The Edward James Foundation and West Dean are seeking an exceptional Director of People to lead their culture, workforce and organisational development through this next chapter.

The Edward James Foundation is a registered charity comprising West Dean College (including the School of Arts, School of Conservation and KLC School of Design), West Dean Gardens, West Dean Estate and West Dean Tapestry Studio.

We are at once a specialist higher education provider, a centre for endangered crafts, a historic garden and estate and a visitor destination. The Foundation is entering a period of significant change, balancing the need for financial sustainability with a continued commitment to Edward James’s founding vision.

The Director of People will be central to this transformation, ensuring that our people and culture provide the foundation for long-term success.

Our mission is to advance creativity, conserve heritage, and care for our extraordinary estate, providing world-class education in arts, design, craft and conservation, while enriching culture and the environment.

Our vision is to be recognised internationally as a centre of excellence, where creativity, heritage and landscape are brought together to inspire and equip future generations.

Across West Dean — from our college to our gardens, collections and estate — we bring people together to learn, make and experience. Students and visitors are guided by leading practitioners and the distinctive environment we care for. In turn, they develop the insight, skill and imagination to conserve heritage, enrich culture and contribute to a better world.

About the role

The Director of People will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight of the People function across West Dean. They will develop and deliver a People Strategy that aligns with West Dean’s vision and values, enabling us to attract, retain and develop talented colleagues across diverse domains – education, gardens, estates, visitor services, and commercial operations.

This role combines strategic partnership with the Chief Executive and Executive Leadership Team (ELT) with the need for hands-on delivery in a small, resource-conscious organisation. The postholder will ensure compliance, consistency and best practice across HR, organisational development and wellbeing, while helping to shape a culture that is inclusive, high-performing and resilient.

The Director of People will lead our culture, workforce and organisational development through this next chapter.

This is a rare and rewarding opportunity to:

• Shape and deliver a People Strategy that supports long-term sustainability and growth across our diverse activities: higher education, short courses, gardens, estates, visitor services and commercial operations.
• Play a central role on the Executive Leadership Team, partnering directly with the Chief Executive and Principal.
• Lead cultural change and organisational development, embedding a positive, inclusive and high-performing environment.
• Balance strategic influence with hands-on delivery, ensuring robust HR systems, compliance and good practice in a resource-conscious environment.
• Champion wellbeing, equality and inclusion, ensuring that West Dean remains a place where people feel valued and able to thrive.

This part-time role (0.6 FTE) will suit a senior HR leader who brings vision, resilience and a collaborative style, with a track record of delivering change in complex organisations. You will need to combine strategic insight with operational pragmatism, and bring empathy, credibility and confidence to engage across a wide-ranging workforce.

The postholder will report to the Chief Executive and Principal, be based out of West Dean, West Sussex (with occasional travel to the London campus) and have two Direct HR Business Partner Reports.

This is a 0.6 FTE role. The ELT meets face-to-face weekly on a Wednesday morning, but beyond that working pattern is to be agreed.

Who we are looking for

A strategic people leader who is experienced at having operational oversight of a complex, multi-faceted organisation. A positive change maker who knows how to support organisational development in line with vision and values. Someone who can retain and support the talent of an organisation, knowing that people are at the heart of everything. An experienced senior leader who has operated at the highest level within organisations and can flex to be both strategic and hands-on, as needed. Someone who balances the need for high-performance with wellbeing for all staff and who brings ambition for growth with resource-consciousness. An individual who is inspired by the Edward James Foundation and can inspire others, whilst being pragmatic and action-oriented in terms of establishing robust systems and the compliance needed to underpin future growth.

We need someone with:

• Masters level (Level 7) qualification, or equivalent professional experience. Fellow or Chartered Member of CIPD (desirable).
• Evidence of continuing professional development.

If you fulfil the criteria and are energised by the idea of leading people and culture at one of the UK’s most distinctive organisations, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Please note that applications for this role close at 9 a.m. Monday 3rd November.