HR Business Partner - IT & Digital

Smiths Detection is inviting a seasoned HR leader to take on the role of HR Business Partner for IT and Digital. Based in London with a hybrid working setup, you’ll work closely with the CIO and senior technology leaders to shape the people strategy behind building a standalone global IT function and expanding a digital business capability. This is ideal for someone who can speak the language of technology teams and drive people plans in a global, complex environment.

Smiths Detection is a global leader in threat detection and security screening technology, serving aviation, ports and borders, defence and urban security. The company operates from multiple offices worldwide, with 21 global sites, seven manufacturing locations and five R&D centres, and a team of about 3,500 colleagues. Over 40 years at the forefront of safety and security have created opportunities to work on a range of state-of-the-art solutions and to grow knowledge every day.

This role is for a commercially minded HR professional who can immediately contribute to technology-focused growth. You’ll need to be comfortable partnering with senior tech leaders and delivering people strategies that align with technical ambitions in a global setting.

Shaping the IT and Digital people strategy in practice

In this position you’ll steer the workforce plan for a global IT organisation and craft talent models that support expansion, retention and future capability needs. You’ll develop capability frameworks and pipelines spanning Cyber Security, Infrastructure, Enterprise Applications, Data and Analytics, AI and Digital, and you’ll partner with technology leaders to design and stand up a high-performing IT organisation after the transition from shared services. Leadership development, succession planning and thoughtful organisation design will be on your agenda as you help move the function forward.

You’ll also help shape a dedicated Global Digital function that covers software, digital products, data and AI capabilities. Working with senior leaders, you’ll define operating models, structures and key capability requirements, and you’ll drive growth in software engineering, solution architecture and digital product teams. A key part of the role is leading talent acquisition and workforce planning to support ongoing expansion in these areas.

On the transformation side, you’ll run people workstreams tied to technology change and organisational redesign. You’ll coach leaders through periods of growth and restructuring, and you’ll design and deliver change-management strategies across major technology programmes. You’ll also support large-scale transitions and transformation initiatives as they unfold across the global tech estate.

From a governance and leadership perspective, you’ll provide strategic oversight to the UK HR team and act as a senior escalation point for complex employee relations and organisational matters. You’ll monitor engagement, health and workforce risks and help ensure governance and people leadership across the UK organisation.

What the role needs from you

You should bring experience as an HR Director, People Director or senior HR Business Partner with strong exposure to technology, IT or digital environments. The role is based in London (Hybrid) and requires frequent collaboration with the CIO and tech leaders, plus regular travel to the Hemel Hempstead site in the early months and occasional international travel within Europe and India.

• Experience collaborating with CIOs, technology leaders and other senior stakeholders
• Support for global IT, digital or technology functions within a matrix organisation
• Background in technology transformation, organisation design and workforce planning
• History of scaling technology teams and building critical capability areas
• Proven ability to manage stakeholders across multiple geographies
• Experience leading change and transformation programmes
• Ability to craft talent strategies for specialist technology populations

Nice-to-haves to consider

• Experience in IT Shared Services or Global Technology Services
• Participation in digital transformation programmes
• Background with software, SaaS or tech-enabled businesses
• Experience with carve-outs, separations or standalone organisation creation
• Exposure to mergers, acquisitions or integration projects
• Experience in private equity backed environments
• Knowledge of outsourcing and third-party technology partner management
• Experience supporting teams across India, Europe and the UK

Pay, benefits and practical details

The role sits in London with a hybrid work pattern and is based primarily at the London office alongside the CIO and senior technology leadership. Early on, you may need to travel to the Hemel Hempstead site to support and oversee the UK HR team, with occasional international travel to Europe and India possible.

Smiths Detection emphasises career development with excellent training and opportunities for growth across the business, both locally and globally. The company promotes an inclusive environment that prioritises safety and wellbeing, and it offers a flexible benefits package designed to support health, financial security and lifestyle needs.

Tips for making your case

Lead with how you’ve partnered with CIOs and technology leaders in global settings to shape people strategies that enable growth and capability building in IT and digital functions.

Show concrete examples of technology transformation, organisation design and workforce planning you’ve led, including how you built talent pipelines for specialist technology populations.

Be ready to discuss how you coach leaders through change, structure effective governance across a multinational context and manage stakeholder expectations during large-scale transitions.

Consider a question you’d ask in interviews about the first milestones for the standalone IT function and how the HR function is set to support those early goals, especially given the separation from the previous shared services arrangement.