

• Strong communication and facilitation skills 
• Solutions-focused – the ability to find ways to make things work rather than to find problems 
• An understanding of the challenges facing the British Muslim community 

Job Role: Head of People

Salary: £55,080 per year

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Contract type: Permanent

Location: Bath

Additional information:

• The role will involve occasional evening working, including attending board meetings from time to time.
• Some travel across our South West area of operations will be required as part of the role.

This vacancy will close on 18th May 2026, and shortlisted candidates will be invited to first‑stage interviews on 26th May 2026.

About Julian House:

Julian House is a charity dedicated to making a difference to the lives of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in society. We run several projects and every year we help thousands of people out of homelessness, into employment, away from domestic abuse, and more.

If you’d like a real sense of job satisfaction, great career prospects and a competitive benefits package, you could be who we’re looking for!

About the Role:

The Head of People is a pivotal role at the heart of Julian House, shaping the organisation through its most important asset, its people. As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, reporting to the Chief Executive, you’ll lead our people strategy, culture, and workforce development, ensuring we have the capability, capacity, and values‑led culture needed to deliver our mission.

This is an exciting opportunity for a strategic and compassionate leader who understands how great people practices drive social impact. You’ll provide senior leadership across HR, recruitment, volunteering, organisational development, and culture, helping to build a high‑performing, inclusive organisation where people feel supported, empowered, and able to thrive in a demanding environment.

You’ll play a critical role in embedding Julian House’s values, strengthening leadership capability, and creating a positive workplace where staff and volunteers feel engaged, valued, and proud of the difference they make. This is a rare opportunity to lead meaningful change and help a mission‑driven charity continue to grow and succeed through its people.

Please refer to our application pack and job description for full details around the role.

What you’ll be doing:

• Lead and shape our People Strategy, ensuring it aligns with our organisational goals, values, and long‑term ambitions, and that our people are fully supported to deliver meaningful impact.
• Build leadership capability at every level, designing and embedding leadership and management development programmes that support confident, values‑led leadership across the organisation.
• Oversee recruitment, HR operations, volunteering, and people processes, working closely with the HR Manager and wider People Team to deliver high‑quality, responsive support.
• Champion robust, modern employment policies, ensuring they remain legally compliant, up to date with best practice, and reflective of Julian House’s values and culture.
• Coach and advise leaders, providing trusted guidance that builds confidence, strengthens people‑management skills, and supports teams to thrive in a demanding environment.

Please note: Job descriptions are not exhaustive, and the successful candidate may occasionally be asked to take on other duties that align with the key responsibilities outlined.

What we’re looking for:

• Significant senior‑level experience in People / HR leadership, with a proven track record of overseeing employee relations, people operations, and leading cultural and organisational change.
• Strong knowledge of HR best practice and employment law, alongside experience in organisational development, workforce wellbeing, and using people data and insights to inform decision‑making.
• Strategic and forward‑thinking, with the ability to translate vision into practical, impactful actions that support teams and strengthen organisational performance.

There are many great reasons to join our team!

• Access to our Rewards Platform, which includes an Employee Assistance Programme and Health Cash Plan
• 27 days annual leave, including an extra day off for your birthday, plus bank holidays - increasing up to 30 days after 4 years of continuous employment (pro rata for part-time staff)
• 30% staff discount at Julian House charity shop
• A generous and competitive pension scheme
• A supportive culture where staff feedback is highly valued and regular supervisions with line managers are conducted
• Great opportunities for career development and free monthly training sessions from experienced facilitators
• For all the fantastic and valuable work, you’ll be doing, you’ll be eligible for the Blue Light Card which offers amazing discounts on thousands of brands

Our Ethos

As an Equal Opportunities employer, we have an Equality and Diversity Action plan in place showing our commitment in ensuring continuous improvement in creating an inclusive culture. We also have a committed group of Inclusion & Diversity champions who meet monthly to ensure progress is being made. We invite applications from people from all backgrounds and cultures, especially minority groups that are underrepresented in the workplace. We also welcome applications from those with lived experience. We embrace flexibility and are proud to be a Disability Confident and Mindful employer, as well as an Armed Forces Covenant Supporter.

If you have any special access requirements or other support needs throughout the application process (including interview), please contact us so that we can let you know how we can support you. We accept CVs and applications in all formats.

DBS Checks

We welcome applications from people with lived experience. All applicants working with our clients will be expected to undertake an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check. A criminal conviction will not necessarily prevent you from becoming an employee, the decision will depend on the type of offence and its relevance to the role. If you would like to discuss any convictions you may have, please contact the person named in the advert. All information will be dealt with according to our Data Protection Policy.

Please note: We reserve the right to close our vacancies once the perfect candidate has been found. We recommend submitting your application as soon as possible so that you don’t miss out!

Your new role
We are seeking an experienced Interim HR Manager to provide hands-on support while we recruit a permanent post holder. This is a key role within the not-for-profit organisation, ensuring continuity across the HR function while also leading on several priority improvement areas.

A significant focus of the role will be reviewing and strengthening recruitment processes and updating HR policies, alongside delivering a high-quality, pragmatic HR service to managers and employees.

Overview of the Role

• Review and assess current recruitment processes, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, consistency, and candidate experience
• Update, review, and implement HR policies and procedures, ensuring they are compliant, clear, and fit for purpose
• Act as a trusted HR lead, providing operational advice and guidance to managers across the employee lifecycle
• Manage and advise on employee relations matters, including absence, performance, disciplinary and grievance issues
• Oversee end-to-end recruitment activity, from role scoping through to onboarding
• Ensure HR processes are applied consistently and in line with employment legislation and best practice
• Maintain accurate HR records and contribute to basic HR reporting and insights
• Support and stabilise the HR function, ensuring a smooth handover to the incoming permanent HR Manager

What we are looking for

• Proven experience in an HR Manager or senior HR generalist role
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law and operational HR best practice
• Confident reviewing and improving processes, policies, and ways of working
• Comfortable operating in a hands-on, fast-paced environment
• Able to build credibility quickly with stakeholders at all levels
• CIPD qualification or equivalent experience desirable

What you need to do now
If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.
If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.

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