Head of People

Are you an ambitious senior HR professional who is keen to shape the future of a world-class sports organisation.

At Commonwealth Sport, they are more than just a sporting body, they’re a global movement. They aim to deliver their ten-year vision to become a truly world-class organisation, and are looking for a forward thinking Head of People to help lead the charge in creating an inclusive, high-performing culture where people feel valued, involved and respected.

This is a pivotal, end-to-end role that owns the full employee experience for a passionate, multicultural team of around 35 staff, who are mainly based in London. They also have regional colleagues across five continents so it would be very beneficial to have international HR experience. The Head of People will play a strategic and hands-on role, championing everything from wellbeing and inclusion to recruitment, development, engagement, and compliance.

The Head of People role is a full time role paying around £70,000 per annum and will require the post holder to attend the office 2-3 days per week. Some of the key responsibilities of the role include:

• Partnering with the Senior Leadership Team to design and deliver a People Strategy that aligns with their organisational goals and culture.
• Monitoring and improving the People Experience through initiatives such as annual culture surveys, wellbeing plans, and their commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Reviewing and managing people policies, ensuring consistency, compliance and cultural alignment, while offering trusted support on all people-related matters.
• Leading the end-to-end hiring process, from advertising to interviews and onboarding, to ensure a welcoming and efficient experience for all new team members.
• Overseeing their Talent Management System, support line managers with performance reviews and development plans, and identify learning and training needs across the team.
• Advising leadership on structural changes, resourcing plans and future skills needed as the organisation evolves.
• Managing payroll and benefits for both UK and international staff, and make sure it’s always aligned with employment law, data protection, and health & safety.
• Being a vital point of contact for HR and people support during Games deployments, ensuring smooth operations and quick resolutions when needed.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a confident, experienced people professional with a strong generalist background ideally in the sports, events or the arts sector. You’re strategic yet hands-on, approachable, and inclusive, with great communication and problem-solving skills. Ideally CIPD-qualified (or working towards it), you’re passionate about people, purpose-led work, and the power of sport to bring communities together. You’ll also need a solid understanding of employment law and HR best practice.

The interview process will consist of a two stages, the second being held in person at their office.

Apply now and be part of something big and exciting.