People Director

Goodman Masson are delighted to have partnered with Ambition Institute, who are currently recruiting for a new People Director.

At Ambition, their vision is an education system where every child can thrive, no matter what their background. They do this by supporting teachers at every stage of their careers through evidence-based professional development.

You will have 3 direct reports, Head of HR, Associate Director of Professional Development, and an internal communications manager. Reporting to the COO, your primary responsibility of will be setting the strategic vision for the organisation. With much of the operational responsibilities being handled by the Head of HR, you will be tasked with developing and implementing a professional development strategy that delivers for Ambition. Here, you will be working closely with the CEO, the Executive Committee (ExCo) and the Board of Trustees and so experience of working at this level is key.

Your responsibilities and objectives will be:

• Strategic Leadership
  Lead HR and professional development strategy, fostering DEI and operational excellence, while ensuring high-quality professional services aligned with organisational values and priorities.
• Leadership and Governance
  Provide values-based leadership, supporting organisational effectiveness, accountability, and inclusion, with regular reporting to trustees and executive teams to drive mission-aligned outcomes.
• Organisational Capability
  Advise on people challenges, manage organisational change sensitively, and support complex areas like succession planning to ensure sustainability and growth.
• Employee Engagement
  Enhance employee engagement, culture, and retention, positioning Ambition as an employer of choice, while leading and developing a high-performing HR team.
• Communication and Collaboration
  Promote teamwork and partnership through effective communication and relationship-building, ensuring organisation-wide alignment with people-focused initiatives.
• Data-Driven Insights
  Utilise performance metrics and people data to inform strategic decisions, driving measurable improvements and impactful organisational practices.

Essential Experience:

• Proven success in strategic people and culture leadership roles, working with board level on issues like pay, recruitment, development, DEI, and employment law.
• Strong ability to build collaborative relationships at all levels, leveraging listening, influencing, and coaching skills to engage diverse stakeholders effectively.
• Experienced in leading specialist teams and managing third-party suppliers, ensuring high-quality, cost-effective service delivery.
• Skilled in managing operational priorities, navigating complexity, overseeing budgets, and analysing data to support strategic decisions.
• Excellent communication skills, a collegiate approach to solutions, commitment to evidence-based practices, and effective representation of the organisation.

Desirable:

• Understanding of the English education system.

Salary is £80,000 + Excellent Benefits including generous employer pension contribution of 11%.

London based (near King’s Cross) with hybrid and extremely flexible working on offer with presence in the office being once a week.

In our company values we aim for equity at all stages of the recruitment process, please let us know if we can do anything to make the process more accessible to you.