EOI - HR Director

The HR Director role in the Department for Business, Science, Innovation and Trade (BIST) is a critical leadership position at the heart of delivering the department’s strategic ambition. As a global organisation whose success depends on the capability, engagement and performance of its people, BIST needs outstanding leadership of its people and place agenda to drive impact at scale. This role offers the opportunity to shape organisational direction at the most senior levels, working closely with the Permanent Secretary and Executive Committee to influence culture, capability and performance across a diverse, international workforce. The role is also responsible for the Place agenda, including the estates and locations strategy, wellbeing and health and safety. ​ 

We are ambitious for BIST to be one of the best places to work in the Civil Service - an organisation where people can thrive. We drive good growth, good jobs and opportunity across the UK. We support businesses to invest, innovate, export and grow, powered by science and technology. Achieving this will require strong leadership across all elements of the people agenda, alongside the delivery of high‑quality, modern and digitally enabled services that are simple to use and support our people to perform at their best.​ 

For candidates passionate about delivering lasting organisational impact, championing inclusive, high-performing cultures, this is a uniquely rewarding and high-profile opportunity.​ 

Key Responsibilities

• Leadership and management of the department’s HR function: responsibility for around 200 HR Estates and Project Delivery professionals providing People and Place strategy and services to the department – across both the UK and rest of the world (in partnership with FCDO). ​ 

• Play a leading role in BIST’s Machinery of Government (MoG) transition, operationalising the new Department and ensuring the effective onboarding and integration of colleagues, including the harmonisation of HR policies, terms and conditions, and people practices. 

• Lead the development and implementation of the department’s new operating model, including workforce planning and the future skills agenda, ensuring the organisation has the capability, capacity and skills required to deliver its priorities. 

• Head of Profession for Human Resources, ensuring functional standards are met, promoting professional and career development for HR staff, contributing to the wider Civil Service HR leadership. ​ 

• Delivery of BIST’s People Strategy through its four strategic pillars: Attraction and Careers; Skills and Development; Values and Belonging; Getting the Basics Right. To develop the skills the department needs and create an environment in which staff across the globe can fulfil their potential. This role will also build the next stage of our People Strategy and service offer.​ 

• Leadership of Estates, Health and Safety and Wellbeing and the delivery of BIST’s Location Strategy. Ensuring the department meets the targets to increase BIST’s presence outside of London. ​ 

• Partnering with the Transformation Team to design and embed the changes needed to build a high‑performing department, as part of our FutureBIST portfolio. We are ambitious to be at the forefront of the Future Civil Service programme.​ 

• Business partnering the department’s Permanent Secretary on people matters for the senior leadership team and notably Performance Management of the senior team; Senior Civil Service (SCS) capability and succession; SCS Resourcing and SCS pay and reward, as well as holding trade union relationships across the Department. ​ 

• Managing budgets, resources, and expenditure proposals ensuring value for money for the areas of direct accountability (c.£44m) and as a member of the department’s senior leadership team. ​ 

• Building constructive relationships with the wider Civil Service, recognised trade unions and staff networks to ensure BIST’s business is delivered especially through periods of change.​ 

• Leading the people and place elements of BIST’s shared services programme, as part of a cluster with other government departments.​

We are looking for an individual with clear evidence of deep professional HR expertise and a commitment to professional standards. You must be a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), or working towards Fellowship (or equivalent) and have experience across the following criteria which must be shown in your application:​ 

• Deep HR Expertise and Strategic Insight: Comprehensive understanding of the full HR lifecycle, including workforce planning, employee relations and casework, reward, resourcing, talent and succession, capability development, and people analytics. Demonstrated ability to translate strategic people priorities into clear operational delivery and measurable impact. 
• Proven Delivery in complex and major change environments: A strong and sustained track record of leading large‑scale, multi‑disciplinary HR services in complex organisational settings, delivering through transformation at pace, whilst maintaining high standards of quality and value for money.​ 
• Senior leadership: An inclusive, values led and people-centred senior leader with significant experience operating at senior leadership level within HR, with  accountability for whole‑function delivery or major portfolios. ​ 
• Collaboration & influence: Builds strong, credible relationships and influences at the most senior levels across organisations and externally including; arm’s‑length bodies and trade unions. Engages confidently with Boards, Executive Committees and Ministers, providing clear, authoritative advice on complex workforce issues. ​
• Innovation and Continuous Improvement Approach: Demonstrates a track record of leading innovation across HR services through modern operating models, digital tools, and data‑driven approaches that improve outcomes, enhance user experience, and build future‑ready capability, with a strong emphasis on continuous improvement and learning.​ 

This role requires Security Check (SC) clearance.