Head of Employee Experience (Contract)

Hi 👋 we’re Glean. We make study software that improves your confidence and ability to learn. 

• We’re a SaaS scale up and one of the fastest growing tech companies in the North. 
• There’s 100+ of us around the UK with our HQ in Leeds. 
• Our software is award-winning and used by 100,000s of students at over 800 universities & colleges worldwide. 
• We’re growing so we can achieve our mission to support 1 million students to become better learners by 2026. 

The role of Head of Employee Experience: 

🎯 We’re seeking a hands-on interim Head of Employee Experience to lead a strong people team to deliver on its strategic plans and initiatives. This is a fast-paced, challenging, but equally rewarding, role and we’re looking for someone to take the reins whilst our existing Head of Employee Experience is on Maternity Leave.

🕛 This role is a 12 month fixed term contract, ideally starting at the beginning of August.

📈 Scalability is at the heart of this role; we have a number of exciting plans in motion and we need someone with a natural drive to continue the implementation and scaling of our strategic initiatives that support our ambitions. You’ll work closely with the COO to drive and evolve our organisational strategy and structures as we scale, through supporting our senior leaders. 

🌱 Most importantly, you will be a leader for our brilliant Employee Experience team; to provide support, guidance and coaching for them, ensuring that their development is unaffected by leadership changes. 

🤝 Meet the team: 

You'll report directly to Glean's COO, Chrissie Leahy, and lead a high-performing team of four: Alys Winter (EX Manager), Jack Moody (EX Advisor), Jessica Arthur (Office Manager), and Sarah Ford (Recruitment Business Partner). We operate with a "T-shaped" skillset approach, where each team member is an expert in one of three areas (EX Ops, Recruitment, and Office) while also possessing a strong foundation of knowledge across all three. This collaborative approach ensures a seamless delivery to the wider organisation. 

✅ What you’ll be doing: 

• Develop and deliver a strategic Employee Experience plan.
• Partner with senior leaders to translate company goals into actionable people strategies.
• Develop and implement programs that foster performance excellence.
• Lead and manage an EX team of 4.
• Champion employee engagement initiatives and drive a positive company culture.
• Collaborate with the COO to shape our internal organisation strategy.
• Build strong relationships with employees at all levels.

🙋 About you: 

• You have 7+ years of HR generalist experience, ideally within a tech startup or rapidly scaling company.
• You're a strategic thinker with a proven track record of partnering with senior leaders to develop and implement impactful people strategies.
• You have experience leading core HR functions, including performance management, talent acquisition, and employee relations. 
• You're a champion for employee experience, with a passion for building a positive and engaging work environment.
• You're a strong communicator who can articulate complex ideas clearly and concisely.
• A motivated self-starter who is able to work independently and use initiative to drive direction in a fast-paced startup environment
• You're a skilled coach and leader, able to empower and develop both individuals and teams.

🌟 Bonus Points:

• You live near Leeds (or are willing to commute).
• You hold a CIPD level 5 or 7 qualification.

💰Salary and benefits:

£60,000 - £80,000 dependent upon experience 

🏖️ 33 days annual leave (Inclusive of bank holidays)

🎄 3 gifted days off at Christmas

🎓 Generous individual learning and training allowance 

⌚ Truly flexible hours to suit when you work best 

💻 Full home working set up and beautiful collaborative office space 

🌴 Nomad working policy with family travel insurance 

🍼 Enhanced 26 weeks maternity and 4 weeks paternity (fully paid)

🤍 Health cash plan (from glasses to massages) 

💸 6% employer pension contribution

🏢 Location: 

We have a beautiful office space in Leeds and we love it when we get together to collaborate in person. Our preference for this role is hybrid working, however we may be able to support remote working within the UK, if you live more than 50 miles from the office. 

We will discuss ways of working with you at interview however if you have any questions before you apply please reach out to recruitment@glean.co 

💡 What to expect next: 

We’ll review your application and provide a response within 1 week. Even if it’s not the news you’d hoped for, we appreciate it’s good to know either way. 

If we invite you to meet with us for interview, here’s an overview of what the process will look like: 

1. Screening interview with someone in our Recruitment team (30 minutes). 
2. First stage interview with the hiring manager and another Glean colleague (1 hour).
3. Final stage interview which includes a 1 hour culture and values interview, plus a 30 minute task. You will be meeting with the hiring manager and one of the Executive Team.

Ahead of your interview you will receive a confirmation email outlining who you’ll be meeting and when, anything you’ll need to prepare in advance and any resources we think you might find helpful.  

👀 Interested in learning more about a career at Glean? 

Here are a few further resources:

About Glean

Working at Glean Blog

The Glean Study Tool 

💌 Not quite the right role for you however you’d love to be a part of Glean’s journey? 

Let’s connect! Reach out to recruitment@glean.co and we’ll add you to our network, to keep you updated with any future opportunities we think you might be interested in.

📄 Applicant Privacy Notice 

We think it’s important that you understand how we use and handle your personal information, so here’s a link to our privacy notice. By submitting your application, you’re confirming that you’ve read and understood this notice.