Head of People Technology (initial 12 month FTC)

We are looking for a strategic and delivery-focused Head of People Technology to lead the evolution of our People Tech function. This is a senior leadership role that requires deep expertise in HR technology, people systems, and digital transformation. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of leveraging technology to enhance employee experience, driving operational excellence, and leading high-performing tech teams through complex change.

This role will partner closely with senior stakeholders across the People, Technology, and wider business functions to define and deliver an ambitious People Tech roadmap that supports scale, efficiency, and innovation.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Ownership: Lead the end-to-end People Technology landscape, ensuring all systems effectively support the needs of the People function, employees, and managers.

• Systems Leadership: Oversee the design, implementation, optimisation, and ongoing governance of all People applications (e.g. Workday, Ashby), ensuring they are fit for purpose and scalable.High level of understanding integrations

• Systems Integration & Architecture: Maintain a detailed understanding of integration capabilities, data flow, and infrastructure requirements across the HR tech ecosystem. Partner with Technology teams to ensure seamless and secure system interoperability.

• Process & Change Enablement: Champion the digitisation and automation of people processes. Drive sustainable change through effective stakeholder engagement and change management.

• AI & Automation: Leverage emerging technologies, including AI and machine learning, to automate workflows and create more intelligent, user-centric HR experiences.

• Product & Vendor Management: Own relationships with key HR tech vendors, influencing roadmaps and negotiating contracts. Drive internal awareness of platform capabilities and potential.

• Project & Programme Leadership: Lead large-scale implementations and upgrades with a disciplined approach to governance, risk, testing, and stakeholder communication.
  People & Capability Development: Build and lead a high-performing People Tech team. Invest in team development with a focus on delivery excellence, agility, and continuous improvement.

• Reporting & Analytics: Enhance people data capabilities to drive actionable insights for HR and business leaders. Champion the development of intuitive, self-serve dashboards and MI for managers, in partnership with the Data & Analytics team.

• Innovation & Trends: Stay abreast of HRIS trends and emerging technologies. Serve as a thought partner to senior People leaders on how innovation can shape future ways of working.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Extensive experience in a senior People Tech, HRIS, or HR transformation leadership role.

• Deep understanding of systems architecture, integrations (e.g. APIs, middleware, SSO), and how People Tech connects across broader enterprise platforms.

• Strong technical knowledge of core HR systems (e.g., Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Greenhouse, ServiceNow, etc.).

• Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional teams and complex HR systems projects.

• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and communicate the value of tech-enabled change.

• Deep understanding of how people systems underpin employee experience, operations, compliance, and workforce analytics.

• Experience managing vendors, contracts, and system roadmaps.

• Strategic thinker with a bias for execution and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Qualifications/ Expertise:

• 10+ years of progressive experience in HR technology, digital HR, or related enterprise technology roles, including leadership experience.

• Proven experience managing HR tech portfolios across global or complex matrixed organisations.

• Deep working knowledge of cloud-based HR platforms, integrations, and data security best practices.

• Certifications in project or change management (e.g., PMP, Agile) are advantageous.

• Experience with tools such as Workday, Ashby, Tableau/Power BI, and integration platforms

• Excellent analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills.