Our Principles in Action
In everything we do, we apply Our Principles in Action
About King’s College London
Kings has over 40,000 students from over 150 countries studying in person and online, and has over 12,000 employees. King’s academics are members of 9 Faculties, based on 5 campuses in central and SE London. Together the King’s community delivers a comprehensive portfolio of outstanding and impactful research and education in close partnership with the vibrant arts and culture ecosystem across London along with other universities and partners across the globe. We are ranked 31st in the world (QS World University Rankings 2026) and 36th in the world (Times Higher Education World Rankings 2025). King's College London offers an intellectually stimulating environment in which to work, where staff are dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and learning in the service of society. We are a multi-Faculty institution, providing high-quality education, research and innovation across the humanities, sciences, medicine, law, dentistry, and social sciences. King’s vision is to make the world a better place through world-leading education, research and service to society. King’s provides world-class education which enables students to become rounded critical thinkers, set up for success and with the character and wisdom to strive for social change. Through enquiry-driven research, King's delivers transformative insights and solutions that have the power to advance and accelerate global progress.
Appointment details
Reports to: Lisa Adams
Salary
Competitive
Terms
Indefinite
Hours of work
Full time (35 hours per week)
Closing date for applications:
09 December 2025 23:59
Vacancy ID
130466
Role Overview
The Director of People: Central Directorates is a key member of the HR Senior leadership team responsible for leading a team of HR Business Partners to deliver strategic and operational HR support to our central professional services directorates and other non-faculty functions at KCL. The role will partner with the SVP Operations and the wider professional services executive team, working with them to provide visible strategic HR leadership, through identifying and tackling both strategic and operational people problems. You will bring thought leadership and partnership to senior leadership to drive university-wide people priorities, including organisational design, capability building, leadership effectiveness and change management. You will act as a trusted advisor on people and organisational issues, and drive change through data-informed and business focussed HR solutions. You’ll also oversee complex, high volume ER casework, ensuring a robust and risk-based approach, and play a key role in engaging and managing trade union relations. The university is embarking on a period of significant change under Strategy 2030 and in this role, you will play a key part in its success through supporting a wide range of key people-focussed initiatives.
Key responsibilities
• Serve as a strategic business partner to the COO/SVP Operations and the professional services executive leadership, advising and supporting them on key people issues and wider organisational challenges. • Work with senior leadership and your HR Business Partner team to translate business requirements and evolving contexts into talent, culture and leadership actions. • Coach and develop senior leaders across the organisation to build their people management capabilities. • Provide expertise and leadership on the management of significant organisational and cultural change aligned to Strategy 2030 and support the building of internal change management capability. • Lead your team in the management and handling of complex employee relations casework, ensuring robust and consistent handling and constructive engagement with trade unions. • Work in partnership with the Director of Talent to develop career development frameworks for non-academic roles, set more exacting performance management standards and identify and develop key talent. • Support the development of priority people policies and ensure effective implementation and adoption. • Work collaboratively with colleagues across HR to ensure a seamless HR service, sharing insights on business priorities and challenges to help shape the development of HR strategy, and working closely with faculty counterparts to ensure a consistent approach across teams. • Manage and lead the HR Business Partnering team, providing guidance, support and development as needed and actively managing performance to ensure a high performing team. The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.
Our Expectations
There are some key duties and responsibilities that we ask all employees to adhere to. We ask that the successful candidate: • Positively contributes to an environment at King’s that truly represents Our Principles in Action where every individual feels safe, secure, and supported. • Complies at all times with the requirements of health and safety regulations to ensure their own wellbeing and that of their colleagues. • Develops an understanding of sustainability, including its impact on the University and the work we do, and engages in sustainable practices in the workplace. • Ensures they are working in a safe environment, complying with policies and regulations, ensuring confidentiality and only releasing confidential information obtained during the course of employment to those acting in an official capacity. • Complies with King’s protocols on the appropriate use of telephone, email and internet facilities.
Essential Criteria
• Significant experience of operating at a senior level as a HR Business Partner/HR Director within a large, complex unionised organisation. Public sector or comparable environment preferred. • Demonstrable experience of translating business plans into long-term plans for people and organisational development. • A proven track record of developing strategic HR interventions and delivering business focussed HR solutions. • Demonstrable experience of advising executive-level leaders and building high trust partnerships with senior stakeholders. • Proven leadership of complex, high volume ER casework, with a strong understanding of UK employment legislation and experience of complex constructive union engagement. • Demonstrable experience of organisational change/transformation, including major restructuring and organisation design. • Excellent interpersonal, communication, team working and relationship management skills.
