Who we are

The Kite Factory is an independent media agency that gives brands the best in Heart, Art, and Science to craft creative media ideas that deliver. With a rich heritage in measurement, TKF combines data-driven insights and craft planning to deliver media effectiveness that drives measurable growth for clients like Skin+Me, WaterAid, Redrow, Crisis, Lovehoney, White Claw, Triodos Bank, and Little Freddie.

We exist because we saw a gap in the market. A gap between ideas and measurement. Anyone can have a good idea, but they don’t necessarily know how to measure it. Conversely, just because you can measure things, it’s no guarantee you can have good ideas. Well, we do both.

We’re a dynamic team of creative visionaries, professional achievers, and data enthusiasts, all driven by a passion for delivering tangible results. Now with over 100 media specialists, The Kite Factory has experienced remarkable growth over the past five years. We've celebrated multiple new business and award-winning campaigns, earning the prestigious title of Campaign’s Independent Agency of the Year in 2023 and Sunday Times Best Places to Work in 2024 and 2025. Our workplace culture shines as we proudly rank among Campaign’s Best Places to Work and hold IPA Platinum status, reflecting our unwavering commitment to the development and well-being of our people.

What we are looking for

We are looking for a maternity cover for our People and Culture Manager and need someone who is passionate about creating the best working environment for the people they support. As People and Culture Manager, you will play a key role in shaping a positive employee experience by owning core People operations and supporting our learning and development culture. You will be responsible for ensuring the smooth delivery of all People administration and onboarding, while supporting the Head of People and Culture on wider initiatives.

This is a hands-on and varied role that balances operational excellence with people-first thinking. You’ll take ownership of core People processes, manage the full employee lifecycle and act as a key point of contact for both managers and employees across the agency.

We are looking for someone who can start in September 2025 until October 2026 (with the potential for extension).

Your role

This is a varied role covering the full employee life cycle as well as being involved in key people projects. 

People Operations and People Development

• Manage all People administration, maintaining accurate records and ensuring compliance with UK employment law and internal policies.
• Lead and deliver an exceptional onboarding experience for all new starters - from contracts and pre-onboarding through to induction and probation processes.
• Support Heads of Department and hiring managers with the recruitment and onboarding process, including management of our applicant tracking system, Teamtailor. Ensure a fair and consistent approach to all candidates.
• Partner with managers to ensure probation, objective-setting and career conversations happen consistently and effectively across the agency.
• Keep all People policies and documentation up to date, fit for purpose and aligned with best practice.
• Advise managers on development solutions for the team members, including internal and external training solutions.
• Advise on objective setting and work with all managers to ensure all team members have effective objectives.
• Ensure all people processes, policies and procedures are up to date and fit for purpose, maintaining consistency across the agency.
• Document management and system management. Must have experience working with HiBob and Teamtailor.
• Use People data & insights to inform decisions and drive improvements (e.g. reporting on pulse survey results, turnover trends, performance outcomes).

Learning and Development

• Support the Head of People and Culture in designing and delivering high-quality internal training and development initiatives.
• Advise managers on development solutions for their teams, recommending internal and external learning opportunities.
• Manage IPA CPD records and contribute to the agency’s annual IPA CPD Platinum award submission.
• Help build a strong culture of continuous learning across the agency.
• Support with our November 2025 AdUnlocked Programme.

Employee Support

• Act as a trusted point of contact for day-to-day People queries.
• Support managers in navigating performance, wellbeing or employee relations matters - with guidance from the Head of People and Culture where needed.
• Help drive a positive employee experience through great communication and by facilitating effective feedback loops.

• Ensure compliance with all aspects of employment legislation and update/create policies as necessary.
• Manage and resolve employee relations situations across junior-middle team members.
• Provide best practice advice and guidance to the business on all aspects of the employment experience.
• Drive high performance in the business by ensuring objectives are set for employees and measured in a consistent way.
• Support managers in providing feedback and addressing performance issues in a timely manner.
• Management of our bi-annual appraisal process ensuring all managers and team members are trained on HiBob and objective setting.

Reward and Recognition

• Management of compensation and benefits - liaise Head of People and Culture to agree any updates to support with our People strategy.
• Manage and prepare the monthly payroll alongside our Finance Director.
• Support with our bi-annual salary review process alongside the Head of People and Culture.

Other

• Ensure a smooth running of the People function, with a fair and consistent approach to all employees.
• Manage the HRIS (HiBob) ensuring data compliance and accurate people records.
• Conduct exit interviews and collate results to improve the experience of employees.
• Provide wellbeing solutions for team members including developing a strategy to support mental health.
• Involvement in our Inclusion and Belonging Committee to develop and support on initiatives.
• Manage CSR activity in the business alongside the Office Manager and Head of Operations.
• Proactively encourage feedback and present developments as required.

Skills and experience

• Previous People experience with strong knowledge of HR/People processes, employment law and employee experience best practice.
• Highly organised, detail-focused and able to manage People operations with care and rigour.
• Balance operational capability with warmth and empathy, being a trusted partner for both employees and managers.
• You care about building great cultures and are passionate about supporting employee growth and wellbeing.
• You have experience working in fast-paced, creative or agency environments (desirable but not essential).
• Must have experience with HiBob and Teamtailor.
• A CIPD qualification or equivalent work experience.
• The ability to build rapport quickly and form strong relationships at all levels.
• Proactive problem-solving with an empathetic lense.
• A commercial thinker: understanding business goals and objectives and seeking to develop initiatives to support these.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Driven, proactive and empathetic – the ability to communicate with empathy and understand others.

Our Culture

We’re immensely proud of the vibrant culture at The Kite Factory. Our commitment to continuous improvement is reflected in our quarterly pulse surveys, which create a valuable feedback loop, allowing us to evolve and refine our agency's operations. Here, every voice is heard and valued. We've diligently built and embodied our core values: Think Freely, Aim Higher, Stay Smart, Get Involved, and Win Together.

Our people are our greatest asset, and the connections they forge with one another are the foundation of our success. To strengthen these relationships and foster a supportive and inclusive environment, we offer several committees that everyone is encouraged to join, including Social, Diversity & Inclusion, and Environmental Impact. These groups play a crucial role in shaping our culture and ensuring that we not only work together but thrive together.

What’s in it for you?

As well as working with some of the best people in the industry, we offer a competitive salary, a range of benefits, a huge focus on training and development with dedicated training time, partnerships with industry specialists, and the opportunity to progress and develop your career with the support of a fantastic team.

Inclusivity and belonging

At The Kite Factory, we welcome applications from all walks of life including those who are under-represented in our industry. We’re committed to creating a diverse and inclusive place to work where everyone feels they can belong and celebrate each other's differences. It’s so important to us that all voices are heard and listened to so that we can truly create an inclusive place to work where our teams can thrive.