Interim People Transitions Lead

 

Have you moved a public sector workforce from one employer to another against a set deadline? Do you know what it takes to get pay, pensions and union relationships right before the go-live date?

Foxgroves Recruitment is supporting a public sector organisation in Cumbria through a major programme of organisational change. At its heart is the transfer of services and staff between employers, working to a fixed go-live date in 2027, with further change to follow.

This interim role is the senior HR lead for all of that workforce transition activity. You'll report to the Chief People Officer and advise programme boards, chief executives, statutory officers and elected members.

It's a programme role rather than an HR operations role. You'll get things done through programme governance, matrix-managing People colleagues and workstream members. The assignment starts as soon as possible for an initial three months, with real potential to extend to June 2027 and see the transfer through go-live. There is also potential for the role to be offered on a direct FTC of up to 24 months for the right person. 

You'll work from home for most of the week, with a minimum of one day a week at the office in Penrith and some travel around Cumbria for meetings if required. The client is looking for three days a week as a minimum and up to five days ideally. They are open to discussing the pattern for the right person. You may be based outside of Cumbria but will need to be willing to travel to Penrith once a week although this may be negotiable for the right person. 

The Role

You'll own the workforce side of the transition, from the first mapping of who is in scope through to the recommendation on whether the organisation is ready to go live. In practice that means:

• Leading the workforce transition workstream, with a plan, milestones, risks, dependencies and assurance arrangements that stand up at programme board
• Identifying and mapping everyone potentially affected, and establishing baselines on structures, contracts, terms and conditions, pay, pensions and liabilities
• Assessing the transfer arrangements, including where TUPE and other transfer mechanisms apply, and setting the assignment methodology and transfer principles
• Coordinating employee liability information and making sure statutory consultation and information obligations are met, with specialist legal support behind you
• Building the engagement and consultation approach with comms colleagues
• Working closely with recognised trade unions and representative bodies through formal consultation
• Handling the sensitive workforce issues that surface along the way, including disputes where they arise
• Leading the workforce side of payroll transition, so everyone is paid correctly from day one
• Coordinating pension transition with finance, payroll and pension providers, across more than one public sector pension scheme
• Making sure workforce governance, delegations and employment decision-making arrangements are in place for day one
• Setting workforce readiness criteria and giving an evidence-based recommendation on readiness for go-live
• Supporting the design of the future employer operating model and structures, and wider change as further services transfer

About You

You'll have done this before, at senior level, in a complex public sector setting such as Local Government, NHS, Education, Emergency Services or another multi-agency environment. That means a genuine transfer of staff between employers, with the due diligence, consultation and pensions work that comes with it, rather than an in-house restructure.

You'll be at ease advising chief executives, boards and elected members, and politically aware enough to know how a decision will land before it's made. Trade unions will find you straightforward to deal with. You'll also be resilient and comfortable working with ambiguity while the answers are still being worked out.

You're likely to bring:

• Significant senior experience leading workforce transitions, TUPE transfers or employer change programmes in the public sector
• Strong working knowledge of TUPE, employment law and public sector workforce governance
• Experience of collective consultation and negotiation with trade unions
• Knowledge of local government employment frameworks and public sector pensions
• Programme and risk management experience
• CIPD qualification or equivalent experience, and a degree or equivalent professional development

Package

• Up to £680 per day through your own limited company, or £580 per day basic plus holiday pay through PAYE
• Engaged through Foxgroves Recruitment, inside IR35
• 3 to 5 days a week, with the pattern open to discussion
• Hybrid working, with a minimum of one day a week in Penrith
• Start as soon as possible, initially for three months, with potential to extend to June 2027 and potentially beyond 
• High-profile work at the centre of a major public sector transition

A note on the assignment

This assignment has been assessed as inside IR35. You can work through your own limited company, with tax and National Insurance deducted at source, or on PAYE through the Foxgroves payroll. This one is moving quickly, so please get in touch as soon as possible.

Foxgroves Recruitment acts as an employment business for this temporary assignment on behalf of our client, following fair and inclusive recruitment practices in line with the Equality Act 2010. All appointments are subject to pre-employment screening, including right to work checks, reference checks, and qualification verification. Reasonable adjustments are available for individuals with disabilities throughout the recruitment process.