People Performance Lead

People Performance Lead (12 month fixed term, maternity contract) Leeds/Wakefield or West Bromwich We are looking for an experienced and commercially minded People Performance Lead to play a key role in shaping our people strategy, driving organisational performance, and embedding a high-performing, values-led culture. This is a pivotal leadership position where you will lead a small People team, partner closely with senior stakeholders, and deliver impactful people initiatives that support business transformation and growth. If you are a proactive HR leader who thrives on influencing change and delivering measurable results, this is an exciting opportunity to make a real impact. The Role As People Performance Lead, you will act as a trusted partner to the business, ensuring our People function evolves from reactive support to a proactive, value-adding driver of performance and engagement. Key Responsibilities Lead, manage and develop the UK People Team, ensuring delivery of a high-quality, commercially focused HR service Act as a subject matter expert in employment law and employee relations, providing guidance and escalation support Drive and support business-wide change initiatives, including restructures and TUPE, aligned to transformation goals Lead workforce planning and organisational design aligned to future business needs Oversee the full employee lifecycle, ensuring a consistent and positive employee experience Use data and insights to inform decision-making and drive performance improvements Build leadership and management capability across the business to empower decision-making Review and improve HR processes, policies, and service delivery for greater efficiency and impact Act as a trusted advisor to stakeholders, translating business challenges into effective people solutions Embed organisational culture, values, and leadership behaviours, supporting a “One Team” approach What Success Looks Like A proactive, high-performing People function aligned to business objectives Strong leadership capability across the organisation Measurable improvements in performance, engagement, and efficiency Effective delivery of transformation and change initiatives A consistent and positive employee experience across the business About You You will be a confident and resilient HR leader with a strong commercial mindset and the ability to influence at all levels. You'll bring: CIPD Level 5 qualification (or equivalent) Proven experience in a senior HR Business Partner or People Operations role in a multi-site environment Strong knowledge of employment law and experience managing complex ER cases, including restructures and TUPE Demonstrated experience leading and developing HR teams A track record of driving organisational change and delivering people-led business outcomes Excellent stakeholder management, influencing and coaching skills A data-driven approach, with the ability to translate insight into action Strong communication skills and the confidence to challenge constructively Why Join? Opportunity to play a key role in a transforming organisation Ability to shape and influence the People strategy at a senior level Lead impactful change and drive measurable business performance Work within a collaborative and ambitious People & Transformation team