Head of People

About Unseen

Unseen combines assessment technology, candidate engagement, psychometric design and recruitment support solutions to help employers deliver fair, data-driven, high-impact recruitment experiences and insights.

We are entering the next stage of growth, with ambitious plans to acquire and integrate multiple companies into the Group, transitioning them from standalone organisations into our centralised operating model.

We are remote-friendly with offices in Manchester and London, and employees around the globe.

The Role

As our first HR hire, you will ensure we have the structures, processes and frameworks needed to support a growing, acquisitive business.

Reporting to the Group COO, you will have the support of an open and forward-thinking leadership team behind you, as you shape and deliver a commercially focused people strategy. This is a hands-on role requiring autonomy and the ability to operate at both strategic and operational levels.

This role is a standalone position in the first instance, and you will be solely responsible for delivering the HR function in the immediate term. You should be commercially driven and comfortable taking full ownership of both strategic and day-to-day HR activity in a fast-moving environment.

You can learn more about our mission, vision and working culture by reading our Culture Guide.

Key Responsibilities

HR Operations and Systems

• Develop and implement an HR strategy aligned to business objectives and growth plans
• Adopt a technology-first, data-driven mindset, using AI agents to make your job easier — designing workflows that improve employee experience from on-boarding to off-boarding, sentiment insights, people analytics, and organisation of internal knowledge
• Own and manage HR systems and ensure accurate employee data, documentation and reporting
• Manage HR budgets and partner with Finance on remuneration governance, budgeting, payroll and compensation structure
• Lead on major HR projects as the organisation grows and changes (e.g. TUPE process, HR systems transformation etc)
  
  

Employee Relations

• Act as a trusted point of contact for employee HR queries and guidance, leveraging AI tools for front-line support
• Act as the lead on all employee relations matters and issues, providing expert guidance and ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory expectations
  
  

Company Acquisition And Integration

• Support the COO in HR related due diligence of target acquisitions, including contract and policy reviews and the assessment of organisational structures, roles and resource requirements
• Support in change management processes, during periods of restructure and transition
• Support the HR aspects of integration, including contracts, policies, processes and cultural alignment
  
  

Talent Acquisition

• Support in organisational design and workforce planning across the Group
• Partner with leadership and hiring managers to identify current and future hiring needs
• Leverage AI agents and digital tools to assess, optimise and reduce reliance on manual people processes and resourcing
• Implement consistent, high-quality processes — supporting across the full employee lifecycle, including hiring, onboarding and off-boarding
• Manage relationships with external recruitment partners and hiring platforms where necessary
  
  

Performance, Engagement and Development

• Own compensation architecture — pay bands, benchmarking, total rewards
• Design and implement performance management frameworks and review processes, as well as succession planning and leadership development
• Support in the development and delivery of learning and development programmes aligned to business needs
• Develop reward and recognition approaches
• Lead employee engagement initiatives and feedback mechanisms
• Define and deliver strategies to retain and develop high-performing, diverse and inclusive teams
  
  

Skills And Experience

• CIPD qualifications (minimum ideally level 7)
• Proven experience within a scaling or acquisitive organisation
• A tech-native approach — you're an analytical, systems thinker who can leverage tech tools to improve processes and people experiences
• Proven experience operating as a standalone HR lead, with full ownership of the function
• Comfortable balancing strategic priorities with operational delivery
• Experience building and evolving HR structures and processes in a scaling environment
• Experience working in remote friendly, agile, fast-paced environments
• Strong knowledge of employment law and employee relations
• Demonstrated experience building and implementing people strategies aligned to business growth
• Commercially aware, pragmatic and confident in working with senior stakeholders
• Able to manage multiple priorities and operate effectively in a changing environment
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills
• Hands-on, proactive and solutions-focused
• You are comfortable being both the strategic lead and the operational executor, and thrive in environments where you are required to build and deliver simultaneously
  
  

What We Offer

• Remote-friendly working
• Offices in London and Manchester
• 40 days annual leave
• Flexible benefits package with monthly allowance
• Company pension