Head of People - Group Central Support in Battersea

Job description

About us

Our Group Central Support office is a group function within Nando’s, which aims to work shoulder to shoulder alongside our restaurant markets across the globe, working in fluid teams to bring to life the Nando’s eco-system through a spirit of deep collaboration.

Our Group Nandocas are truly global in their outlook, being based in our biggest market here in the UK and also in our homeland of South Africa. These teams also have an unrivalled view of the whole business, covering core commercial functions from supply chain to legal, finance and marketing and supporting our restaurant and retail channels.

You’ll often hear us talking about our Purpose: Changing Lives, Together. Inspired by our purpose, we have always believed that success is about more than financial performance. That’s why we aim to deliver success not just for our shareholders, our people (Nandocas) and suppliers, but for the communities we work and live in, society and the world at large. Those goals aren’t mutually exclusive. We don’t want to make profit or change lives; we want to do both! We call that Shared Value and practically, that means hardwiring our activities into our daily work. Whilst our creating Shared Value is a serious endeavour, we would not be Nando’s if we didn’t approach what we do with a lot of passion, fun and innovation.

Purpose & Scope of Role

This is a new role, created in response to the evolution of our Group division as well as the formation of a new global Partners’ Division, with employees in both teams based across our London and Johannesburg campuses. As we turn the strategy of these newly formed divisions into a reality, we are seeking a strategic and dynamic Head of People to partner closely with the C-suite and senior leadership.

A day in the life...

Strategic Partnership

• Partner with C-suite executives to shape and execute a People strategy for their teams based in SA and UK support offices, aligned to each division’s business objectives.
• Act as a thought partner on organisational design, reward, culture and leadership development to support the transitions.

Nando’s Culture

• Weave our Nando’s DNA of values, leadership beliefs, people commitments and brand pillars to live and breathe in all aspects of People strategy and end-to-end employee experience.
• Hold leaders to account and coach them to live the behaviours aligned to our Leadership Beliefs and Values.
• Drive and lead initiatives that enhance employee engagement, inclusion, and belonging.
• Develop and embed an Employee Value Proposition (EVP) that brings to life our four Brand Pillars, tailored to the unique identity and purpose of the newly formed divisions, ensuring it resonates across all touchpoints of the employee experience.

Change Management and Organisational Effectiveness

• Supporting the teams holistically through their respective transitional period and beyond, as they embed new ways of working and work through inevitable challenges.

Employee Experience and Lifecycle

• Own the full employee lifecycle – from onboarding to offboarding – ensuring a seamless and impactful experience.
• Champion the evolution of talent development and succession planning aligned to our wider global Talent objectives.
• Ensuring our teams remain safe and legal, managing People risk appropriately for your stakeholder population and ensure that we role model our Nando’s People Commitments.
• Leading the annual cycle of reward and benefits which comprise a key part of this EVP.

Leadership & Influence

• Line manage and develop a Senior People Partner based in South Africa, fostering a collaborative and agile culture.
• Represent the Group People function in global forums and cross-functional projects.

Global Collaboration

• Work closely with regional and global HR teams to ensure consistency and alignment.
• Collaborate with local market’s Centres of Excellence (e.g. Talent, Benefits, People Technology, L&D) to deliver best practice and leverage economies of scale
• Regular international travel required to support stakeholders, understand business needs and build strong relationships across locations.

Hot skills required...

• Proven experience (c5-10 years) as a Head of People in a complex, ideally global, organisation.
• Strong track record of partnering with C-suite leaders and influencing at the highest levels.
• A thought partner for leaders with strong foundations in organisational effectiveness, reward, change management and leadership development.
• Deep understanding of the employee lifecycle and experience in designing and delivering people strategies that can deliver both the aims of the functional division and the business overall.
• Well-developed influencing skills
• Experience in developing and embedding a compelling EVP aligned to brand and culture.
• Exceptional interpersonal, coaching, and communication skills.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and able to thrive in an evolving environment.
• Experience managing remote or regionally based HR professionals.
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally.
• Collaborative, low ego and committed to your own personal growth.
• Experience of FMCG and hospitality an advantage.

Extra Hot Benefits...

• Company bonus
• 25 days holiday + bank holidays
• Free Nando's when you're working (and 40% discount when you're not)
• Family Medical Cover
• Electric Vehicle and Cycle to Work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• 4 weeks paid sabbatical after every 5 years of full-time employment

This is a hybrid role based in our Battersea office 3 days a week, and will include planned travel to South Africa approx. Once a quarter.

Extra information

Status

Open

Education Level

Secondary School

Location

Battersea

Type of Contract

Casual / Part Time Jobs

Published at

27-09-2025

Profession type

Bar Staff / Waiters and Waitresses

Full UK/EU driving license preferred

No

Car Preferred

No

Must be eligible to work in the EU

No

Cover Letter Required

No

Languages

English