Morgan McKinley are delighted to be partnering exclusively with SVP on the appointment of their new Chief People Officer.
The Chief People Officer will play a pivotal role in shaping the development of people and culture across SVP, fostering a positive, values-driven environment and leading leadership initiatives across a unique, member-based organisation operating throughout the Island of Ireland.
SVP is a long-established organisation with a deeply rooted, mission-driven ethos. It operates through a devolved structure, with local Branches known as Councils or Conferences, reflecting its strong community presence and member-led model.
Reporting directly to the CEO, this role offers the opportunity to provide strategic people leadership that strengthens collaboration, aligns organisational efforts with the Society's mission, and supports long-term sustainability. The Chief People Officer will be central to shaping people strategies to attract, develop and retain talented staff, while also enhancing learning and development for members, volunteers and employees.
This is a highly influential role that requires balancing priorities with meaningful engagement across Councils and Conferences, respecting SVP's ethos and heritage, and enabling effective member-led leadership.
It will require close partnership with both staff structures and volunteer governance bodies to ensure consistency, clarity and alignment across the Society. Success in this position will come from building meaningful people relationships within this unique environment, where authority and accountability are shared among the Society's structure, members, volunteers and staff.
The ideal candidate will excel at building trust and confidence, listening carefully, advising and supporting with integrity, and managing diversity with professionalism and empathy.
They will be adept at influencing and collaborating across a diverse community of members, volunteers, and staff, working effectively in this unique environment.
They will offer constructive challenge where needed, while consistently upholding each person's dignity and the organisation's core values.
The role will aim for practical alignment and consistency of the employment-related practices for staff, and learning and development supports for members, volunteers, and staff. It will emphasise informed decision-making, application of best practices, and clear disciplines and practices.
The goal is to promote accountability, transparency, and effectiveness across the Society, especially in shared responsibilities such as visitation support services, special works (services provision) and delivery, support leadership, staff management, safety and safeguarding. The role also involves leading the development of personnel practices that enhance the skills, capacities, competencies, and confidence of our leaders and teams.
Ultimately, it focuses on creating consistency and sustainability while implementing change thoughtfully and collaboratively, with the member-led leadership, CEO, members, volunteers, and staff.
The National Management Council is the ultimate decision-making and direction-setting body of the Society.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic People & Culture Leadership
- Shape and deliver a People Strategy, in line with the Society's strategic plans, that supports SVP's mission, services and long‑term sustainability.
- Act as a trusted advisor to the CEO, member-led Leadership and org structures for people, culture, learning and development.
- Translate priorities into people initiatives that are realistic, phased and sensitive to SVP's governance model.
- Provide continuity and stability during a period of leadership transition at the national level.
- Strengthen staff recruitment, onboarding and retention in line with SVP values and organisational requirements.
Culture, Belonging & People Experience
- Champion a culture rooted in dignity, respect, inclusion and service.
- Foster a sense of belonging and shared purpose across members, volunteers and staff.
- Create appropriate and meaningful ways for people to be heard, supported and recognised.
- Support wellbeing, engagement and retention in a demanding service and retail environment.
- Continuous strengthening of our two‑way people communications and listening across regions, services, member and staff structures.
Organisation Nature and Context, Conference & Council Environment
- Operate effectively within a member‑led organisation where leadership and decision‑making are exercised through Conferences and Councils alongside national and regional governance
- Build strong, respectful relationships with Conference and Council leaders, Regional Presidents, Boards and long‑serving members, recognising the influence of lived tradition and local context
- Support and advise member-led officer roles, co‑creating guidance, role clarity and workable people practices at the member-staff interface.
- Contribute to the sustainability of SVP's by strengthening leadership pathways, formation, succession and support for Conference and Council office holders.
- Clarify the support and services offered, role expectations and escalation routes at the staff-member interface.
Leadership, Capability & Succession
- Develop people management and leadership capability across professional managers, regional leaders and volunteer office holders.
- Introduce fit‑for‑purpose approaches to performance, development and accountability where appropriate.
- Support succession planning for key leadership and operational roles.
- Balance modern people practices with the realities of legacy structures and relationships.
- Build accessible learning pathways for staff, members and volunteers, including role‑specific learning and development.
- Ensure learning translates into consistency, safe practices, strong leadership and enhanced service delivery.
Organisational Development & Change
- Support the Society's evolution across services, regions and functions.
- Introduce change gradually and with empathy in areas where resistance has historically existed.
- Partner with leaders to strengthen ways of working, role clarity and decision‑making.
- Build confidence and capability for change rather than imposing solutions.
Employee Relations, Safeguarding & Risk
- Provide senior leadership in a complex and sensitive employee relations environment.
- Ensure fair, consistent and respectful management of grievances, investigations and disciplinary matters.
- Work closely with safeguarding colleagues to embed safe recruitment, vetting and escalation practices.
- Balance risk, legal compliance and humane decision‑making.
- Provide clear compensation and benefit policy, support and advice for staff, and ensure practical differentiation between staff and member/volunteer policy.
- Align appreciation approaches to reinforce desired culture and long‑term commitment across the Society.
HR Operations, Systems & Continuous Improvement
- Lead a national HR function supporting employees across a diverse, multi‑site organisation.
- Review the HR operating model, including regional coverage and resourcing, to ensure sustainability.
- Strengthen systems, data and processes to support consistency and good decision‑making.
Insight, Data & Governance Support
- Provide meaningful people insight to the CEO, Executive and national committees.
- Use data to highlight trends, risks and opportunities without losing the human context.
- Contribute to governance forums such as remuneration & appointments as required.
Key Requirements
- Significant senior‑level experience in a people, HR or OD leadership role, gained within a complex, multi‑stakeholder environment.
- Proven experience operating at executive and Board level, advising SLT on people, culture and overall risk.
- Demonstrated ability to lead through influence rather than authority, particularly within de-centralised or member‑led environments.
- Strong experience across the full people lifecycle, including org development, employee relations, leadership development and change.
- Experience working through periods of significant transition or evolving governance structures.
- Background in a values‑led, public sector, voluntary, community or membership‑based organisation would be particularly well aligned.
Education & Professional Credentials
- A relevant third‑level qualification in Human Resources, Business, or OD, Psychology or a related discipline.
- Professional HR accreditation (e.g. CIPD or equivalent) is desirable but not essential.
- Ongoing commitment to professional development and reflective practice.
- Strong understanding of employment legislation, employee relations and best practice people governance.
- Sound judgement in safeguarding, risk and sensitive people matters.
- Ability to balance consistency and compliance with empathy and dignity.
- Experience developing leadership capability rather than relying solely on formal frameworks.
- Comfort using people data and insight to inform decision‑making, without losing the human context.
Personal Qualities & Leadership Style
- Authentic, approachable and grounded in their leadership style.
- Emotionally intelligent, resilient and comfortable with complexity.
- Patient and empathetic, with the confidence to challenge constructively.
- Pragmatic rather than overly corporate or formal.
- Respectful of tradition, service and volunteer contribution while supporting thoughtful progress.
- Motivated by long‑term impact and overall leadership rather than short‑term change.
- Ability to work respectfully within a values‑driven, faith‑influenced environment.
- Sensitivity to long‑serving members, volunteers and local leadership traditions.
- Commitment to dignity, inclusion and service as lived values rather than statements.
