Company Description

Join COS as People Director – Shape the Future of Our Brand

Step into a crucial leadership role at COS as our People Director, reporting directly to the Managing Director. In this global position, you'll lead the development and execution of our people and internal communications strategy—driving meaningful change and fostering a culture of innovation, inclusion, and excellence.

Based at our Head Office in London, you’ll have the unique opportunity to influence the entire COS brand worldwide. This is more than a role—it’s your chance to make a lasting impact on our people, our culture, and our continued success.

After an incredible 9 years as the People Director for COS, I am excited to embark on a new journey. I am proud to pass on the responsibility to someone eager to write the next chapters of our story. It has been an honor to be part of such an amazing team and brand, contributing to our vibrant culture and business success, and shaping our people agenda to become an industry-leading employer.

Jessica Lillienberg, current People Director COS"

Job Description

As People Director, you will be the driving force behind our global people and internal communications strategy. With a deep understanding of the employee lifecycle and business priorities, you’ll translate insights into impactful, forward-thinking HR and communications initiatives that fuel our growth and success.

In this role, you’ll shape and strengthen our internal culture—championing our values, empowering leaders, and embedding inclusion and diversity into every aspect of the business. Your strategic mindset and data-driven approach will help prioritize initiatives that deliver measurable outcomes and elevate the employee experience.

You’ll play a key role in building trust and ensuring transparent, consistent communication across all levels of the organization. Ultimately, your goal is to create an exceptional workplace—one that not only attracts and retains top talent but also makes a positive impact on the world around us.

Responsibilities 

Lead the brand people strategy: Align with business objectives and create a comprehensive plan for short and long-term people needs. Strategic Collaboration: Collaborate with senior leadership to integrate HR strategies into decision-making and ensure HR initiatives align with strategic goals. Empower and guide teams to achieve strategic objectives by leading through others and fostering a culture of success.Leadership: Lead the global people / internal communications function, encompassing Global Talent Acquisition, Learning and Development, Total Rewards, and HR Managers as well as colleagues working on internal communications and I&D projects.  Global Perspective: Embrace a global approach that reflects our diverse customer community, ensuring a variety of perspectives and a workforce rich in diversity.Change Management: Play a key role in change initiatives, helping leaders adapt to organizational changes through effective communication and support. Employee Lifecycle Management: Oversee the entire employee lifecycle, from attracting and engaging to retaining talent, ensuring alignment with brand values and compliance. Stakeholder Engagement: Engage with stakeholders, inside and outside the H&M Group, in ways that drive your business forward. People Communication: Lead communication efforts to drive brand awareness both internally and externally, ensuring clear, consistent, and transparent messaging across the organization. Culture and Values: Champion our culture and values, fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where all employees feel valued and respected. Inclusion and Diversity: Drive initiatives that promote inclusion and diversity, ensuring these principles are embedded in all aspects of the business. People Investments: Responsible for people investments, ensuring resources are allocated effectively to support organizational goals. 

Qualifications

This is a senior, strategic role for our organization. Proven experience in leading HR functions at a global/regional level, with expertise in Talent Acquisition, Learning and Development, Total Rewards, and HR management essential. Strong leadership skills, strategic thinking, and a commitment to fostering a culture of inclusion and excellence is also vital.

Core HR: Possess a deep understanding of the employee lifecycle and the ability to drive all HR areas with excellence.Business Acumen: Demonstrate strong business sense and the ability to translate it into people strategies and activities that positively impact the organization and business results.People Advocacy: Create a strong internal culture, maximize employee potential, and promote values that align with strategic objectives.Data-Driven: Utilize HR metrics and data analytics to prioritize initiatives and make insights-driven decisions that effectively influence the organization and business outcomes.Leadership: Adopt a visionary and facilitative approach, focusing on building culture and empowering leaders within the organization. Thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.Change Management: Guide and support individuals and teams through organizational changes to achieve successful transitions and maintain productivity.

How you do it... 

Be a role model for our values and leadership principles, contributing to your team and business success. Establish and maintain trust with employees and stakeholders across all levels of the organization to foster a positive work environment. Utilize the people network organization to ensure you deliver efficiency, quality and speed to the business. 

Additional Information

This is a full time permanent contract based at our Head Office in London.

Benefits

We provide a competitive benefits package designed to attract and retain top talent, supporting overall well-being and professional growth. Additional details will be shared during the interview process.

Inclusion & Diversity  

At COS we’re determined to create and maintain inclusive, diverse and equitable workplaces throughout our organisation. Our teams should consist of a variety of people who share and combine their knowledge, experience and ideas. Having a diverse workforce leads to a positive impact on how we address challenges, what we perceive as possible and how we choose to relate to our colleagues and customers all over the world, therefore all diversity dimensions are taken into consideration in our recruitment process.   

In this role you will have occasional flexibility to work remotely however due to the high level of cross department collaborations Full time office presence is required to foster strong collaborations and team work.

Ready to apply? Click on the I’M INTERESTED link where you can upload your CV securely. Once we have received your application, we will keep you updated regularly about the status of your application so please look out for our email.

Closing Date: Friday 23rd May 

We are looking forward to hearing from you!