People Director
- Recruiter
- Rowan
- Location
-
Barnoldswick
North West EnglandUnited Kingdom
- Salary
- Competitive
- Posted
- 19 Oct 2021
- Closes
- 21 Oct 2021
- Job Title
- Associate Director
- Category
- Human Resources
- Contract Type
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full Time
People Director
Rowan Group are proud to be supporting Silentnight, the UK's market leading bed and mattress brands – one of the rare UK 'Superbrands'. The company has progressed with market leading sustainable product development and it is estimated that one in five beds sold in the UK is a Silentnight Group brand. Silentnight Group has recently refocused on three core brands; Silentnight, Rest Assured and Studio, and has a broad range of product offers with a relentless focus on quality and service, as well as sustainability and a transparent approach to environmental impact awareness. Silentnight Group has increased its digital presence and expanded its channels and routes to market (e–commerce, multiples, independents, hospitality and D2C).
Silentnight currently have one production site (70,000?) in Barnoldswick, Lancashire, and a marketing and digital office in Manchester. The company today generates c.GBP120m turnover, with a further GBP60m+ being generated under licence and is more than twice the size of the next manufacturing led operator. With strong cash flows and a high–quality low returns operating model, Silentnight Group budgets to deliver some GBP12m+ of EBITDA with many substantive growth opportunities ahead of it.
In 2011 H.I.G. acquired Silentnight Group, enabling the business to restructure and consolidate their production facilities and re–focus their proposition and recently refinanced it, demonstrating their ongoing commitment to the business and kicking off a fresh and exciting phase in the development of the company.
As part of this development, it has been recognised there is a need to appoint a suitably people–centric People Director, reporting to the CEO, to set and lead all aspects of the People agenda for the organisation as a key member of the Executive Leadership Team. It will be necessary for this person to be strategically focused and proactive however, there is a small team reporting to this role and as such it will be necessary for this individual to remain hands–on to fulfil the business needs.
The Role:
This hire is critical for the business as they embark on an exciting next chapter that will see the core business expand while undertaking a modernisation and cultural change program, embracing and leading on the ESG agenda within the industry, accelerating the digital journey and digital sales, and exploring potential substantive M&A corporate activity. It will be crucial for the incoming People Director to play a key role in this.
As a member of the Executive Team, you will be jointly accountable for the delivery of Silentnight's Strategic Plan, operational and financial objectives, and targets and you will actively contribute to and take collective responsibility for all Executive Team decisions. You will design and implement a robust people strategy which supports the growth of the business, lead and coach the HR team, drive a culture of high performance and engagement across the organization and in turn, create a people–centric and values–driven business, which reflects the ambitions of the business. It will be crucial to positively impact engagement scores as well as driving Talent Management, both internal and external, positioning Silentnight as an Employer of Choice. Leadership development and coaching, performance management and reward and recognition will also form key parts of this role. It will be imperative that People Director provides a visible and expert HR presence, ensuring they are an ambassador for the business and its people, communicating and engaging in a way that positively impacts performance and retention.
The Candidate:
The successful candidate will need board experience and a strong track record in all aspects of HR leadership, ideally within a consumer–facing manufacturing and supply chain environment, as well as the necessary leadership and communication skills to lead the function and to work cross–functionally across the business. It is also essential that this individual is agile in their approach to reflect the fast–paced and entrepreneurial nature of the business, as well as adopting a people–centric approach.
Key areas of expertise:
- Strategy and experience: A proven track record designing and implementing an appropriate people strategy that drives business growth.
- Influence and communication: Demonstrable experience of confidently communicating with both colleagues and external stakeholders with the ability to build trust and credibility quickly through a coaching–style of leadership, enabling them to work closely and effectively with senior colleagues.
- Culture: A proven track record in creating a values–driven culture, demonstrating how the values have been embodied by the people within the organisation.
- Engagement: Experience of driving improvements in engagement, leading to improved retention of key talent and a more engaged and productive workforce within a similar demographic of colleagues.
- Talent Management: Experience of leading a Talent Management strategy, which, drives retention, as well as using innovative ways to position the business as an Employer of Choice and creates career pathways.
- Reward: A proven track record of successfully implementing a reward strategy for a similar demographic of colleagues.
- Proactivity: Evidence of being proactive and execution–orientated whilst remaining hands–on. Highly visibly and able to offer proactive solutions and ideas.
The Opportunity
This is a superb opportunity for an accomplished HR leader to join a genuine UK superbrand and be a key driver in its future growth and success. This position will be part of the Senior Leadership Team and will have a "seat at the table" in making strategic decisions that will positively affect the whole business.