HR Lead

About the role

Referment is recruiting an HR Lead for a major international commodities trading business that trades physical commodities globally. The role leads the HR function and works directly with senior management on how the business hires, rewards, develops and retains its people. You will set the HR team's priorities and get involved personally in sensitive employee matters and difficult reward decisions.

Key responsibilities

• Set the HR agenda with senior management, turning business priorities into plans for hiring, retention, succession and organisational development.
• Lead the HR team, setting clear priorities and making sure managers and employees receive timely, practical support.
• Lead talent and performance initiatives, helping managers identify critical hires, develop high performers and plan succession in key roles.
• Lead the reward agenda, advising on pay and bonus decisions and balancing commercial performance, market competitiveness and consistency across teams.
• Support organisational change by advising leaders on team structures and helping managers implement changes.
• Oversee employee relations, guiding managers through performance issues and sensitive cases with discretion and sound judgement.

Required profile

• Senior HR leadership experience, including setting priorities for a function and leading the team that delivers them.
• Broad experience across talent, reward, organisational development and employee relations, with the judgement to handle complex decisions personally.
• Experience advising senior management and revenue-generating teams in a fast-moving business; a background in commodities trading or financial markets is preferred.
• Confidence working with commercial leaders on performance and reward, including the ability to challenge constructively.
• Able to move between strategy and delivery, from shaping the people agenda with senior management to helping a manager resolve a difficult issue.

To apply, candidates should outline the HR functions they have led, the commercial teams they have supported and an example of a people initiative taken from decision through to delivery.