Job Description

Salary range: 59,248 - 67,023

Location: Flexible and hybrid but occasional office attendance required at our Sheffield or Salisbury branch.

Full-time permanent contract

Reference: UKPPLE.11.25

Closing date:05/12/2025

Why join us?

Bringing together leading minds and practitioners in the sector, Wessex Archaeology is a trusted archaeology and heritage service provider and educational charity. From our network of international offices, we work in partnership with our clients to deliver sustainable solutions to manage the historic environment - above ground, below ground and underwater. We are committed to our social impact. This means using the knowledge and connections we make through our commercial activities as a catalyst to engage the communities in which we work.


Join us and you'll be part of a collaborative team committed to shaping a better future for our staff, the sector and the world. As well as having knowledgeable and dedicated colleagues, you'll have an opportunity to access a variety of fascinating and high-profile projects and develop your skills and knowledge along the way.

The role - what's involved?

This is an exciting opportunity for an organised individual with leadership experience and excellent communication skills to lead our People team. This is a newly created position within the team and the successful candidate will be responsible for leading and shaping the operations of the People team, managing the employment cycle of all employees, developing and implementing people strategies, ensuring legal compliance, supporting ways to develop talent, encouraging employee engagement and promoting organisational values and culture.


You will be line managed by our People Director who develops and shapes the directorate objectives and supports the strategic oversight of our Chief People Officer. You will have oversight of the team's administrative responsibilities and will ensure the accuracy and efficiency of HR administration and systems.


With a strong focus on collaborating and supporting others, this role is ideal for someone who enjoys building strong relationships. You will help develop talent and capability and provide considered advice in a wide range of people-related issues including employee relations, disciplinary matters and change management. It is essential that you share our commitment to EDI principles and fostering a welcoming, inclusive work environment.

Key Responsibilities

As the Head of People your role is to lead and manage the team across all offices, with a strong focus on people, culture and inclusivity, you will foster a positive, inclusive, and productive work environment in line with our vision, values and strategy.

Main responsibilities will include:

Employee Lifecycle Management

: Overseeing all stages of the employee journey, from recruitment and onboarding to performance management, promotions, and offboarding, while ensuring consistency and fairness.

HR Compliance

: Keeping up-to-date with employment laws and HR best practices, ensuring all people policies and procedures are effectively implemented, and managing risks.

Advisory and Support

: Providing professional advice and support to managers and employees on a wide range of people-related issues, including employee relations, disciplinary matters, and change management.

Culture and Engagemen

t: Championing and cultivating a positive workplace culture by developing strategies for employee engagement, talent management, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives.

Recruitment

: Managing the recruitment process to ensure a positive candidate experience and securing good talent, which includes creating job descriptions and adverts.

HR Administration

: Overseeing and ensuring the accuracy and efficiency of HR administration and systems to support the effective operation of the people and culture function.

Contributing to Strategy

: You will have responsibility for ensuring that people data is managed well and strive to maximise the value of our data and exploit opportunities to use our data for impactful purposes helping to fulfil our strategic goals.

Governance and Accountability

Financial, operational and people management responsibility for the performance of the team. Responsible for setting targets, managing delivery and ensuring performance is monitored and understood. Expected to contribute to the collective leadership of the business and work collaboratively across functions. Responsible for developing the structure of the team to ensure it can deliver on the strategic priorities and project demands. Responsible for the wellbeing, safety and sustainability of the team, including finances, risk management, quality, staff development and ensuring the team follows professional standards.

Behavioural Attributes

Be visible, accountable, and trustworthy. Be agile in your leadership and management to respond and adapt to organisational priorities and strategic tactics. Be optimistic and a positive influence, inspiring creativeness, and innovation in others. Organise the mentoring, coaching, and training of your team. Provide your team with encouragement, recognition, and reward. To be assured and confident in your work and personal interactions, reflecting to the organisation and the outside world the vision and values of the organisation. Be engaging and inspire collaboration. Consistent messaging, positive behaviours, promotion of this in others.

Essential Skills

Minimum CIPD level 5 or equivalent. Experience of managing multiple HR functions. Experience of line management. An understanding of EDI principles.

Desirable Skills

Specialist learning modules in areas including EDI, Employment Law (UK and Non-UK) and Talent management.

What can you look forward to?

Our focus is on creating a collaborative culture where people can thrive, develop and where safety and wellbeing come first. From anonymising candidate data in our recruitment process to continuous improvements in our benefits, we're committed to creating a safe, fair and inclusive working environment.

We offer:

22 days of annual leave per year plus bank holidays rising to 27 after 5 years of continuous service. Option to buy up to 5 days holiday per year. Salary Sacrifice Pension Scheme, Wessex Archaeology employer pension contribution 5%. Life assurance scheme of three times your basic salary.

Wellbeing and family-friendly benefits

Our maternity, adoption and shared parental pay is 100% for 12 weeks, 90% for 21 weeks and 6 weeks statutory, day 1 eligibility. Enhanced paternity leave, up to 4 weeks from day 1. 5 days of carers leave. Paid sick leave from the start of a contract, with the number of days dependent on length of service. Hybrid and flexible working arrangements where applicable. Company Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) - free and confidential service in the form of counselling and assistance in areas such as health and stress. AIG SmartHealth - round-the-clock support for you and your family.

Sustainability and other benefits

Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme. Bike2Work scheme. 100% Professional membership costs reimbursed. High-quality personal protective equipment (PPE) provided. Free transport from regional offices to sites. Time in lieu or paid time for drivers. Subsistence allowance.

Applications

Applicants are invited to submit a completed application form, CV and covering letter. Your letter should describe why you are applying and the experience you have that you think will help you to deliver this role.


Please respond by e-mail to wa.applications@wessexarch.co.uk by midnight on

5 December 2025

.


Interviews will take place during December. If you have questions, or would like to discuss the role, please contact Angela Batt (People Director) a.batt@wessexarch.co.uk


We welcome applications from people with disabilities and aim to be supportive in our recruitment and employment practices. Please let us know if you need any special arrangements or adjustments in the application or interview process.



Successful candidates must have proof of identity and eligibility to work in the UK by the start of their employment.