Log In

Don't have an account? Sign up now

Lost Password?

Sign Up

Password will be generated and sent to your email address.

Chief Human Resources Officer

Cheshire, Connecticut
National Nuclear Laboratory

NNL has a vision for Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (ED&I) which aims to be an inclusive workplace that attracts diverse talent through transparent and equal policies and procedures. We want you and the diverse mix of people that we employ, customers that we service and stakeholders that we influence to feel valued. We encourage a workplace culture where everyone can thrive with a sense of belonging.

The successful candidate for this role will be placed on an individual contract.

Chief HR Officer – Position Description

Role Purpose

As an Executive Leadership Team member, to contribute meaningfully to the strategic direction of NNL and to design, deliver and embed the NNL People Strategy that supports NNL’s purpose, vision, and strategy. This strategy should ensure our Employee Value Proposition and organisational culture enable change and sustainable growth to attract, retain and engage a talented, innovative, and diverse workforce. This role will have regular interaction with the main Board and attend the necessary committee meetings when required, in addition to having a strategic role in the development of skills across the sector.

Key Accountabilities:

  1. Lead the embedding of the NNL People Strategy, ensuring that our people practices attract and retain the skills and capabilities that NNL needs now and in the future:
    • Define the long-term skills and capability requirements for NNL to deliver its strategy and support the executive team in interventions to meet these needs.
    • Support the growth of skills and talent within the wider nuclear industry through influencing across government, and other nuclear organisations.
    • Develop the NNL Employee Value Proposition to facilitate the attraction and retention of the best people, and refresh as required to ensure the EVP remains successful.
    • Provide executive leadership to RemCo.
    • Provide executive leadership to NomCo.
    • Lead the Early Careers Strategy within NNL to influence the wider educational sector.
    • Provide the process, expert advice and coaching support for organisational design and development across NNL.
    • Support the NNL Sustainability Agenda embedding into all employment practices.
  2. Provide the career pathways, and learning and development solutions to provide personal and professional leadership development for our people:
    • Ensure our learning and development function provides the development opportunities across our business to develop our people with the leadership and behavioural skills it requires now and, in the future.
    • Provide the process and expert advice and coaching support on succession planning and talent development to ensure NNL has the pipeline of skills and capabilities it requires.
  3. Understand, promote and develop ways to strengthen the NNL desired culture and ensure employee perspectives are understood, using a variety of engagement opportunities:
    • Develop and embed NNL Values and Behaviours.
    • Develop effective relationships with employees and their representatives, as well as the wider stakeholder community to ensure the employee voice contributes to the development of our People Strategy, practices, and processes.
    • Be the executive sponsor for ED&I and ensure best practice is embedded into NNL’s company and people strategies.
    • Support the embedding of a performance culture within NNL which inspires people to be at their best every day.
    • Contribute to the development of effective team working across the NNL Executive and Leadership Team.
  4. Use value-add metrics and data to gain insights into, and monitor the health of the organisation and ensure the success of people priorities:
    • Ensure accurate and timely collection of data to deliver value add management information.
    • In partnership with the CFO, ensure the successful running of the company’s four pension schemes, mindful of the interests of NNL, employees and the pension trustees.
  5. Provide leadership and direction on employee health and wellbeing:
    • Provide employee mental and physical health and wellbeing support.
    • Incorporate best practice for health and wellbeing into the EVP.
  6. Functional development of team:
    • Provide leadership for the financial plans and budgets for the people plan.
    • Provide strategic leadership, management, performance management, and development of NNL’s people function.

Key Accountabilities as a Member of the Executive Team:

  1. Contribute to the creation of the NNL Purpose and Vision and determine future strategic options to realise the vision.
  2. Embed safety and nuclear professionalism in all we do.
  3. Contribute to the development of NNL goals and review progress.
  4. Review and evaluate the present and future opportunities, threats and risks to NNL.
  5. Ensure NNL’s structure and capabilities are appropriate to meet its strategy.
  6. Determine NNL’s appetite for risk and the robustness of the risk management programmes.
  7. Delegate authority to management and monitor and evaluate through effective performance management and business planning.
  8. Engage appropriately with all external and internal stakeholders.
  9. Contribute to the development of the executive and leadership teams.
  10. Demonstrate NNL Values and Behaviours through inspiring and coalescing the organisation.

Person Specification

  • Membership of the appropriate professional body.
  • The ability to demonstrate a range of experiences that show capability to operate credibly and effectively at a senior level in a highly regulated, complex environment.
  • Some knowledge or experience of working within or alongside public sector.
  • Experience at a senior leadership level in all areas of people management.
  • Strong commercial awareness and business acumen.
  • Awareness of and the ability to apply learning on, current best practice, legislative and regulation drivers, and restrictions.
  • Ability to prioritise the best interests of the company, anticipating and assessing opportunities and threats and recommending, initiating, and implementing solutions.
  • Competence across NNL values and evidence of operating in line with the NNL behaviours.
  • Key NNL leadership competencies with specific focus on safety leadership / delivering customer success / collaborative working, strategic visioning and driving innovative thinking.
  • Role reports through to CEO and is a member of the Executive Leadership Team.
  • NNL Company budget of circa 200m GBP.
  • Role is the chair of the NNL ED&I committee.
  • Role is the chair of the TU forum.
  • Role is a member of the Focus Areas Steering Board.
  • Role is a member of the Sustainability Steering Board.
  • Role is the chair of the Cross-Nuclear Sector HRD Nuclear Roundtable.

Job Overview