Head of Talent & Skills Transformation

Royal Tunbridge Wells, England, United Kingdom

6/9/2025

Do you have extensive experience in talent management, organisational development, or related HR functions, with a proven record in leadership roles? We’re seeking a Head of Talent and Skills Transformation to come join our People team on a permanent or fixed term contract.

You’ll be responsible for aligning talent strategy with business outcomes through a comprehensive skills-based approach. This role will lead the development and embedding of talent management and skills initiatives across the organisation, ensuring effective governance, frameworks, and tools are in place for skills management, technology integration, job architecture, and skills taxonomy. You’ll combine expertise in traditional talent management with a forward-thinking approach to skills development, fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth.

At AXA we work smart, empowering our people to balance their time between home and the office in a way that works best for them, their team and our customers. You'll work at least 40% of your week away from home, moving to the majority of your working week from September 2025. Away from home means either attendance at one of our office locations in Bolton, Tunbridge Wells or Bristol, visiting clients or attending industry events.

What you’ll be doing:

• Align our talent planning with business goals, focusing on agility, innovation and workforce adaptability driving the shift from job based to skills-based models for hiring, development and mobility.
• Collaborate with the Chief People Officer (CPO), People Leadership Team (PLT), and senior leaders to define and develop an effective skills-based strategy from inception that aligns with the AXA UK&I People Strategy.
• Build and govern a skills taxonomy / framework that defines critical capabilities for current and future business success transforming from existing job architecture approach to a more flexible, simple, work and skills architecture.
• Design, implement, and monitor a range of skill activities aligned with business goals, ensuring that people priorities are reflected in people plans and influencing stakeholders for successful delivery.
• Work with L&D & TA to drive upskilling and reskilling programs through identification of skill gaps, designing strategies that future proof the workforce.
• Enhance the capabilities of Strategic People Partners (SPPs), leadership populations, and the People team to support the rollout of a skills-based organisation.
• Identify cultural gaps and develop culture plans to address these gaps leading to culture change initiatives, coaching senior leaders to support cultural enhancements aligned with strategic priorities.
• Drive the transformation of technology platforms to support the skills-based strategy, maximising functionality in TA, L&D and Workday to promote technology adoption and integrate skills data across the systems.
  
  
  

Due to the number of applications we expect to receive for this role, we reserve the right to close this advert earlier than the listed closing date to ensure we’re able to effectively manage interest. Therefore, if you’re interested in joining us at AXA, please don’t hesitate to apply.

What you’ll bring:

• Extensive experience in talent management, organisational development, or related HR functions, with a proven record in leadership roles.
• Comprehensive knowledge of talent management practices, performance management, learning and development, and employee engagement strategies.
• Proven ability to design and implement effective talent and skills strategies that align with business objectives.
• Skilled in partnering business transformations and developing strategy, with the ability to navigate complexity and create meaning from ambiguity
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, capable of influencing and engaging stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong analytical skills with experience in leveraging data for decision-making.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within the workplace.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment while managing multiple priorities.
  
  
  

As a precondition of employment for this role, you must be eligible and authorized to work in the United Kingdom.

What we offer:

At AXA UK, we’re appreciative of the people who work for us and our rewards package is reviewed regularly to reflect that. You can expect to receive:

• Competitive annual salary
• Car allowance
• Annual company & performance-based bonus
• Private health cover
• Contributory pension scheme (up to 12% employer contributions)
• Life Assurance (up to 10 x annual salary)
• 28 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays
• Opportunity to buy up to 5 extra days leave or sell up to 5 days leave
• AXA employee discounts
• Wellbeing services & resources
  
  
  

To apply, click on the ‘apply for this job’ button, you’ll then need to log in or create a profile to submit your CV. We’re proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer and don’t discriminate against employees or potential employees based on protected characteristics. If you have a long-term health condition or disability and require reasonable adjustments during the application or interview process, we’re proud to offer access to the AXA Accessibility Concierge. For our support, please send an email to [email protected].

Who we are:

AXA UK Support Functions power AXA’s three customer-facing business units, providing the infrastructure, support and expertise to ensure our customers can always count on us. Whether you’ve got heaps of experience and qualifications behind you, or you’re just starting out, we’ll give you the support and opportunities to help you grow and develop with confidence.