HR Team Leader
| Posting date: | 30 January 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £49,933 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 22 February 2026 |
| Location: | Dover, Kent |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 1 day per week |
| Company: | Dover District Council |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | DDC0802 |
Summary
We’re Hiring: HR Team Leader (Yes, it’s more than policies and biscuits)
Do people come to you with the words “Quick question, sorry to bother you…” and you already know it won’t be quick, but you handle it with calm, clarity and a willingness to help?
Do your colleagues come to you to “sense check” their approach to challenging work?
Do you believe HR is about judgement, fairness, and doing the right thing, not just quoting policy paragraphs like you’re reading bedtime stories from the Employment Rights Act?
If so, then keep reading. You might be exactly who we are looking for.
About the Role
We’re looking for an HR Team Leader who can:
lead, coach and gently direct a capable team of HR professionals
navigate complex people issues with professionalism, empathy, calm, and sound judgement
translate employment law into something managers can understand
say “it depends” with thoughtful explanation not as a defensive shield
address poor behaviour, kindly, firmly, and without hiding behind policy.
You’ll be trusted to lead with judgement and insight, not just compliance.
About You
You probably:
have solid HR experience and have led (or are ready to lead) a team
know the difference between what the law says and what feels right, and why both matter
can handle tricky conversations with confidence (support biscuits are available)
are respected because you’re fair, not feared because you rely on legalese
can laugh at HR memes because they’re surprisingly accurate.
Bonus points if you’ve ever:
been cc’d on an email that began, “HR ADVISED…” and taken a steadying breath
fixed a problem that wasn’t technically HR, but everyone knew it needed HR
said “Let’s just pause and think about this” and saved the day.
What You’ll Get
A role where your judgement truly matters
A team who cares about doing HR properly, not box ticking
Senior leaders who genuinely listen (yes, really)
Space to shape how HR shows up in the organisation
Competitive salary, sensible benefits, and fewer “fire drill” moments than average*
*We said fewer, not zero. This is HR.
We also offer several employee benefits, such as:
Benenden Healthcare Membership and Employee Assistance Program
Opt-in Local government pension scheme with the opportunity for staff to make advanced, voluntary contributions (AVCs) to top up their pension
Generous annual leave provision
Discount scheme including reduced membership rates at the local leisure centre
On-site parking (site dependent)
Cycle2Work scheme
Generous Salary Sacrifice Car Scheme
Employee Assistance Programme
Why Join Us?
Because HR should be:
human
brave
fair
grounded in reality.
And because the best HR leaders don’t hide behind the rulebook, they help people do better with practical support and guidance.
Interested?
Apply now and help us prove HR doesn’t have to be boring, bureaucratic, or beige.
(Still professional. Just not miserable)
For full details of the role, please see the Candidate Pack, Job Description and Person Specification or arrange a further discussion with Claire Wagstaff-Townend (HR and Corporate Health and Safety Manager) by contacting hr@dover.gov.uk
Closing Date: 5pm Sunday 22 February 2026.
Interviews to be held on: Week commencing 2 March 2026.
The quality of your application will be considered as part of the recruitment process. We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
Accessibility and Inclusion
Dover District Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to all.
If you require this advert or any part of the application process in an alternative format, or if you would like to apply using a different method, please contact hr@dover.gov.uk .
We’re here to support you every step of the way
Do people come to you with the words “Quick question, sorry to bother you…” and you already know it won’t be quick, but you handle it with calm, clarity and a willingness to help?
Do your colleagues come to you to “sense check” their approach to challenging work?
Do you believe HR is about judgement, fairness, and doing the right thing, not just quoting policy paragraphs like you’re reading bedtime stories from the Employment Rights Act?
If so, then keep reading. You might be exactly who we are looking for.
About the Role
We’re looking for an HR Team Leader who can:
lead, coach and gently direct a capable team of HR professionals
navigate complex people issues with professionalism, empathy, calm, and sound judgement
translate employment law into something managers can understand
say “it depends” with thoughtful explanation not as a defensive shield
address poor behaviour, kindly, firmly, and without hiding behind policy.
You’ll be trusted to lead with judgement and insight, not just compliance.
About You
You probably:
have solid HR experience and have led (or are ready to lead) a team
know the difference between what the law says and what feels right, and why both matter
can handle tricky conversations with confidence (support biscuits are available)
are respected because you’re fair, not feared because you rely on legalese
can laugh at HR memes because they’re surprisingly accurate.
Bonus points if you’ve ever:
been cc’d on an email that began, “HR ADVISED…” and taken a steadying breath
fixed a problem that wasn’t technically HR, but everyone knew it needed HR
said “Let’s just pause and think about this” and saved the day.
What You’ll Get
A role where your judgement truly matters
A team who cares about doing HR properly, not box ticking
Senior leaders who genuinely listen (yes, really)
Space to shape how HR shows up in the organisation
Competitive salary, sensible benefits, and fewer “fire drill” moments than average*
*We said fewer, not zero. This is HR.
We also offer several employee benefits, such as:
Benenden Healthcare Membership and Employee Assistance Program
Opt-in Local government pension scheme with the opportunity for staff to make advanced, voluntary contributions (AVCs) to top up their pension
Generous annual leave provision
Discount scheme including reduced membership rates at the local leisure centre
On-site parking (site dependent)
Cycle2Work scheme
Generous Salary Sacrifice Car Scheme
Employee Assistance Programme
Why Join Us?
Because HR should be:
human
brave
fair
grounded in reality.
And because the best HR leaders don’t hide behind the rulebook, they help people do better with practical support and guidance.
Interested?
Apply now and help us prove HR doesn’t have to be boring, bureaucratic, or beige.
(Still professional. Just not miserable)
For full details of the role, please see the Candidate Pack, Job Description and Person Specification or arrange a further discussion with Claire Wagstaff-Townend (HR and Corporate Health and Safety Manager) by contacting hr@dover.gov.uk
Closing Date: 5pm Sunday 22 February 2026.
Interviews to be held on: Week commencing 2 March 2026.
The quality of your application will be considered as part of the recruitment process. We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
Accessibility and Inclusion
Dover District Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to all.
If you require this advert or any part of the application process in an alternative format, or if you would like to apply using a different method, please contact hr@dover.gov.uk .
We’re here to support you every step of the way
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.