Vision 2029
King's Vision builds upon our history of service to society and takes us to our 200th anniversary in 2029
Human Resources Directorate
The Human Resources directorate is proud to work with the King’s community to provide academic and professional excellence and an outstanding educational experience for our students. We offer support and advice to all our colleagues at all stages of their employment with King’s – beginning with your recruitment and arrival at the university and continuing throughout your time with us. We seek to treat colleagues fairly so that everyone has the opportunity to flourish at King’s. Our Organisational Development team offers a wide range of courses and activities to support your personal and professional development. HR is also responsible for a framework of policies and procedures, ensuring King’s complies with the law and other regulations governing its operations. Human Resources is split into three broad areas, People Services, HR business Partnering, and Specialist Solutions, each led by one of our directors in the HR Leadership team. People Services is the go-to resource for all matters related to immigration and visas, overseas working, recruitment processes, employment contracts, and onboarding. Our HR Business Partnering team serves as the main connection between Human Resources and the faculties and directorates. We provide strategic expertise, guidance, and support throughout the entire employment journey, from recruitment to retirement. The Specialist Solutions teams provide services that focus on specific areas of our Human Resources operations. This includes Equality, diversity & Inclusion, Organisational Development, People Data and Analytics, and Executive Search, amongst others.
About King's
Background information about King's
Our people
Through all our work, we aim to make the world a better place.
Faculties & Departments
Our 9 academic faculties
Please quote the vacancy id: 130466 in all correspondence.
Closing date for applications: 09 December 2025 23:59
Application process
To apply for this post you will need to register on the King’s College London job opportunities page and submit the application form, along with the following: • a concise statement setting out your reasons for applying for the post and highlighting the particular skills and experience which you feel you would bring to the role (two pages maximum) • a curriculum vitae
Contact us
For more information regarding the vacancy please contact us using the details below
Selection process
Equal opportunities
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion are central tenets of King’s Vision 2029 which sets out the roadmap for King’s ambition to provide an exceptional student experience and to be an employer of choice. Integral to this is ensuring equality of opportunity and outcome, recognising, celebrating and improving our diversity and inclusion. As a responsible employer we aim to provide and promote a positive working, learning, and social environment which is free from prejudice, discrimination and any forms of harassment, bullying or victimisation. Our commitment to inclusion means that King’s aims to create an environment where differences are not just respected but also valued and celebrated. Everyone should be able to bring their whole self to King’s. All King’s students, staff and affiliates are responsible for meeting these commitments to value diversity and create an inclusive environment. King's will support and equip all members of its community to do this, embedding inclusion throughout the university’s policies, procedures, and practices.
Jobs at King's
Current vacancies and career opportunities
Role Overview
The Director of People: Central Directorates is a key member of the HR Senior leadership team responsible for leading a team of HR Business Partners to deliver strategic and operational HR support to our central professional services directorates and other non-faculty functions at KCL. The role will partner with the SVP Operations and the wider professional services executive team, working with them to provide visible strategic HR leadership, through identifying and tackling both strategic and operational people problems. You will bring thought leadership and partnership to senior leadership to drive university-wide people priorities, including organisational design, capability building, leadership effectiveness and change management. You will act as a trusted advisor on people and organisational issues, and drive change through data-informed and business focussed HR solutions. You’ll also oversee complex, high volume ER casework, ensuring a robust and risk-based approach, and play a key role in engaging and managing trade union relations. The university is embarking on a period of significant change under Strategy 2030 and in this role, you will play a key part in its success through supporting a wide range of key people-focussed initiatives.
Key responsibilities
• Serve as a strategic business partner to the COO/SVP Operations and the professional services executive leadership, advising and supporting them on key people issues and wider organisational challenges. • Work with senior leadership and your HR Business Partner team to translate business requirements and evolving contexts into talent, culture and leadership actions. • Coach and develop senior leaders across the organisation to build their people management capabilities. • Provide expertise and leadership on the management of significant organisational and cultural change aligned to Strategy 2030 and support the building of internal change management capability. • Lead your team in the management and handling of complex employee relations casework, ensuring robust and consistent handling and constructive engagement with trade unions. • Work in partnership with the Director of Talent to develop career development frameworks for non-academic roles, set more exacting performance management standards and identify and develop key talent. • Support the development of priority people policies and ensure effective implementation and adoption. • Work collaboratively with colleagues across HR to ensure a seamless HR service, sharing insights on business priorities and challenges to help shape the development of HR strategy, and working closely with faculty counterparts to ensure a consistent approach across teams. • Manage and lead the HR Business Partnering team, providing guidance, support and development as needed and actively managing performance to ensure a high performing team. The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.
