Director of People and Culture

Cipd Hr30; Greater London; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading independent school in London is seeking a Director of People and Culture to lead its people strategy during an important phase of development. This senior role requires a strategic leader with HR experience, aiming to drive cultural transformation and high-performance workplace initiatives. Applicants with a proven track record in education and people strategy development will find this opportunity particularly compelling. The role offers the chance to influence a dynamic school community focused on academic excellence and social mobility.

Qualifications

• Experience in leading cultural transformation and shaping people strategies.
• Ability to foster high-performance workplaces.
• Experience in strategic HR leadership, preferably in educational settings.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership of the people function.
• Ensure alignment of People Strategy with the school’s vision and values.
• Partner with Governors and leadership across the School.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Cultural transformation

People strategy development

Operational credibility

Education

Experience in HR leadership

Job description

- **Director of People and Culture**# Director of People and Culture£0.00LondonCompetitiveFull TimeNon CIPD member6 February 2026PermanentGeneral HR FunctionEducationDirector / Head / VPLatymer Upper School is seeking an outstanding Director of People and Culture to lead and shape their people strategy at a pivotal point in the School’s development. A full member of the Senior Leadership Team, this is a senior, strategic role offering the opportunity to have a significant impact within one of the UK’s most successful academically ambitious and values-led independent schools.Latymer’s story spans more than 400 years. The Latymer Foundation was established in 1624 when Edward Latymer, a lawyer and philanthropist, endowed funds to provide clothing and education to “eight poore boyes” of Hammersmith. That ethos of social inclusivity and educational excellence remains central to who they are today. Latymer Upper School, based in Hammersmith since 1895, is now a leading co-educational independent day school educating around 1,400 pupils aged 11–18, supported by an exceptional prep school and a staff community of over 350 professionals. They are known for their intellectual rigour, inclusive ethos and strong commitment to social mobility, and through their Inspiring Minds bursary campaign, they have one of the most ambitious bursary programmes in the sector.They are also at the forefront of educational innovation. From 2027, Latymer will replace traditional GCSEs with a bespoke Middle School curriculum designed to develop deep critical thinking, creativity, resilience and collaboration, preparing students for advanced study and life-long learning.The Director of People and Culture will be a senior member of the leadership team, reporting directly to the Head and partnering with Governors and leaders across the School. They will provide strategic leadership of their people function, ensuring that the People Strategy aligns with Latymer’s vision and values and supports their aspirations for organisational excellence and innovation.Applications are welcomed from accomplished HR leaders who can bring clarity of purpose, strategic insight and operational credibility to their people agenda. While they value experience in education, the School is particularly interested in candidates with a track record of leading cultural transformation, shaping forward-looking people strategies, and fostering inclusive, high-performance workplaces.This role presents an exceptional opportunity to contribute to one of the UK’s most dynamic school communities as they embed new pedagogical approaches and continue to strengthen their reputation for academic ambition, social impact and staff development that embraces being a lifelong learner. To download further information on the role or to apply, please visit quoting ‘8235’. The deadline for applications is 08:30 GMT on Friday 6th February.*The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The post is subject to an enhanced DBS check, online check and two satisfactory references.**Protecting your personal data is of the utmost importance to Perrett Laver and we take this responsibility very seriously. Any information obtained by our trading divisions is held and processed in accordance with the relevant data protection legislation. The data you provide us with is securely stored on our computerised database and transferred to our clients for the purposes of presenting you as a candidate and/or considering your suitability for a role you have registered interest in.**As defined under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Perrett Laver is a Data Controller and a Data Processor, and our legal basis for processing your personal data is ‘Legitimate Interests’. You have the right to object to us processing your data in this way. For more information about this, your rights, and our approach to Data Protection and Privacy, please visit our website*