Head of Talent

Buckinghamshire Council is looking for a strategic, forward‑thinking Head of Talent to play a pivotal role in shaping our workforce of the future. This is a senior HR leadership role with significant influence across the organisation, helping us to attract, develop and retain the talent we need to deliver excellent services for our communities.

Reporting to the Service Director for HR & OD, you will lead our talent agenda – spanning workforce planning, recruitment, learning and development, skills, performance and succession – and act as the organisation’s subject‑matter expert on talent and skills.

About us

Buckinghamshire Council is a relatively new organisation that combines the strengths and expertise of the previous five councils in the county to create positive change for local people, communities, and businesses. We are firmly focused on the future and have made a clear commitment to serve residents better and to provide stronger representation for Buckinghamshire, both locally and nationally.

About the role

As Head of Talent, you will:

• Lead and drive the council’s talent strategy, aligned to the People Plan and wider organisational priorities.
• Act as a strategic partner and trusted advisor to senior leaders, shaping workforce solutions that improve organisational performance.
• Lead and develop a high‑performing specialist talent and skills team, creating a culture of innovation, learning and continuous improvement.
• Design and deliver effective talent acquisition, development and retention strategies, informed by labour market insight and workforce data.
• Oversee the council’s performance appraisal approach, ensuring insight and learning is fed into corporate discussions.
• Champion learning, skills and employability, including skills‑focused employment activity that supports Buckinghamshire residents.
• Develop career pathways, succession planning and future‑focused skills strategies to ensure long‑term organisational sustainability.
• Use data storytelling and insight to shape evidence‑based decisions and influence at the most senior levels.
• Lead the development of the council’s learning management system and modern, accessible development offer.

About you

You’ll be a credible senior HR professional with a strong track record in leading and delivering talent, skills and development strategies at scale. You’ll bring:

• Significant experience of leading talent acquisition, management and development, including managing specialist teams.
• The ability to operate both strategically and tactically, balancing long‑term vision with practical delivery.
• Strong analytical capability, with the confidence to interpret complex data and turn insight into action.
• Exceptional influencing and communication skills, able to engage and inspire at all levels of the organisation.
• Experience delivering training and development programmes and working with performance management frameworks and systems.
• Degree‑level education (or equivalent experience) and a relevant professional qualification (or equivalent experience).

Closing date: Midnight on Sunday 17th May

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent cautions and/or unspent convictions

We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While we welcome innovation, we expect all submissions to reflect your own experience, skills, and achievements accurately. Please ensure your application is truthful and demonstrates your personal capabilities, as this will be assessed during the selection process.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work‑life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

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