Head of People

Cool Earth is looking for a Head of People.

Overview:

• Full-time position
• Language: English
• Location: Hybrid, UK-based; with travel to Cornwall roughly once per month
• Salary: £55,000 – £60,000 per year
• Applications closing: 23rd February

Job Description

As Head of People at Cool Earth, you will play a vital role in creating the conditions that allow our global team of English and Spanish speakers and community partners to do their best work.

Reporting to the Director, you will be in charge of HR and People, safeguarding, equity, and all people-related compliance. Working closely with colleagues across countries and teams, you will bring clarity and consistency where people, policy and risk intersect, support managers through complex people challenges, and help the organisation navigate change thoughtfully and responsibly.

You will lead a small, trusted team focused on HR and People operations, safeguarding and people-related compliance, supporting managers and teams across countries to work safely and effectively. You will also work closely with the Head of Finance & Operations and the Director to support management of organisational governance, risk and compliance.

Our Global Board, consisting of UK and US trustees, will provide governance and advisory support, while receiving regular strategic updates from you on our global workforce.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who cares deeply about people, understands organisational risk, and wants to help build an organisation that lives its values every day.

Responsibilities

People, Culture & DEI

• Act as global lead for HR and People, with primary responsibility for the UK and oversight across other countries
• Lead and advise on employee relations, including performance management, grievances and disciplinary processes
• Support and coach managers on people management, team development, inclusive leadership and organisational change, ensuring best performance from all staff
• Oversee recruitment processes ensuring consistency and fairness across countries
• Lead and embed Cool Earth’s approach to diversity, equity and inclusion, ensuring it is reflected in everyday decision-making
• Own people-related policies, performance review processes and progression
• Ensure HR systems, data and reporting are accurate, compliant and properly used.

Safeguarding

• Act as the organisation’s Safeguarding Lead, working closely with the Deputy Director and Board.
• Maintain, embed and regularly review safeguarding policies, training and reporting processes
• Work closely with Country Managers to ensure strong local safeguarding leadership, recognising different cultural and operational contexts
• Lead or oversee safeguarding case management and reporting, escalating to SLT and Trustees as required
• Work with external safeguarding specialists where appropriate for advice, independence or capacity support

Risk, Compliance & Governance (People-related)

• Take senior ownership of organisational risk management relating to people, safeguarding, DE&I and duty of care, including maintaining relevant sections of the organisational risk register
• Ensure mandatory charity policies relating to people, safeguarding, conduct and inclusion are in place, up to date, understood and followed
• Oversee data protection compliance, policies, training and practice, ensuring safe handling of sensitive people information

Travel Safety, Security & Incident Management

• Provide senior oversight of staff travel safety and security from a people and duty-of-care perspective, particularly in higher-risk or remote contexts
• Maintain and develop clear policies, processes and guidance for staff travel and incident response
• Support the Head of Finance & Operations, Country Managers and team leads to assess and manage travel-related risks
• Act as a senior escalation point for people-related incidents (including safeguarding, security or wellbeing concerns)
• Lead and coordinate organisational responses to incidents, ensuring appropriate documentation, reporting and learning

Senior Leadership & Organisational Change

• Act as a full and active member of the Senior Leadership Team, contributing to organisational strategy, planning and decision-making
• Bring a people, safeguarding and EDI lens to strategic discussions and organisational priorities
• Act as a central point of integration where people, policies, systems and risk intersect
• Provide judgement and decision-making on cross-cutting people issues affecting teams, culture and capacity
• Lead and support organisational change to strengthen ways of working and reduce people-related risk
• Ensure key people-related processes are documented, resilient and well understood
• Line manage the People & Operations Coordinator, providing clear direction, support and development

Finance & Operations

• Work closely with the Head of Finance on budgeting, forecasting and planning where people, safeguarding and organisational risk intersect
• Provide input into workforce planning, role design and organisational structures
• Support audits, reviews and reporting as they relate to people, safeguarding, DE&I and compliance

Role Requirements

The following is essential:

• You build trust easily and work well with colleagues across different roles, teams, countries and cultures, bringing clarity and calm to complex situations.
• You are confident taking initiative and making decisions, while knowing when to listen, involve others or seek specialist advice.
• You have strong people judgement and are comfortable supporting managers through sensitive or high-stakes people issues.
• You care deeply about equity, diversity, inclusion and safeguarding, and actively embed these principles in how you lead and make decisions.
• You have significant experience in HR/People roles, including employee relations, performance management and manager support.
• You hold CIPD Level 5 or equivalent practical experience.
• You have experience of safeguarding leadership, risk management and compliance in a complex organisation.
• You are comfortable working at senior leadership level, contributing to strategy as well as delivery.
• You are comfortable with technology and digital tools, able to work confidently with HR systems and people data.
• You are comfortable working with budgets and financial information, particularly where it relates to people and operational decisions.
• You are organised, pragmatic and able to balance day-to-day priorities with longer-term organisational resilience.
• You have a genuine interest in, and commitment to, the humanitarian and environmental principles of Cool Earth.
• You are aligned with our values – smart, driven, open and locally-led.

It would be great, but not essential, if you also have:

• You are fluent in written and spoken Spanish. This is important to us because we have as many people working in Peru as we do in Papua New Guinea or the UK and US.
• Experience working in the charity, NGO or not-for-profit sector.
• Experience working across multiple countries or with remote teams.
• Experience supporting organisational change during periods of growth or transition.

How to apply?

To apply for this role, please fill in the application form.