People Director

At SBFM, we believe there is a better way to deliver facilities management — more innovative, human, and purposeful. We are a fast-growing, technology-led business, and what we are most proud of is the culture we have built: frontline colleagues who are seen, recognised, heard, and part of something that genuinely cares about them.  

As we grow — through new contract wins, an active M&A programme, and continuous expansion of our service model — we need a senior people leader who can protect that culture while also owning the HR rigour, TUPE complexity, and compliance infrastructure that a business of our size and ambition demands. This is a full time (40 hours per week) and primarily office-based in Leeds, with flexibility around working patterns and hybrid working available where appropriate.

The Role 

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer and sitting on the Leadership Board, the People Director will own the full people function across a business with thousands of frontline FM professionals working across the UK and Ireland. You will lead an established team across HR, Recruitment & Onboarding, and Learning & Inclusion.  

You will manage a NMW workforce at national scale, ensuring fully compliant HR processes across a diverse client base – this is a non-negotiable. We are proud of our close-knit culture and you will be responsible for colleague engagement, recognition, and internal communications to ensure we retain an engaged and motivated workforce.

•  People strategy and reporting on workforce data, people metrics, and HR risk
•  Culture — driving colleague engagement, recognition, and internal communications across a large, dispersed workforce
•  Delivery of our social value agenda including the Evolve programme and prison education work 
•  TUPE across contract mobilisations and acquisitions, end-to-end from due diligence through integration
•  Workforce compliance — right to work, DBS and enhanced vetting, ERA 1996, Equality Act, NMW — and the frameworks that make this audit-ready
•  Organisational design, L&D, and colleague experience as we grow
•  HR budget and external advisers

•  Multi-site, large frontline workforce experience — essential
•  Compliance expertise at scale — right to work, DBS, enhanced vetting, NMW, and employment law including ERA 1996, Equality Act, and TUPE
•  Hands-on TUPE expertise across both new contract mobilisations and acquisitions
•  Demonstrable track record of driving colleague engagement, recognition, and internal communications across a dispersed workforce — making culture tangible, not theoretical
•  Experience building scalable HR operating models and investor-ready compliance frameworks
•  Genuine passion for social mobility and the drive to push the agenda further
•  The hunger and resilience to thrive in a fast-moving, high-growth environment
•  CIPD Level 7 qualified or equivalent 

In return you will receive

•  20% Bonus
•  Car allowance
•  Private Medical Insurance
•  25 days holiday plus bank holidays
•  Contributory pension scheme
•  Newly refurbished office with free onsite parking
•  Clear career progression pathway
•  Access to ongoing learning and development
•  Regular company events 

 Commitment to SBFM Values

•  Be a Good Person 
  We give people opportunities and embrace their inherent goodness. We are open minded and uphold integrity. We are respectful and considerate. We are kind and appreciative.
•  Play as a Team 
  Community and communication is everything. We remain inclusive within our company and with our clients. Together, we grow, retain, execute, and make an impact. We are one team.
•  Think Differently 
  We encourage a growth mindset, everything can be improved through effort. We love innovation and ideas. We are disruptors, and push boundaries for sustainable growth.
•  Make an Impact 
  It’s all about the ultimate goal. We exceed expectations and deliver results at pace. We challenge the norm and step out of our comfort zone, because at our core, we are passionate and love to win.