Head of People and Culture

About us

We are an arms length body of the Welsh Government, responsible for the strategy, funding and oversight of:

• further education
• higher education including research and innovation;
• apprenticeships
• adult community learning; and local authority maintained school sixth forms.

We work in close collaboration with our partners to enable a tertiary education and research system which is centred around the needs of learners; society; and economy with excellence, equality and engagement at its heart.

Our values really matter to us, they help shape the culture of our organisation:

• Dysgu (to learn; to teach; to educate) - learning is at the heart of everything we do. We believe curiosity fuels innovation and helps expand our horizons.
• Cydweithio (to work together; to collaborate; to co-operate) - we can achieve far more together than we ever could alone.
• Cynnwys Pawb (to include everyone; to involve everyone) - we are passionate about inclusion, seeking to create the right conditions for everyone to achieve their full potential.
• Rhagori (to exceed; to excel) - we have high aspirations for tertiary education and research in Wales and always set high standards for ourselves to be the best we can be.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and accredited as a Living Wage employer.

Main purpose of the job

Working closely with the Chief Operating Officer, you will lead on the delivery of our People and Culture Strategy, helping shape our culture to create a high performing team that embraces fresh thinking, curiosity and transformational change. You will support the delivery of our Strategic Plan, translating organisational priorities into tangible innovative people centred initiatives that build organisational capacity and capability, developing an exceptional workplace culture for our people to learn, develop and thrive.

You will build effective and credible relationships across Medr, including with the Chief Executive and Senior Leadership Team, acting as a trusted and strategic adviser on organisational design and development.

With operational responsibility across the full range of people functions, including workforce planning, recruitment, operations, learning and development, talent management, HR case work, policy and health and safety, you will lead our People and Culture Team and prioritise resources effectively to ensure maximum organisational impact.

As a senior leader in Medr, you will embrace and lead change; role model our values; and help develop others to be their best selves.

What you'll be doing

You will:

• embrace change, leading on the delivery of our People and Culture Strategy, helping shape our culture to create a high performing team that embraces fresh thinking and transformational change
• support the delivery of our Strategic Plan, translating organisational priorities into tangible people centred initiatives that build organisational capacity and capability
• work with Medrs People and Culture Committee, building relationships, utilising the Committees expertise and guidance to deliver our People and Culture Strategy
• oversee the design and delivery of a comprehensive learning and development offer, prioritising leadership development
• embed strategic workforce planning, overseeing recruitment, talent and succession planning
• shape and nurture a positive and inclusive culture, role modelling our values and bringing them to life in innovative and meaningful ways
• build effective and credible relationships across Medr, including with the Chief Executive and Senior Leadership Team, building positive working relationships as a trusted and strategic adviser across the full range of people and culture functions
• drive measurable improvement in employee engagement through the regular use of pulse and people surveys, identifying areas for improvement and responding with tangible actions
• lead and develop your team, planning and prioritising activity; promoting and implementing continuous improvement; and encouraging continuous personal and professional development
• work in social partnership with our recognised trade union, co-producing a strategic work plan and setting the forward agenda for meetings of our Social Partnership Forum.
• manage the people and culture budget, including learning and development and health and safety spends, working closely with Finance to optimise the use of public funds to support the delivery of the Teams work and organisational priorities.
• oversee the day to day management of our office space, ensuring health, safety and wellbeing is culturally embedded in Medr
• promote the use of the Welsh language, ensuring a range of learning and development opportunities are in place
• work closely with our communications team to develop an innovative and engaging internal communications and engagement plan
• develop external relationships and actively seek opportunities to build connections and bring innovation and best practice back to Medr

Key challenges

We published our first Strategic Plan in March 2025. The Plan includes a foundation aim to establish Medr as a highly effective organisation and trusted regulator.

Working closely with the Chief Operating Officer, to be successful in the role, youll need to:

• see the big picture, aligning people and culture priorities to the delivery of our Strategic Plan.
• work in a fast-paced and sensitive environment, dealing with complex and shifting priorities
• influence and communicate, internally and externally, to build positive relationships
• Support and direct the continued set up of the people and culture offer for Medr.

About your team

You will lead and develop a small, multi-disciplinary team of up to six people responsible for the delivery of our People and Culture Strategy.

Were a new organisation and we expect our structure to evolve in the coming months and years. You will play a pivotal role in developing the team and its structure, ensuring we have the right people and resources attached to this key professional services area of the business.

About your line manager

Francesca Hill, Chief Operating Officer

Fran was appointed in December 2025 and brings 10 years of experience in people, culture and transformational change, most recently leading cultural and governance reform in the fire and rescue services on behalf of the Welsh Government.

Fran is a qualified lawyer, and played a foundational role in establishing Medr, leading on staff transfer and setting up governance arrangements.

Fran values a good sense of humour at work, is a keen swimmer, and balances her career alongside raising a young family.

What you will bring

Attributes

• Reflective - You encourage a culture of reflection and learning at all levels of the organisation.
• Inspire People - You inspire organisational change and drive cultural transformation.
• Curiosity - You challenge the status quo and encourage others to think critically and creatively.
• Dynamic - You empower teams to innovate and take calculated risks, creating a culture of dynamic leadership.
• Empathetic - You demonstrate empathy and compassion, considering the impact of decisions on all stakeholders.

Experience

• Demonstrable experience of leading teams, across a range of people and culture disciplines ...