Head of People UK & IRELAND - M/W/D

HEAD OF PEOPLE - UK & IRELAND (London based) 🚀🍕

Help us grow one of our most exciting markets at Big Mamma!

Big Mamma is a squadra of more than 2,300 passionate individuals behind 30 of the most iconic Italian restaurants and food markets across the UK, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, and Belgium . We serve joy daily through fresh, homemade food and warm, welcoming hospitality.

The UK and Ireland are our second-largest market, and we’re growing fast. With a strong London base and more openings to come, we’re looking for a Head of People – UK & Ireland, based in London, to lead the People function through this next chapter .

You’ll report to the Global Chief People Officer, manage a People team, and work closely with the Operations Director, General Managers, Chefs, and local leadership to support and develop our 650+ team members . You’ll also collaborate with the Global Talent Acquisition team, with a dotted-line connection to our UK-based recruiter.

🎯  Your Mission

• Lead the People strategy for the UK & Ireland in line with our values and business objectives

• Manage and develop the local People team, including People Partners and Payroll & HR Admin

• Partner with the Operations Director and site leadership on performance, engagement, and team development

• Oversee HR operations, contracts, onboarding, right-to-work checks, and compliance

• Support immigration and sponsorship needs for international hires

• Supervise local benefits and payroll processes, handled by the admin team

• Use HR data and insight to inform planning and continuous improvement

• Collaborate with the Global Talent Acquisition team on recruitment

• Contribute to organisational structure and team planning as we scale

• Foster a people-first culture grounded in our values across all locations

🌱 Your Profile

• 7–10 years’ experience in HR, including leadership and multi-site support

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent HR qualification (e.g. CIPD Level 5–7)

• Strong knowledge of UK employment law; familiarity with Irish regulations is a plus

• Experience in fast-paced, operational environments such as hospitality or retail

• Comfortable navigating international and matrixed organisations

• Autonomous, solutions-oriented, and confident in a scaling business

• Strong communicator who builds trust with diverse teams

• Understanding of payroll, benefits, and immigration matters (managed by your team)

🧡 What We Offer

• A culture shaped by authenticity, excellence, meritocracy, and entrepreneurial spirit

• 36 days’ holiday per year (including bank holidays)

• Staff discount in all Big Mamma restaurants

• Pension scheme

• Private medical insurance

• Mental wellbeing support via OpenUp

• Wagestream access (early pay)

READY TO CHANGE PEOPLE'S LIFE WITH PIZZA? 🍕

Apply now, we look forward to meeting you!

BIG MAMMA is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, color, religion, national origin, disability, age or any other characteristic protected by law.