Our Principles in Action
In everything we do, we apply Our Principles in Action
Professional Services
Services that support our students and staff.
Our Expectations
There are some key duties and responsibilities that we ask all employees to adhere to. We ask that the successful candidate: • Positively contributes to an environment at King’s that truly represents Our Principles in Action where every individual feels safe, secure, and supported. • Complies at all times with the requirements of health and safety regulations to ensure their own wellbeing and that of their colleagues. • Develops an understanding of sustainability, including its impact on the University and the work we do, and engages in sustainable practices in the workplace. • Ensures they are working in a safe environment, complying with policies and regulations, ensuring confidentiality and only releasing confidential information obtained during the course of employment to those acting in an official capacity. • Complies with King’s protocols on the appropriate use of telephone, email and internet facilities.
Essential Criteria
• Significant experience of operating at a senior level as a HR Business Partner/HR Director within a large, complex unionised organisation. Public sector or comparable environment preferred. • Demonstrable experience of translating business plans into long-term plans for people and organisational development. • A proven track record of developing strategic HR interventions and delivering business focussed HR solutions. • Demonstrable experience of advising executive-level leaders and building high trust partnerships with senior stakeholders. • Proven leadership of complex, high volume ER casework, with a strong understanding of UK employment legislation and experience of complex constructive union engagement. • Demonstrable experience of organisational change/transformation, including major restructuring and organisation design. • Excellent interpersonal, communication, team working and relationship management skills.
Vision 2029
King's Vision builds upon our history of service to society and takes us to our 200th anniversary in 2029
Human Resources Directorate
The Human Resources directorate is proud to work with the King’s community to provide academic and professional excellence and an outstanding educational experience for our students. We offer support and advice to all our colleagues at all stages of their employment with King’s – beginning with your recruitment and arrival at the university and continuing throughout your time with us. We seek to treat colleagues fairly so that everyone has the opportunity to flourish at King’s. Our Organisational Development team offers a wide range of courses and activities to support your personal and professional development. HR is also responsible for a framework of policies and procedures, ensuring King’s complies with the law and other regulations governing its operations. Human Resources is split into three broad areas, People Services, HR business Partnering, and Specialist Solutions, each led by one of our directors in the HR Leadership team. People Services is the go-to resource for all matters related to immigration and visas, overseas working, recruitment processes, employment contracts, and onboarding. Our HR Business Partnering team serves as the main connection between Human Resources and the faculties and directorates. We provide strategic expertise, guidance, and support throughout the entire employment journey, from recruitment to retirement. The Specialist Solutions teams provide services that focus on specific areas of our Human Resources operations. This includes Equality, diversity & Inclusion, Organisational Development, People Data and Analytics, and Executive Search, amongst others.
About King's
Background information about King's
Our people
Through all our work, we aim to make the world a better place.
Faculties & Departments
Our 9 academic faculties
Please quote the vacancy id: 130466 in all correspondence.
Closing date for applications: 09 December 2025 23:59
Application process
To apply for this post you will need to register on the King’s College London job opportunities page and submit the application form, along with the following: • a concise statement setting out your reasons for applying for the post and highlighting the particular skills and experience which you feel you would bring to the role (two pages maximum) • a curriculum vitae
Contact us
For more information regarding the vacancy please contact us using the details below
Selection process
Equal opportunities
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion are central tenets of King’s Vision 2029 which sets out the roadmap for King’s ambition to provide an exceptional student experience and to be an employer of choice. Integral to this is ensuring equality of opportunity and outcome, recognising, celebrating and improving our diversity and inclusion. As a responsible employer we aim to provide and promote a positive working, learning, and social environment which is free from prejudice, discrimination and any forms of harassment, bullying or victimisation. Our commitment to inclusion means that King’s aims to create an environment where differences are not just respected but also valued and celebrated. Everyone should be able to bring their whole self to King’s. All King’s students, staff and affiliates are responsible for meeting these commitments to value diversity and create an inclusive environment. King's will support and equip all members of its community to do this, embedding inclusion throughout the university’s policies, procedures, and practices.
Jobs at King's
Current vacancies and career opportunities