Position: Head of People & Culture
Location: Labman HQ, Seamer, North Yorkshire (Stokesley)
Salary: £85,000 - £105,000 based on experience
Employment Type: Full-time
This role is office based in Stokesley, North Yorkshire. We do not offer hybrid or homeworking opportunities.
About the Role - Build what comes next at Labman
Labman designs and delivers some of the world's most advanced laboratory automation systems. As AI-driven and autonomous laboratories become the future of research and development, we're perfectly positioned for significant international growth - and we're looking for a senior People leader to help us scale.
This is a Strategic Leadership Team role with real scope. You'll shape how Labman thinks about capability, structure, culture and performance - ensuring people decisions are treated as core business decisions.
This isn't a hands-off or purely strategic role. You'll move between strategy and delivery — defining the frameworks needed to scale a complex, technical business while knowing what needs to change, what can be improved, and what already works.
Central to the role is protecting what makes Labman special. We've built a culture that values passion, curiosity and autonomy - and we need someone who can strengthen it as we grow.
What You’ll Do:
- Set and own the People & Culture strategy, defining priorities and ensuring delivery is realistic, funded and aligned with business growth
- Build and deliver core people frameworks including salary banding, job architecture and performance management
- Own the compensation approach, agreeing principles and developing the supporting structure
- Lead implementation of key systems (such as HRIS), ensuring they work in practice within a non-corporate, technically led environment
- Protect and evolve Labman’s culture as the business scales, ensuring it is maintained intentionally
- Act as a senior partner to leadership on complex people matters, providing clear, pragmatic guidance
- Support organisational design, workforce planning and succession for senior roles
- Lead and develop the People team, setting high standards and enabling long-term capability
What You’ll Need:
- Senior leadership experience within a People function, ideally in a founder-led business
- Proven experience building and implementing HR frameworks in a scaling environment
- Strong working knowledge of UK employment law and confidence handling complex issues
- Ability to influence senior, commercially focused stakeholders
- Strong judgement and prioritisation — knowing what matters most and when
Desirable:
- Experience of international expansion – USA & Germany ideally
- CIPD Level 7 or equivalent experience
Company Benefits:
- 33 days annual holiday (rising to 38 over 5 years) inc. public holidays
- Company profit share scheme
- 5% employer pension (no upper earnings cap)
- Aviva Healthcare
- Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
- CPD support and professional subscriptions covered
- Free inhouse gym, VR racing, gaming competitions, squash courts, climbing wall, and social clubs
Click here to find out more: Labman_Head_of_People_and_Culture_Role_Description_2777dfc7c1.pdf
Skills Required
- Senior leadership experience within a People function, ideally in a founder-led business
- Proven experience building and implementing HR frameworks in a scaling environment
- Strong working knowledge of UK employment law
- Ability to influence senior, commercially focused stakeholders
- Strong judgement and prioritisation skills
- CIPD Level 7 or equivalent experience
- Experience of international expansion - USA & Germany ideally
What We Do
Labman Automation is a leading designer and manufacturer of custom laboratory automation and robotics based in Stokesley, North Yorkshire. Founded more than 35 years ago, Labman has a strong reputation for quality products designed and built by a competent team of professional engineers with excellent customer service. All of our products are custom designed and made for their final application with ISO 13458 and ISO 9001 compliance. Labman supply custom robotics to customers worldwide with a strong presence in the European and North American markets. For graduate opportunities and open positions at Labman please visit: https://www.labmanautomation.com/jobs
