Build a portfolio career with independence, not isolation.

Earnings: typically from £60,000 in your first year, rising to £135,000+ once established.

Are you an experienced HR Director, People Director, VP People, Head of People, CPO, CHRO or Senior HR Consultant looking for more flexibility, autonomy and impact? People Puzzles is looking for a Fractional People Director to work with businesses across Cambridge and the surrounding area.

People Puzzles is the UK's largest team of fractional People Directors. You'll build your portfolio one client at a time, until it suits you. With each of our clients, you'll act as a Board-level member of their leadership team. Behind you is a national brand, a dedicated marketing and business development team, and a community of around 70 People Directors working in local teams.

Whether you're already consulting, exploring a portfolio career or considering a move away from corporate life, we'd encourage you to apply.

Why Cambridge

Cambridge is one of the UK's most distinctive business ecosystems. Alongside established mid-sized and larger organisations, the region is home to life sciences and biotech companies, deep tech and software businesses, and university spin-outs, many of them scaling fast.

That creates specific people challenges. Our clients here are growing from a founding team into a structured organisation, competing for scarce scientific and technical talent, designing reward and equity approaches that work, and building leadership capability ahead of growth. If you know this market, or want to get to know it, this role is for you.

What you'll do

As a trusted adviser embedded in our clients' leadership teams, you'll:

• Develop and deliver people strategies that drive growth and commercial performance
• Partner with Boards, founders and executive teams on organisational design, change and culture
• Build leadership capability, talent pipelines and succession plans
• Improve engagement, wellbeing and performance
• Use people data, technology and AI to help leaders make better decisions

What the work is really like

Many of our clients are owner-managed or founder-led, and some have no HR team. One week you're shaping a Board's three-year plan; the next you're gently explaining to a brilliant scientist why 'just hire my mate' isn't a recruitment strategy. Your value is measured by business outcomes, not frameworks or process.

For many People Directors, this is the most rewarding part of the role. It's also the biggest adjustment from corporate life.

Your territory

This role covers Cambridge and the surrounding area, including Ely, Huntingdon, St Neots, Newmarket, Saffron Walden and Royston. Some work can be delivered remotely, but most client work is onsite, so you'll need to live within easy reach of the region.

About People Puzzles

Since 2010, People Puzzles has been trusted by over 1,500 business leaders to solve their people challenges. Our People Directors work alongside leaders in scaling, mid-sized and larger organisations, combining strategic people expertise with commercial thinking.

Inclusion

We welcome applications from People Directors of every background. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, please tell us in your application.

Requirements

✅ Senior people leadership experience, with a track record of delivering results at Board level

✅ A commercial mindset and the confidence to challenge leaders' thinking

✅ The ability to build trusted relationships and influence senior stakeholders quickly

✅ A pragmatic, hands-on approach alongside strategic thinking

✅ Confidence using technology, people data and AI to improve business and people outcomes

✅ A home base within easy reach of Cambridge

Better people. Better business. Better life.™

Benefits

✅ Earnings typically from £60,000 in your first year as you build your portfolio, rising to £135,000+ once established
✅ A brand trusted by over 1,500 business leaders since 2010
✅ Marketing, lead generation and business development support from a dedicated team
✅ Referral opportunities through the wider People Puzzles network
✅ Ongoing CPD, proven tools and methodologies
✅ A community of around 70 People Directors, so you never work alone
✅ Membership of an award-winning team

Full details of how our model works, including earnings and the first-year journey, are shared with applicants through our recruitment portal.

How to apply

Before applying, please watch the short video on our careers page here. It explains how our recruitment process works, what to expect at each stage, and answers the questions we're asked most often.

If you've read this far and found yourself nodding, that's a good sign. Watch the video, then apply

To learn more about working with People Puzzles and our recruitment process, we invite you watch our Talent Team's short FAQs videos.