Cundall’s HR team provides exceptional people support to our highly skilled engineering and support teams all around the world. Cundall are leading the way in the provision of creative, sustainable design solutions, and to keep up with the growing demands of the organisation, we are looking for a Head of DEI to support our goals of being the most inclusive consultancy in our industry and providing an employee experience which is second to none.

Cundall is a values-driven and people-focused organisation and our business strategy has a strong emphasis on our people and culture, so it is a great time to join Cundall in HR as we drive high performance culture through our Global People Strategy. This role can be based from our Head Office in Newcastle, or your nearest Cundall office if you are based elsewhere in the UK. We embrace an agile working approach, so you can expect to split your working hours between home and the office. There will be the need to travel for this role to ensure presence and connectivity with key stakeholders.

The Head of DEI provides both strategic leadership and practical delivery of DEI strategies as part of our Global People Strategy so that we continue to build our positive working environment where all our people can flourish. 

This role is a key adviser to our senior leaders across our UKI, Europe, MENA and APAC regions and there is an excellent opportunity to shape the D+I, culture and social value impact of Cundall globally as well as locally.

• Responsible for developing and delivering Cundall’s DEI strategy as part of our Global People Strategy, ensuring that regional contexts are reflected in plans and policies.
• Work with our DEI Cundall Communities (LGBTQ+, gender inclusion, ethnicity and culture, neurodiversity) and ensure constructive dialogue with leadership.
• Contribute to a positive and supportive working environment for all our people, valuing everyone as an individual and giving them a voice on matters that affect them through our DEI communities.
• Build strong relationships with leaders and managers to influence behaviours and decisions; driving strong inclusion across the organisation.
• Work closely with HR colleagues to evaluate and refine policies, initiatives and people practices which produce positive DEI and cultural outcomes and are appropriate to the geographical location.
• Work closely with HR colleagues to evaluate each stage of the employee lifecycle and remove barriers to progression.
• Preparation of regular data and reporting to measure progress, including pay gap reporting, composition, promotion, exit interviews etc.
• Use data to develop targets and action plans to improve representation in key areas across the business.
• Establish partnerships with external bodies and organisations to ensure adherence to best practice and provide sources of diverse talent.
• Provide specialist DEI advice on individual employee cases (e.g. accessibility)
• Increase understanding of DEI across Cundall through a range of activities e.g. mentoring, reverse-mentoring, communications, events and L&D programmes.
• Maintain our external reputation as industry leaders in DEI through contribution to bids, tenders, external materials.
• Identify appropriate external standards / charters to demonstrate Cundall’s commitment to DEI and to drive progress internally.
• Participate in developing Cundall’s social value strategy, devising methods to align activity with our DEI and talent strategies.
• Carry out EQIAs and provide DEI insights to inform leadership decision-making in new and existing territories.
• Provide thought leadership on current and emerging issues in DEI and culture and translate into practical actions.

This role will suit someone who has held a similar HR leadership role in D&I, ideally combined with broader HR experience.  They will be a credible, effective communicator and problem solver, and will make a significant impact on organisation culture through positive actions and initiatives which fit our commercial context.

• Educated to degree level / hold a professional accreditation or certification (e.g. Chartership) or equivalent experience.

• Proven knowledge and application of relevant equality, diversity and human rights legislation in the UK and internationally

• Extensive expertise in DEI and change management, with practical application through strategies, plans and policies

• Experience of working in a similar role within a complex international business, ideally within professional services

Job Description

Your career at Cundall

We know that to be the best at what we do we need a diverse workforce underpinned by an inclusive culture. Creating environments where everyone can find joy doing their best work is also great for everyone. That’s why we positively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and identities, and encourage, support, and celebrate the diverse voices of our people.