Head of People, Talent & Growth

About the company

Help Acosta Group Europe Build the People Function of the Future

This is a rare opportunity to join a People leadership team that is actively reimagining how HR operates. We're investing in capability, simplification, technology, AI and automation to create a modern People function that delivers real value to the business and our people.

Why This Role Is Different? You'll join a business that doesn't see HR as an administrative function.

We're building a People team that is

• Data informed
• Commercially focused
• Future facing
• Technology enabled
• Obsessed with creating great employee experiences

Why Join Us at Acosta Group Europe as our Head of Talent & Growth? At Acosta Europe, you'll be joining a team that is passionate about growth, innovation, and delivering excellence for our clients. This is a unique opportunity to influence at the highest level, accelerate your career, and shape the direction of a business with big ambitions.

Your tasks

Most People roles ask you to maintain processes.

This one asks you to improve them.

We're looking for a Head of Talent and Growth to help shape the future of our People function and create a brilliant employee experience from attraction and onboarding through to development, performance and progression.

You'll work alongside the People Director and Head of People Operations, leading Talent Acquisition and Learning & Development whilst owning key people processes including performance reviews, talent calibration, job levelling, reward support and continuous improvement initiatives.

This is a broad and varied role that sits at the intersection of talent, capability, reward and transformation.

You'll

• Lead our Talent Acquisition and Talent Development teams.
• Explore how AI, automation and technology can remove administration and help us work smarter.
• Shape how we attract, develop and retain great people
• Run annual performance reviews, talent discussions and calibration processes.
• Support job architecture, job levelling and reward initiatives.
• Drive people projects that simplify processes and improve employee experience.
• Partner with senior leaders to identify future capability needs and talent opportunities.
• Help build a connected, future focused People function that is fit for where our business is going next.

You'll have the freedom to challenge existing processes, introduce new ideas and make a visible impact across the organisation.

Few roles at this level offer such a diverse remit across talent acquisition, leadership development, reward, performance, organisational capability and innovation.

Requirements

If you're the type of person who constantly asks:

"Why do we do it this way?" and then actually goes and fixes it...

You might currently be

• A Senior HRBP with strong talent and OD experience
• A Head of Talent
• A Head of Learning and Development
• A Talent and Development Manager ready for your next step
• An Organisational Development specialist looking for broader exposure

What matters most is that you're commercially minded, curious and passionate about helping organisations grow through people.

You'll likely bring?

• Experience leading Talent Acquisition, Talent Management, Learning & Development or Organisational Development programmes.
• Strong understanding of performance management and talent reviews.
• Experience delivering projects and change initiatives.
• Confidence working with senior stakeholders and influencing decisions
• A passion for continuous improvement and better ways of working.
• Genuine curiosity about technology, AI and the future of work.

What we offer

Salary: £55,000-£58,000 per annum dependant on Experience, Plus £6000 annual car allowance, and 10% Annual Company Bonus Opportunity

• Income Focused: Life Assurance 4 x annual salary.
• Exceptional Health Benefits: Medicash & BUPA Cover options
• Future-Focused Pension: Contributions that grow with your length of service.
• Generous Holidays: 25 days annual leave + bank holidays.
• Paid Volunteering Day: Give back to your community.
• Career Progression: Access to Acosta University, internal development pathways, and opportunities to step into leadership.
• Inclusive Culture: Diverse, supportive and truly people-first.

How to apply

we'd love to hear from you.

Other

Location : Woking, Surrey or Stoke on Trent (Hybrid working 3 days a week in the office) with regular travel between Stoke on Trent & Woking Surrey Offices

At Acosta Europe, we believe diversity and inclusion are the foundation of innovation and success. We welcome people from all backgrounds and experiences, creating a culture where everyone feels valued and empowered to thrive. If you're a strategic leader who thrives on driving impact and connecting people, priorities, and performance — we'd love to hear from you!