Head of People

About the job

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Head of People – QSR UK/EU

A globally recognised restaurant brand is looking for a Head of People to lead its UK & European people function.

The business is scaling with purpose, and the people infrastructure needs to keep pace. The foundations are in place. What they need now is someone who can take what exists, make it work harder, and ensure that everything landing from a large global HQ land properly in Europe.

The Role

You will lead the people function across multiple European markets.

This is a matrix environment. You will partner closely with a large US parent business on everything from compliance and investigations to total rewards and HR systems. You will be the voice of Europe in those conversations not a nodding dog, not a blocker, but someone who can navigate that dynamic with credibility and commercial intelligence.

What you will own

Talent attraction & retention: Define and deliver the European resourcing strategy, lead workforce planning, and partner with operational leaders to ensure teams are fully staffed, stable, and supported by a strong retention-focused culture.

Talent development: Build leadership pipelines through succession planning, performance management, and executive coaching to strengthen organisational capability and future readiness.

Compliance & employee experience: Act as the lead custodian for HR compliance across European markets, localising EVP, compensation, and total rewards frameworks while partnering globally on ethics and workplace investigations.

Functional leadership: Lead, develop, and empower the HR team by setting clear expectations, driving accountability, and building strong cross-functional partnerships across the business.

People strategy: Own and shape the European people strategy, serving as a trusted advisor to the executive team and translating global business objectives into practical, locally effective people solutions.

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The person

• Experience operating across at least one European market outside the UK, with strong understanding of navigating different regulatory environments, assessing risk, and partnering effectively with local counsel and in-country HR teams.
• A hands-on, commercially minded HR leader who is equally comfortable managing complex employee relations matters as presenting strategic people plans to executive leadership.
• Confident influencing at executive level, with the credibility and resilience to challenge senior stakeholders and deliver difficult messages when needed to support business outcomes.
• Proven background within retail, hospitality, restaurant, or other high-volume, multi-site operational environments where pace, complexity, and customer experience are business critical.
• Demonstrated ability to balance commercial priorities with people strategy in fast-moving organisations undergoing growth, change, or transformation.

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What this is not

This is not a greenfield role, the infrastructure exists and your job is to optimise and evolve it.

This is not a solo contributor role, you have a team and they need real leadership.

This is not a role for someone who defers upward on difficult decisions or waits to be told what the people strategy should be.

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London based – Hybrid model

Salary package up to £90,000, depending on experience, plus additional benefits and long-term growth opportunity.

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