Head of Colleague Experience

Stepchange; Leeds; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A modern charity organization in the UK is seeking a Head of Colleague Experience to strategically direct the colleague experience across culture, performance, and engagement. This senior role will be pivotal in shaping the People & Culture transformation over the next five years, ensuring a work environment that fosters belonging, balance, and purpose. The ideal candidate will have senior HR leadership experience and a transformational mindset, capable of leading complex programmes and embedding inclusive practices within the organisation.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in culture, OD, engagement, ED&I, and performance.
• Experience leading complex, cross-charity people programmes.
• Demonstrated ability to guide leaders through cultural change.

Responsibilities

• Design and deliver a unified colleague experience strategy.
• Lead strategic work across the organisation.
• Champion workplace experience and integrate ED&I into the organisation.

Skills

Senior HR leadership experience

Transformation mindset

Strong influencing and relationship-building skills

Inclusive, innovative approach

Calm decision-making

Job description

Do you want to be at the centre of evolving our culture toward agility,collaborationand high performance?

Can you lead cross-charity programmes that modernise workplace experience, strengthen engagement and embed inclusive practices?

Are you driven by creating an environment where belonging, balance and purpose underpin how colleagues work and thrive?

As Head of Colleague Experience,you’llset the strategic direction for how colleagues experienceStepChange,across culture, performance, engagement, wellbeing, ED&I,communicationsand ways of working.

Reporting directly to the Chief People Officer, this is a pivotal senior role shaping the People & Culture transformation that will underpinStepChange’snext five years. Your leadership will be central to creating an environment where colleagues can do their best work,supported by modern systems, clear expectations, strongengagementand a culture that reflects who we are and who we aspire to be.

You’llbring together culture, communications, ED&I, wellbeing and workplace experience into a unified strategy that is practical,modernand aligned to the needs of a transforming charity.

What You’ll Be Doing

You’lllead strategic work across the organisation, including:

• Designing and delivering a unified colleague experience strategy that connects culture, leadership, ED&I, engagement,communicationsand ways of working into a coherent, future-focused approach.
• Leading our culture evolution, shaping a modern, agile, high-performance environment driven by clarity,accountabilityand collaboration.
• Setting the direction for colleague engagement and internal communications, ensuring colleagues feel informed, heard and connected to our purpose and goals.
• Embedding ED&I into the organisation’s DNA, moving beyond initiatives toward real behavioural and systemic integration.
• Championing workplace experience, partnering with Estates to shape digital and physical environments that support wellbeing, focus and collaboration.
• Providing strategic programme leadership, coordinating cross-charity people initiatives and cultural change programmes.
• Partnering with the Chief People Officer and senior leaders, influencing organisationaldirectionand tackling complex people-related challenges.
• Leading,coachingand developing your team, building capability and confidence across the People & Culture function.

About You

You’llbe a strategic, senior People & Culture leader with the confidence and credibility to influence at scale.You’llbring:

• Senior HR leadership experience, covering culture, OD, engagement, ED&I and performance.
• A transformation mindset, confident leading complex, cross-charity people programmes that modernise organisational culture and ways of working.
• Strong influencing and relationship-building skills, trusted leaders and capable of guiding them through cultural and behavioural change.
• An inclusive, innovative approach, improving the everyday colleague experience through insight,creativityand strategic thinking.
• Calm, confident decision-making, even in fast-paced or high-stakes environments.

You’ll Thrive in this role if you value:

• Purpose— shaping the culture, systems and conditions that enable colleagues to deliver meaningful impact for clients and communities
• Belonging— building an inclusive,connectedand high-trust environment where diverse perspectives influence decisions and culture
• Growth— driving organisational, leadership and cultural development, while continuing to strengthen your own strategic capability
• Balance— enabling modern, flexible ways of working that support performance,wellbeingand sustainable organisational effectiveness

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Belonging sits at the heart of our organisation. We wantStepChangeto be a place where everyone feels valued,respectedand able to do their best work. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and life experiences. If you need adjustments during the recruitment process,we’llsupport you.