Interim Head of People & HR

Interim Head of People & HR – Social Care Location: Manchester Day Rate: £300–£400 per day Contract: Interim / Fixed-Term Assignment The Opportunity New Way Recruitment is supporting a well-established and growing specialist care organisation with the appointment of an Interim Head of People & HR. This is an important senior leadership appointment for an experienced HR professional who understands that, in social care, great people practices directly influence the quality of support provided to the people who rely on services. You’ll be joining an organisation supporting adults with learning disabilities, autism and complex needs, where person-centred practice, independence and positive outcomes are central to the way services operate. This is an opportunity for a confident HR leader to provide stability, strategic direction and hands-on leadership across the people function, while working closely with senior operational leaders. The Role As Interim Head of People & HR, you will provide senior-level leadership across the full employee lifecycle, ensuring HR supports both the organisation’s people and its operational objectives. Key responsibilities will include: Providing strategic and operational HR leadership across a multi-site social care environment. Acting as a trusted adviser to senior leaders and operational managers on complex people matters. Leading and managing employee relations cases, including disciplinary, grievance, absence, capability and performance matters. Ensuring HR policies, procedures and employment practices remain legally compliant, consistent and fit for purpose. Supporting managers to build confident, capable and accountable teams. Reviewing recruitment, retention and workforce planning strategies to strengthen staffing across services. Supporting the development of a positive, inclusive and values-led organisational culture. Overseeing people-related compliance, documentation and HR governance. Supporting workforce development, supervision, appraisal and career progression. Identifying opportunities to improve employee engagement, retention and the overall employee experience. Providing practical guidance around employment law and best practice within a regulated care environment. Working collaboratively with operational, quality and compliance teams to ensure people processes support safe, high-quality care. Supporting organisational change, restructures and wider people projects where required. Providing clear reporting and insight to senior leadership on key HR trends, risks and priorities. Bringing fresh thinking, professional challenge and practical solutions to the organisation’s people agenda. About You We’re looking for a senior HR professional who can hit the ground running and is comfortable operating at both strategic and operational level. You’ll ideally bring: Significant senior HR / People leadership experience. Strong experience within social care, supported living, healthcare or another highly regulated care environment. Excellent knowledge of UK employment law and employee relations. Experience advising senior leaders and operational management teams. A confident, pragmatic and commercially aware approach. Experience managing complex people issues with professionalism, fairness and compassion. Strong understanding of recruitment, retention, workforce planning and employee engagement. The ability to influence managers while building positive working relationships. Excellent communication, organisation and stakeholder-management skills. A genuine understanding that people are at the heart of high-quality care. CIPD qualification or equivalent senior-level HR experience is highly desirable. Why Consider This Interim Opportunity? £300–£400 per day, depending on experience. Senior-level HR leadership opportunity within the social care sector. Opportunity to make an immediate and measurable impact. A role combining strategic leadership with meaningful hands-on HR work. Opportunity to influence culture, employee experience and workforce stability. Work closely with senior operational and leadership teams. A professionally rewarding assignment where strong people leadership can directly contribute to better outcomes. Potential opportunity to support longer-term people and organisational development initiatives. If you’re an experienced HR leader who understands the unique demands of social care and enjoys making a tangible difference, we would love to hear from you. This is a discreet assignment and further information will be shared with suitable candidates during the recruitment process. Our Promise At New Way Recruitment, we believe in Heart-Led Hiring in Care. Guided by our ethos of “Recruiting with Care, Placing with Purpose”, we are committed to a recruitment experience where compassion meets opportunity. Our promise is simple: a heart-led, confidential, and individually tailored approach for every candidate and client we support. You can be assured that our team handles every step of the process with integrity, understanding, and genuine care. If you’re considering your next move and this job sounds like something you would be interested in then please don’t hesitate to get in touch - we’re here to help. INDHP