Head of People

About Cool Earth We stand no chance of fighting the climate crisis unless we halt rainforest destruction. At Cool Earth, in direct, day to day partnership with Indigenous and local people we have developed the most effective, efficient, and ethical way of doing exactly that. These communities have an unrivalled track record of keeping rainforests standing and stabilising our global climate. Today, with the drivers of destruction more powerful than ever, Cool Earth works to increase community resilience against these threats. With funding from over 50,000 supporters, we back local expertise with the two most agile resources any community can use to protect their land: cash and data. Across the Amazon and Congo Basins and Papua New Guinea, Cool Earth is reinventing rainforest conservation.

The role As Head of People at Cool Earth, you will play a vital role in creating the conditions that allow our global team of English and Spanish speakers and community partners to do their best work. Reporting to the Director, you will be in charge of HR and People, safeguarding, equity, and all people-related compliance. Working closely with colleagues across countries and teams, you will bring clarity and consistency where people, policy and risk intersect, support managers through complex people challenges, and help the organisation navigate change thoughtfully and responsibly. You will lead a small, trusted team focused on HR and People operations, safeguarding and people-related compliance, supporting managers and teams across countries to work safely and effectively. You will also work closely with the Head of Finance & Operations and the Director to support management of organisational governance, risk and compliance.

Job requirements The following is essential: You build trust easily and work well with colleagues across different roles, teams, countries and cultures, bringing clarity and calm to complex situations. You are confident taking initiative and making decisions, while knowing when to listen, involve others or seek specialist advice. You have strong people judgement and are comfortable supporting managers through sensitive or high-stakes people issues. You care deeply about equity, diversity, inclusion and safeguarding, and actively embed these principles in how you lead and make decisions. You have significant experience in HR/People roles, including employee relations, performance management and manager support. You hold CIPD Level 5 or equivalent practical experience. You have experience of safeguarding leadership, risk management and compliance in a complex organisation. You are comfortable working at senior leadership level, contributing to strategy as well as delivery. You are comfortable with technology and digital tools, able to work confidently with HR systems and people data. You are comfortable working with budgets and financial information, particularly where it relates to people and operational decisions. You are organised, pragmatic and able to balance day-to-day priorities with longer-term organisational resilience. You have a genuine interest in, and commitment to, the humanitarian and environmental principles of Cool Earth. You are aligned with our values - smart, driven, open and locally-led.

Benefits Why work at Cool Earth? Benefits As well as using your career as a force for good, there are loads of reasons why Cool Earth is a great employer. Flexible Working - we work flexible hours with the opportunity to work from home, the office, or even overseas. Mental Health & Wellbeing - our EAP offers a 24/7 helpline, counselling services, and self-guided mental health programmes for you and your family. Learning & Development - every employee has a L&D budget, plus organisation-wide workshops and trainings. Time Off - we offer generous and enhanced time off policies including holiday, sickness, medical and family leave. Support Good Causes - you can take extra time off work to volunteer for good causes and donate to other charities tax-free through our payroll giving scheme.