- Position: U.S. Head of People & Culture
- Company: Retail Client
- Location: Boston, MA
- Partner with: Head of Talent Acquisition, U.S.
BSG has commenced an executive search for U.S.Head of People & Culture for our client, a retail company. This individual will be responsible for the implementation of People Strategies that ensure a talent pipeline of internal and external resources and for creating a culture where our client is known as an Employer of Choice.
Opportunity Overview
U.S. Head of People & Culture
COMPANY BACKGROUND & CULTURE
Our retail client is in the value sector, and operates in over 300 stores with locations in almost a dozen countries, and employs over 75,000 people worldwide. They are a subsidiary of a diversified international food, ingredients, and retail group with global sales of almost £16bn and employ over 130,000 employees in 50 countries.
In the past two years, our client has opened over 30 stores and created over 8,500 new jobs. Expansion into the United States has established 10 new locations in the Northeast. Our client has eight distribution centers globally and one headquartered in the US. Our client has a strong presence in the social digital market and has created a phenomenon where customers can share looks with likeminded fashion forward shoppers.
Our client offers high fashion at discounted prices for customers ranging in age, whom have a passion of setting style trends in home goods, clothing, beauty and gifts. Our client’s buying offices search the world to source the latest fashions that mirror today’s fashion trends.
Our client offers a fast-paced and value driven environment and includes their employees, community and supplies as part of their success. For instance, our client:
- Provides employees equal opportunities based on merit;
- Treats suppliers fairly;
- Supports local communities; and
- Takes environmental responsibilities seriously.
BACKGROUND
The Head of People & Culture for our retail client is a critical role in building the talent and culture needed to grow our US business. This newly created role will be responsible for the implementation of People Strategies that ensure a talent pipeline of internal and external resources and for creating a culture where our client is known as an Employer of Choice. Particular emphasis is placed upon attracting and developing top talent and effective communication and execution of our Employee Value Proposition and Unique Selling Proposition. Key responsibilities include partnering with Talent Acquisition, Learning and Development, Colleague Communication and Engagement, Employee Relations, Performance and Reward and Workforce Planning and Retention.
Also responsible for establishing credible partnerships with key stakeholders through relationships built upon respect, trust and confidence. This will be accomplished by demonstrating strong commercial/business acumen, human resources functional expertise and delivering results that drive the growth of the business.
1. Talent Acquisition
- Partner with Head of Talent Acquisition to define strategic sourcing strategy and plan leveraging the EVP and USP.
- Responsible to assess current and future staffing needs of the retail stores and develop and execute talent acquisition plans in partnership with talent acquisition team. Ensure that consistent and effective recruitment strategies and plans are in place across all retail locations.
- Partner with Head of Talent Acquisition on the new store opening recruitment process for retail management and hourly colleague hiring needs. Ensure hiring is completed in a timely and cost-effective manner.
- Provide human resource leadership and influence Area Managers to instill ownership and hold all Store Managers and People & Culture Managers accountable for creating an external pipeline of talent for both management and hourly employees. Store Managers and People & Culture Managers will accomplish this by being talent scouts and having a presence in the malls, retail outlets and adjacent locations on a regular basis and by establishing a credible reputation for themselves as a retail leader, and by effectively presenting the our client’s brand.
- Execution of a College/University Relations Program for each retail location.
- Partner with Head of Talent Acquisition and dedicated recruiter to source local market talent for each new store by executing effective sourcing strategies and market outreach plans. All management positions and our client’s positions are hired and inducted in advance of hourly colleague recruitment, so they are able to interview and select hourly employees who are ready to work in store on the retail handover date.
2. Talent Management & Learning and Development
- Develop the leadership talent needed for the future to support the US Expansion plan.
- In partnership with the L&D Manager and Area Managers, lead the talent review process for each retail location and for the US overall. Ensure that robust development plans are being executed for all managers with specific focus on accelerating the development of high potential leaders. Ensure succession planning is accurate and complete.
- Provide human resources leadership and influence Area Managers to instill ownership with Store Managers and our client’s Managers and hold them accountable for filling all management vacancies by using the natural hierarchy/organization design within the stores to develop people, and to be an exporter of management talent to other stores.
- Partner with Area Managers to ensure full execution of our client’s performance management process, the Retail Management Development Program and all management inductions leveraging the Digital Learning Platform. Ensure effective conversations are occurring on a regular basis specific to both performance and development.
- Build our coaching capability and ensure it aligns with our culture.
- Partner with Area Managers to ensure the effectiveness of the training and development programs at the Stores of Learning.
- Build upon the Emerging Leaders Program to continue acceleration of high potential talent to support the US Expansion plan.
3. Colleague Communication, Engagement and Relations
- Partner with Head of Employee Relations, Area Managers, Store Managers and People & Culture Managers to bring the brand attributes and employment value proposition to life for every colleague in every store. Ensure all Retail Managers are effectively utilizing our client’s way of communicating with support from the team.
- Responsible for leadership of the Colleague Survey and process. Develop and implement key engagement processes across all stores to build colleague loyalty and to reduce turnover and absence. Responsible for implementation of all polices to ensure compliance with all federal and state legislation.
- Effective management of all colleague issues including complaints, performance related counseling/ corrective actions and Performance Improvement Plans.
- Ensure management teams provide a positive employee experience as a first defense to maintaining a union free status.
- Champion out client’s way of working and their DNA.
- Champion our client’s inclusion and diversity approach.
4. Performance & Reward
- Partner with the Reward Team to ensure pay practices are competitive in each market to enable the hiring and retention of top talent.
- Partner with Area Managers, Store Managers and our client’s Managers to ensure they discretely acquire hourly pay information from other retailers within the mall and applicable retail adjacencies.
- Ensure compliance with all wage and hour legislation and our client’s teams have been properly trained and execute payroll administrative responsibilities effectively.
5. Workforce Management
- Partner with Retail Leadership to ensure resource needs and planning are complete for each store
- Ensure Store Managers and our client’s Managers are effectively leveraging systems and modeling techniques to anticipate turnover, absence and other internal moves to build hiring projections.
6. People Systems
- Ensure people systems are effectively utilized across all stores and deliver value with particular focus on our time and attendance system.
7. People Policy & Processes
- Drive consistency and efficiencies in people process in line with our client’s way and standards.
- Ensure correct set up of processes and systems in-country to achieve maximum efficiency.
- Develop local policies and adapt processes to meet legal requirements in country.
- Partner and coach other senior leaders to maximize their performance and potential.
- Develop Leadership capability connected to our in-house programs.
- Provide leadership, coaching and development of the People & Culture Business Partners.
- 10-15 years’ experience in Human Resources with at least 5 years working at a senior level.
- Experience in retail, hospitality or consumer goods.
- Experience with maintaining a union free environment.
- Significant travel (60%) is required to existing stores and new store openings
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