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About the Role

White Stuff is seeking an experienced People leader to provide day-to-day operational leadership across the People function, strengthening consistency, accountability, and collaboration. This 12-month fixed-term role focuses on transformation and delivery, maintaining high-quality People support while leading process improvement, team capability, and systems readiness.

Responsibilities

Provide clear day-to-day leadership, direction, and support across the People Business Partnering and Recruitment teams.
Create a joined-up operating rhythm across the People function with clear priorities, ownership, standards, and escalation routes.
Coach and develop team members to build confidence, commercial judgment, technical capability, and readiness for future ways of working.
Manage team capacity and priorities during peak periods, vacancies, and business change to ensure responsive and consistent service.
Build a collaborative, accountable, and supportive team culture.
Support People Business Partners in building solid, open, and dynamic relationships with leaders across various departments.
Act as a senior escalation point for complex or sensitive People matters, ensuring advice is practical, commercial, legally informed, and in line with company values.
Increase the capability of the People team and line managers to manage employee relations matters effectively.
Review themes and patterns across People activity and employee relations to identify root causes and develop proactive solutions.
Ensure a consistent approach across business areas by bringing relevant People specialists together and maintaining clear ownership.
Lead the review, simplification, and standardization of core People processes across the employee lifecycle.
Prepare the function for greater automation and effective use of People systems, reducing manual administration and duplication.
Establish clear controls, service standards, and documentation for accurate, efficient, and compliant delivery.
Act as the operational contact for Group HR regarding relevant systems, policies, processes, and reporting.
Ensure colleague data is handled accurately and responsibly, and that People records, processes, and reporting support good governance.
Constantly review processes to ensure they are current, fit for purpose, proportionate, and in line with company values.
Provide leadership and challenge to the recruitment and resourcing agenda.
Support a consistent and engaging candidate, onboarding, and colleague experience across all locations.
Improve workforce planning, talent pipelines, and internal mobility.
Use operational insight to help leaders understand recruitment, retention, absence, employee relations, and capability themes.
Keep engagement at the heart of delivery and ensure changes and projects land collaboratively.
Translate the People strategy into clear operational plans, priorities, and measurable delivery.
Lead or coordinate People projects related to process improvement, systems implementation, operating model changes, and organizational transformation.
Provide stability and continuity through change, protecting the quality of People support during modernization.
Partner with the Head of People & Culture on organizational change, workforce priorities, and strategic People initiatives.
Ensure core processes such as pay review, bonus, appraisals, talent management, and People planning are delivered effectively.
Identify operational risks, dependencies, and opportunities early, providing practical recommendations and following through to delivery.
Develop meaningful People operations measures and reporting to track service, workload, risk, progress, and outcomes.
Use data and insight to support prioritization, improve decision-making, and identify opportunities to simplify or strengthen delivery.
Build clear ownership for actions and monitor progress against agreed plans, standards, and deadlines.
Share learning and good practice across the team to embed and sustain improvements.

Requirements

Minimum of 5 years' experience in a People Business Partner, Senior People Business Partner, HR Manager, or equivalent generalist HR role.
Demonstrable experience leading operational people activity across a multi-site or complex organisation.
Experience leading and developing experienced People professionals and specialist teams, creating clarity, accountability, and high standards of delivery.
Strong employee relations and employment law knowledge, with the judgment and confidence to support complex matters and coach others.
Proven track record of improving People processes, service delivery, and ways of working, including the effective use of HR systems, automation, or digital tools.
Experience translating strategy into practical plans and managing projects through to implementation.
Strong relationship-building and influencing skills, with the ability to work credibly with senior leaders and across specialist teams.
Confidence using People data and operational insight to identify priorities, manage risk, and support decisions.
Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills, with the resilience and adaptability to balance business-as-usual delivery with transformation.
A values-led, collaborative, and solutions-focused approach, together with authenticity and sound judgment.
CIPD qualification or equivalent practical experience.

Skills

Operational judgement
Practical approach
Collaborative approach
People-focused approach
Leading People specialists
Creating clarity
Creating accountability
Improving People function operations
Simplifying processes
Improving processes
Balancing day-to-day delivery with change
Systems improvement
Data improvement
Process improvement
Colleague experience
Stakeholder experience
Building open and trusted relationships
Coaching others
Energy
Resilience
Good judgement
Employee relations
Employment law
HR systems
Automation
Digital tools
Project management
Relationship building
Influencing skills
Data analysis
Risk management
Decision support
Organisational skills
Prioritisation skills
Adaptability
Solutions-focused approach
Authenticity

Location

Hybrid working (3 days a week in the office)

Work Type

Hybrid
Fixed-term

Experience Level

Minimum of 5 years' experience
Experienced People leader

Education Level

CIPD qualification or equivalent practical experience

Salary/Compensations

Annual bonus opportunity

Benefits

Hybrid working (3 days a week in the office)
Annual bonus opportunity
Up to 25 days holiday per annum, plus bank holidays
2 extra (paid!) days off per year to volunteer in the local community
50% discount
Subsidised BUPA Dental Insurance
Healthcare cash plan and Life Assurance
Interest free season ticket loan
Pension Contribution

About the Company

White Stuff was established in 1985 through a simple idea.
We have shops and concessions in the UK and internationally, selling women’s and men’s clothing as well as beautiful accessories and homeware.
Our original prints (all designed in house), intricate details and considered design touches reflect our personality and make us subtly distinctive.
Our people are at the heart of our brand, constantly moving and driving us forward.
We’re sociable, talented and like minded and we’re not hierarchical or political in how we do business.
We encourage entrepreneurial ideas and accountability at all levels.

Equal Opportunity

We are committed to creating an environment where we can all be proud to work and be ourselves.
Part of this commitment is being an equal opportunity employer.
All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, and age.