Head of Inclusion (Arriva UK) - 12 month FTC

Head of Inclusion (Arriva UK)  – 12-month FTC
Doxford / Lacon / Derby / Thurmaston / York

Arriva is a leading European passenger transport partner, operating in 11 countries across the UK and Europe. We employ around 35,000 people and deliver more than 1.5 billion passenger journeys every year, connecting people and communities safely, reliably and sustainably. With a heritage dating back to 1938, an ambitious growth and sustainability agenda, and an exciting new chapter following our acquisition by I Squared Capital in 2024, this is a pivotal time to be part of our journey.

As we continue to evolve, creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and able to thrive remains a key priority. We are looking for an experienced and passionate Head of Inclusion to join us on a 12-month fixed-term contract covering maternity leave.

This role forms part of Arriva UK's newly established Employee Experience team, which brings together expertise in inclusion & wellbeing, policy, learning and development and employee support to help create a workplace where people can thrive. The Employee Experience team plays a key role in shaping the colleague experience across Arriva UK, ensuring our people feel valued, supported and able to perform at their best.

This is a unique opportunity to influence organisational culture at a strategic level and ensure inclusion is embedded into every aspect of the colleague experience. Working closely with senior stakeholders across Arriva UK Bus, Arriva UK Trains and Arriva Limited, you'll help create an environment where our people can perform at their best while supporting our wider business, growth and ESG ambitions.

About the Role

As Head of Inclusion, you will be accountable for designing, delivering and evaluating a bold and measurable inclusion strategy that supports our business objectives and employee experience vision. You'll work across all businesses in Arriva UK, and with external partners to drive meaningful change, strengthen belonging and psychological safety, and enhance Arriva UK's reputation as an inclusive employer.

This role will be on a hybrid working basis, a minimum of 3 days per week from either our Doxford, Lacon, Derby, Thurmaston or York offices, with the remainder focused on where you can best deliver for your colleagues while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of Arriva UK's inclusion strategy.
• Drive progress against key inclusion benchmarks, accreditations and charters.
• Provide strategic direction to employee networks and inclusion initiatives.
• Develop campaigns that promote inclusive thinking and behaviours across the business.
• Review policies and practices to ensure accessibility, fairness and equity.
• Coach leaders and managers on creating psychologically safe and inclusive team environments.
• Use data, insights and metrics to evaluate impact and drive continuous improvement.
• Build effective partnerships internally and externally to strengthen our inclusion agenda.
• Support Arriva UK's ESG and growth ambitions through inclusive business practices.
• Provide strategic oversight of colleague wellbeing initiatives, ensuring programmes support employee health, engagement, resilience and overall employee experience.
• Work closely with Occupational Health providers and key stakeholders to support effective contract management of occupational health services.
• Support the development and continuous improvement of health surveillance programmes, helping to ensure compliance with statutory requirements and the protection of colleague health across operational environments.

About You

You'll be a strategic and influential inclusion leader with experience of delivering meaningful cultural change within a large, complex organisation. You'll combine commercial awareness with a genuine passion for creating inclusive workplaces where everyone can thrive.

You'll bring:

• Experience in a senior HR or people-focused role within a large, regulated environment.
• A proven track record of designing and delivering inclusion strategies aligned to business priorities.
• Experience leading organisational inclusion initiatives and change programmes.
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement and influencing skills.
• Strong analytical capability and a data-led approach to measuring impact.
• Up-to-date knowledge of workplace inclusion trends and employment legislation.
• Experience of working with wellbeing, Occupational Health and employee support frameworks.
• Occupational Health and Health Surveillance experience is desirable.

Closing date is Friday 14th August 2026