Head of Program - People Transformation
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Job description
Are you a forward-thinking Transformation specialist with a strong background in driving large scale People initiatives? We're seeking a HR Transformation Director who thrives at the intersection of organisation design, change and executive collaboration, to unlock performance, culture, and capability across the enterprise. Collaborating with a diverse stakeholder group, you'll champion cohesion, agility, and continuous improvement, elevating our execution capabilities and aligning with AXA UK's broader change portfolio.
At AXA, people are at the heart of everything we do. This role offers an exciting opportunity to drive transformative change with a people lens, championing cultural and digital innovation across the organisation. As a purpose-driven transformation leader with a HR background, who's passionate about people and ready to make a meaningful impact, we invite you to apply and become part of our story.
At AXA we work smart, empowering our people to balance their time between home and the office in a way that works best for them, their team and our customers. You'll work at least two days a week (40%) away from home, moving to three days a week (60%) in the future. Away from home means either attendance at one of our office locations, visiting clients or attending industry events. We're also happy to consider flexible working arrangements, which you can discuss with Talent Acquisition.
What you'll be doing:
- Lead and manage a cross-functional program, coordinating activities with workstream leaders to drive company-wide transformation.
- Lead cultural change, promoting a collaborative and innovative environment while preparing teams for the future.
- Develop and implement strategies to enhance workforce skills in modern delivery and agile practices.
- Support governance, vendor management, and new technology processes to streamline organisational operations.
- Apply strong planning and consulting skills to ensure alignment with AXA's strategic vision.
- Conduct comprehensive OD assessments (structure, roles, spans and layers, governance, culture, change readiness), define the target organisation design for a distributed, BU-enabled model., We acknowledge and appreciate the exceptional efforts of our people in protecting what matters most to our customers. In exchange we offer a series of core and supporting benefits designed to empower our people to thrive both professionally and personally., We believe in hiring people who possess the appropriate skills and values that align with our vision. Our selection process is fair and equitable, ensuring that all candidates have an equal opportunity to join us. We are dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion, and we actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds. As an Equal Opportunities Employer, we take pride in treating our employees and potential hires with respect and without discrimination based on any Protected Characteristics., AXA UK are recognised as a Disability Confident Leader. We actively encourage applications from people who face barriers in the workplace due to a disability or long-term health condition. We participate in the Disability Confident 'Offer of Interview' scheme. This means a fair and proportionate number of candidates with long-term health conditions or disabilities who meet the essential criteria of a job, will be offered an interview.
- You'll need to show you meet the essential criteria as detailed in the job advert or job description
- You don't need to share the details of your long term health condition or disability for your application to be considered under this scheme
As part of your application, you'll be asked if you would like to 'opt in'. To ensure ease of access, every job advert lists a responsible Talent Acquisition contact, who'll be able to connect you with our Accessibility Concierge if you require any support.
Screening & Conduct
As a regulated financial services company, all successful candidates will be subject to pre-employment checks. Additionally, adherence to the Prudential Regulation Authority's (PRA) Insurance Conduct Standards and the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) Conduct Rules will be required., This depends on the location of the role, and what works best for you and the interviewer. We'll give you all the information you need to prepare for whichever format's used for your interview.
I'm struggling to connect to my online interview, what should I do?
Don't worry, we know these things happen. Get in touch with the person who arranged your interview, or the Talent Acquisition contact. One of the team will be able to help get the interview started or re-arrange it for a different time.
How do I get feedback on my interview?
Whenever possible, we'll call and provide feedback by phone. Sometimes, we'll need to provide feedback by email.
How can I prepare for my interview?
We'll send a candidate preparation pack before the interview to help you prepare.
Requirements
- 12-15+ years in HR transformation, organisation design, OD, or BU enablement, with proven track record delivering large-scale transitions across multiple BU's with COO-level involvement.
- Previous experience within OD is essential, with a focus on role clarity, capability mapping, culture shaping, leadership alignment, and workforce design for distributed/BU-enabled models.
- Degree in a relevant field; professional HR qualification (CIPD Level 7/MCIPD or equivalent).
- Strong L&D and performance design capabilities, learning ecosystems, competency frameworks, performance cycles, and career pathway development integrated with OD.
- Exceptional change management capability with hands-on delivery experience; familiarity with frameworks such as Prosci/ADKAR; practical, measurable outcomes.
- Superior stakeholder management and executive presence; clear, concise communication and storytelling tailored to diverse audiences.
- Hands-on, detail-oriented practitioner who thrives in fast-paced environments and is comfortable doing "hands dirty" work to drive outcomes.
- UK-focused experience with solid knowledge of employment law, GDPR, and HR compliance.
- PMO/delivery discipline and familiarity with HRIS and analytics (Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Oracle HCM, or similar advantageous).
- Employee/customer experience minded; inclusive, collaborative, and outcomes-driven.
- Adaptive, resilient, with the ability to balance strategic design and practical implementation.
- Influential partner capable of galvanising BU leaders and the COO team; strong sponsorship and coalition-building skills.
- Pragmatic, hands-on, and willing to operate across strategic design and operational delivery.
As a precondition of employment for this role, you must be eligible and authorised to work in the United Kingdom.
Benefits & conditions
Please be aware that this position is a Certified Function role under the SM&CR regime, which means the successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced level of background screening requirements.
What we offer:
At AXA UK, we're appreciative of the people who work for us and our rewards package is reviewed regularly to reflect that. You can expect to receive:
- Competitive annual salary
- Annual company & performance-based bonus
- Contributory pension scheme (up to 12% employer contributions)
- Life Assurance (up to 10 x annual salary)
- Private medical cover
- 28 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays
- Opportunity to buy up to 5 extra days leave or sell up to 5 days leave
- Wellbeing services & resources
- AXA employee discounts, When will I hear back from you after my interview?
We aim to provide feedback as soon as the interview process allows. The time period will vary depending on the role.
How do I discuss the package I've been offered for a role?
You can discuss the package with your Talent Acquisition contact at offer stage.
Yay! I've got the role, what's next?
We'll carry out a number of background checks before you start. This is known as 'screening'.
Do you do any background checks?
Yes. All financial services companies, including AXA, are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Being part of a regulated industry means we must check the background of all applicants before we confirm a job offer.
Pre-employment screening is not just regulatory, it also gives us the confidence that our people are the right fit to protect what matters to customers, colleagues, and our business.
- Who is screened? Everyone, from first-jobbers to senior directors! Often, the higher up the career ladder you are, the more stringent the screening becomes.
- What is screened? Identity and address; qualifications; employment history; credit check; criminal record; directorships.
If you think anything may affect these checks, please tell us.
What benefits or perks do you offer?
At AXA, we appreciate the people who work for us and regularly review our rewards package to reflect that. The advert for the role you're interested in will detail what you can expect to receive, but you can see an overview of our benefits and perks on our Why Join Us page.
Does AXA offer car allowance or a company car?
This depends on the grade, role, and eligibility of the employee. Check the benefits listed on the ad for the role you're interested in or confirm with your recruitment contact.
