🤝 Strategic Advisor – People & Culture

Strategic Advisor – People & Culture

We are seeking a Strategic Advisor for People & Culture to provide voluntary, high‑level guidance as YMCA North Tyneside enters a pivotal period of growth, transformation and cultural evolution. Our organisation is shifting from a transactional HR model to a modern, strategic People & Culture function, and we are looking for an experienced advisor to help shape, challenge and steer this journey. This role will support our leadership team to embed contemporary people practices, strengthen organisational culture, and build the foundations of a future‑focused People & Culture approach. 

We are an organisation with ambition and momentum, growing our services, strengthening our leadership and investing in a future where our people, culture and values form the foundation of everything we do. We are also navigating a significant period of organisational change, modernising our structures, evolving our culture and shifting from transactional HR to a strategic People & Culture function. Joining us means contributing to a mission‑led organisation that is actively reshaping how we work, lead and support our people as we enter our next chapter.

The role of Strategic Advisor will offer hands-on expertise during a period of change, complementing our existing Board oversight.

Want to know more?

For an informal conversation about the role, or to express your interest please contact Hollie.Sturrock@ymcanorthtyneside.org

🌟 Why Now?

Over the next 12–18 months, YMCA North Tyneside will be:

• Supporting young people, families and communities across the region by delivering more housing, wellbeing, youth work, childcare and community programmes that create lasting impact and meaningful change. Check out our strategy for 2025 and beyond here. 
• Transitioning from HR to a strategic People & Culture function
• Delivering a supportive organisational development exercise to enhance alignment, build capability and ensure our structures and processes help us serve our beneficiaries effectively
• Developing and launching a new People & Culture strategy
• Strengthening leadership capability and organisational culture
• Modernising systems, processes and ways of working
• Preparing for organisational growth and new service opportunities

🚀 Role Summary

Working closely with our People & Culture Manager, you will bring strong People and OD expertise that provides strategic guidance and practical insight. You will help us pace, prioritise and land key elements of our change programme, ensuring our people, culture and organisational development activity is aligned, sequenced and grounded in best practice.

This is a unique opportunity at a pivotal moment, helping us build the culture, capability and confidence needed for the future through a modern, strategic People & Culture approach. Your key responsibilities will include:

• Strategic partnership — Act as a sounding board, advisor and critical friend to the People & Culture Manager.
• Culture and change insight — Provide expert perspective on culture shift, leadership behaviours, engagement approaches and organisational change readiness.
• People strategy development — Support the design, sequencing and refinement of our new People & Culture strategy, ensuring it is coherent, future‑focused and deliverable.
• Governance contribution — Attend Strategic People & Governance meetings offering expert challenge, assurance and strategic insight.
• Board‑level insight — Attend one Board meeting per year, when necessary to provide strategic People & Culture perspective in a non‑trustee capacity.

🔑 Who We’re Looking For

• Senior HR/OD/People leader with transformation experience
• Chartered Fellow of the CIPD (or equivalent), demonstrating deep professional expertise and credibility in strategic People & Culture practice. 
• Strong background in culture change, organisational development or people strategy
• Confident acting as a critical friend to senior leaders and board of trustees 
• Committed to our vision, purpose and strategic approach

Previous experience of serving on a board of trustees is not required. We already have an HR Trustee on our Board, so this newly created advisor role is designed to provide strategic support rather than governance. It offers hands-on expertise during a period of change, complementing our existing Board oversight.

Your insight will help us pace, shape and land this transformation effectively, ensuring our People & Culture evolution is thoughtful, well‑sequenced and grounded in best practice.

🕰️ Time Commitment

• Term length — a minimum of 24 months, with potential extension
• Monthly engagement — Minimum 1 hour per month (in person or remote) with the People & Culture Manager
• Strategic meetings — In‑person attendance at 4 Strategic People & Governance meetings per year (North Shields HQ office)
• Board attendance — In‑person attendance at Board meetings when required, as scheduled throughout the year (North Shields HQ office)
• Staff events — Attend staff events, including our annual All Staff Conference, as required

✅ What You’ll Gain

• A meaningful opportunity to shape a charity’s future direction
• Influence over culture, leadership and organisational effectiveness
• A collaborative relationship with the CEO, People & Culture Manager and senior team
• The satisfaction of supporting a transformation that will impact staff, volunteers and communities

Please note: This post requires proof of right to work in the UK, satisfactory references, and a satisfactory enhanced DBS Disclosure (the cost of which will be met by the employer).

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