Executive Head of People & Culture
Salary £ 70,000
Hybrid working, Office in London NW1
Vacancy listed 21/10/2026
Application deadline 08/11/2026
Details
About War Child:

War Child is a specialist charity for children affected by conflict.

With high levels of commitment, courage and creativity, War Child colleagues work hard to keep children safe, help children to learn and overcome their experiences, and equip children with skills for their future.

War Child strives to build an inclusive workplace culture that is open, creative, passionate and inspired to fundraise and advocate for children impacted by conflict. We want everyone to feel a sense of belonging and to be valued and respected for their unique contribution to our mission.

We are committed to supporting colleagues to engage in a balanced work and personal life, enabling them to flourish and reach their potential. Our aim is for a flexible working culture to be the norm in how we do things and to help us deliver our mission. Therefore, from day one, we are happy to consider flexible working requests.

If you share our values and believe that children's lives should not be torn apart by war, we'd love to hear from you.

About the Role:

As Executive Head of People & Culture, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of War Child UK. Reporting into the Executive Team and working closely with the CEO and Directors, you will lead our people strategy, culture and organisational development agenda, ensuring our People Promise supports an engaged, high-performing and values-driven workforce.

Leading an established People & Culture team, you will build-on strong foundations to deliver an exceptional employee experience across the organisation. You will champion innovative and inclusive people practices, drive organisational effectiveness, and ensure our culture enables colleagues to thrive while delivering lasting impact for children affected by conflict.

You will act as the trusted People & Culture adviser to the CEO and Directors, helping to shape organisational strategy, guide complex decision-making and lead organisation-wide change.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced people leader to influence organisation-wide strategy, develop a modern and inclusive people function, and help shape the future workforce of a mission-driven charity.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead the development and delivery of War Child UK's People & Culture strategy, aligned to the organisation's long-term goals and mission.

Partner with the CEO and Leadership Team to shape organisational culture, workforce planning and future growth.

Develop and embed our People Promise, enhancing employee wellbeing, engagement, attraction and retention.

Lead organisational development, talent management and succession planning initiatives.

Drive modern, inclusive and flexible ways of working that support innovation, wellbeing and performance.

Provide strategic leadership on organisational change and complex people matters.

Ensure compliance with employment law, safeguarding requirements, organisational policies and DEI commitments.

Oversee recruitment, induction, learning and development, leadership capability and performance frameworks.

Lead the development of people systems, data and technology, including the responsible use of AI and emerging tools.

Build trusted relationships across the organisation, providing strategic advice, challenge and support to senior leaders.

Lead and develop the People & Culture team, fostering a collaborative, high-performing and inclusive culture.

Champion safeguarding, diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging across the employee lifecycle.

Should you require any support to access the application or interview process or require details of our vacancy in an alternative format please contact info@redway-hr.co.uk.

Benefits

Hybrid working
Enhanced Annual Leave (28 days, rising to 33 days with service, plus public holidays)
Flexible Working Arrangements from Day One
Competitive Pension Contribution
Enhanced Family & Sick Leave
Life Insurance
Healthcare Cash Plan
Workplace Nursery Benefit
Cycle2Work Scheme
Season Ticket Loan
GP helpline
Employee Assistance Programme
Eye test/ Glasses Contribution
Individual & Collective Development with 5 days Study Leave
Professional Membership Fee Reimbursement
Enhanced Compassionate Leave
Paid Emergency Time Off for Dependants
Flexible Public Holidays
Time Off in Lieu (TOIL)
Career Break Opportunities
Temporary Overseas Working
Volunteer Leave
Cultural Benefits including access to free tickets for gigs, exhibitions and private views
Free Tickets for Good Membership
Discounts on War Child Merchandise
Welcome Pack for New Colleagues

Notes

Apply today
Please upload your CV and a supporting statement explaining why you would be an excellent fit for this role. Please note that only applications including both documents will be considered.

We look forward to hearing from you.