Director of People & Culture
THE VACANCY
Location: London – Hybrid (3 days p/w in office)
Contract: Permanent, Full-Time
Director of People & Culture
Are you an accomplished HR leader with extensive international experience? The ITF is looking for a Director of People & Culture to head the department from our London headquarters, overseeing people operations and strategic workforce planning across 12 regional offices globally.
About the Role
As Director of People & Culture, you will lead the full breadth of the People & Culture portfolio, including workforce planning, global employee relations and compliance, payroll, pensions, benefits, recruitment, learning and development, policy development, and diversity, equity & inclusion.
You will set the strategic direction for the P&C team, oversee governance and compliance and financial planning across multiple jurisdictions, and partner closely with the Senior Leadership Team to ensure the department supports organisational goals.
This role requires a balance of strategic insight, operational oversight, and the ability to lead effectively in a complex, unionised, international environment. You will also act as a trusted adviser on employment law, organisational change, and policy development across our global offices.
Key responsibilities include:
Global Workforce Planning:
Lead workforce modelling, resourcing strategies, and financial planning for all established roles, ensuring accurate reporting and alignment with organisational priorities.
HR Operations & Compliance:
Oversee payroll, pensions, benefits, and employee-related financial processes. Ensure compliance with employment legislation across the UK and all regional hubs, maintaining robust HR governance and data integrity.
Employee Relations:
Provide senior oversight on complex global employee relations issues, including disciplinary, grievance, and conflict resolution matters. Liaise with unions, staff committees, and external legal advisers.
Policy Leadership:
Lead policy development in line with evolving legislation and organisational needs, ensuring a strong focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion. Support negotiations with union representatives.
Recruitment & Talent:
Develop global recruitment strategy, champion inclusive and equitable hiring practices, and support managers in delivering high-quality onboarding and talent development.
Change Management:
Lead on organisational change initiatives, including restructures and major transformation projects.
Culture, DEI & Learning:
Champion a diverse and inclusive culture, oversee the learning and development strategy, and ensure an effective performance and development review cycle.
Leadership of the P&C Team:
Provide strategic direction, coaching, and leadership to the P&C team, fostering collaboration, professional growth, and high-quality service delivery.
About You
You’re an accomplished HR leader with a strong record of delivering impactful people strategies in complex, international environments. You combine deep technical knowledge with the strategic capability to influence, shape, and lead across a global organisation.
To be successful in this role, you will have:
Senior HR leadership experience:
A strong track record in leading P&C functions and delivering strategic HR initiatives internationally.
Expert knowledge of employment legislation:
In-depth understanding of UK employment law and the legal frameworks of ITF’s regional hubs, with the ability to anticipate future legislative changes.
Strong employee relations and policy expertise:
Experience supporting unionised environments and developing policies that advance fairness, compliance, and inclusion.
Financial and strategic planning capability:
Experience in workforce costings, HR financial planning, and compensation and benefits strategy on a global scale.
Change leadership skills:
Proven ability to lead organisational change and support leaders and teams through transformation.
Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills:
Ability to engage confidently with stakeholders at all levels and act with discretion, professionalism, and integrity.
Professional qualifications:
Degree-level education and CIPD Level 7 (or equivalent experience); chartered status desirable.
Why Join Us?
This is an exciting opportunity to lead a global People & Culture function within a values-driven international organisation. You will shape our people strategy, strengthen our culture, and ensure we continue to be a supportive, inclusive, and high-performing workplace for staff around the world.
ur culture, and ensure we continue to be a supportive, inclusive, and high-performing workplace for staff around the world.
Every day transport workers keep the world moving – connecting millions of people across our cities and countries

The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.