Director of People ( 12-month maternity cover ) London About Relation Therapeutics Relation is an end-to-end biotech company developing transformational medicines, with technology at our core. Our ambition is to understand human biology in unprecedented ways, discovering therapies to treat some of life’s most devastating diseases. We leverage single-cell multi-omics directly from patient tissue, functional assays, and machine learning to drive disease understanding—from cause to cure.

This year, we embarked on an exciting dual collaboration with GSK to tackle fibrosis and osteoarthritis, while also advancing our own internal osteoporosis programme. By combining our cutting-edge ML capabilities with GSK’s deep expertise in drug discovery, this partnership underscores our commitment to pioneering science and delivering impactful therapies to patients.

We are rapidly scaling our technology and discovery teams, creating a unique opportunity to join one of the most innovative TechBio companies. At the heart of London, our state-of-the-art wet and dry laboratories provide an exceptional environment where interdisciplinary collaboration thrives. Together, we’re pushing the boundaries of drug discovery and transforming groundbreaking science into impactful therapies for patients.

We believe that innovation flourishes through diversity and collaboration. As an equal opportunities’ employer, we are committed to building inclusive teams where everyone can contribute their unique perspectives and thrive. We welcome individuals of all backgrounds, fostering an environment where every team member is empowered to do their best work and reach their highest potential.

By joining Relation, you’ll become part of an exceptionally talented team with extraordinary leverage to advance the future of drug discovery. Your work will help shape our culture, influence our strategic direction, and, most importantly, make a lasting difference in the lives of patients.

The opportunity Join our passionate People team in a 12-month maternity fixed-term contract , as the Director of People, reporting to the SVP of Growth, and assume a pivotal role in steering our people and culture efforts. Your expertise in human resources will drive strategic priorities, playing a critical role in shaping our culture and building a best-in-class organisation. Working closely with the SVP of Growth, you will serve as a strategic business partner, leading people initiatives that foster a great place to work and contribute to the company’s growth and success.

HR, Thought leadership

• People Strategy: Support headcount planning, budgeting, salary tracking, pay bands, compensation & benefits, and organisational design to align with company goals.
• Trusted Advisor: Provide guidance to employees and leadership on all people-related matters.
• Management Development: Coordinate training and coaching to improve manager and team effectiveness.
• Culture: Actively contribute to company culture initiatives such as our Culture Colony, Best Place to Work goals, and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee

Employee relations & engagement

• Oversee conflict resolution, the employee complaints process, and workplace investigations with fairness, confidentiality, and adherence to legal standards.
• Conduct employee engagement surveys and implement insights to improve the employee experience.
• Implement strategies to enhance team communication, ensuring clear, effective, and collaborative dialogue across all levels of the organisation.

Talent management

• Overseeing the onboarding, recruitment, development, and retention of talent.
• Managing processes like performance management, talent calibration, succession planning and leadership development. Offer opportunities for employee growth and career development through training and coaching.
• Recruitment: Attract top talent aligned with both the role and company culture, ensuring interviewers are adequately trained to deliver a great candidate experience.
• Retention & Transitions: Create a positive and engaging work environment to promote talent retention. Manage promotions, lateral moves, and exits in alignment with Relation’s values.

HR operations & administration

• Ensure compliance with evolving labour laws and regulations across all locations. Mitigate risk through effective HR policies and procedures.
• Create and maintain the Employee Handbook.
• Manage employee documentation, with proper security and access rules in place.
• Oversee procurement, onboarding/off-boarding of hardware, and provide support for employee tech needs.
• PEO management, payroll and benefits administration working closely with our Finance division.

Professionally, you have

• 7+ years working in various functions within Human Resources / People Operations
• Training in Human Resources skills and knowledge. (e.g., SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP from Society for Human Resource Management, or PHR or SPHR from Human Resources Certification Institute)
• Comprehensive talent management skills throughout an employee's lifecycle at a company
• Knowledge of HR systems, tools, platforms, PEO frameworks, and benefit options

Personally, you are

• You are a natural leader and a strategic people operator who also rolls up your sleeves, capable of thoughtfully and collaboratively crafting HR functions that support both onsite and remote teams.
• You deeply care about people on both a personal and professional level. You have high emotional intelligence and great judgement.
• You know that one size does not fit all, and you are excited to adapt your approach according to what is best for the Relation team and culture and all the wonderful quirks that make us unique.
• You enjoy building things and have a growth mindset.
• You love working closely with all individuals on a team—from the founders to the newest hires—and giving the people you work with leverage through your Human Resources superpower!
• You deeply care about people and believe that a team works best when they're happy, given true autonomy, and their work-life balance is a genuine priority.

Join us in this exciting role where your contributions will have a direct impact on advancing our understanding of genetics and disease risk, supporting our mission to get transformative medicines to patients. Together, we're not just doing research; we're setting new standards in the field of machine learning and genetics. The patient is waiting!

Relation Therapeutics is a committed equal opportunities employer. RECRUITMENT AGENCIES : Please note that Relation Therapeutics does not accept unsolicited resumes from agencies. Resumes should not be forwarded to our job aliases or employees. Relation Therapeutics will not be liable for any fees associated with unsolicited CVs.