People Lead in London, England at Resident Advisor

Founded in 2001, Resident Advisor (RA) is one of the world's longest-running music media brands and a cornerstone of the dance, electronic and DJ ecosystem. The site's audience of over 7 million monthly users is drawn in by a combination of news, editorial, club listings and ticketing, RA-branded events at venues and festivals worldwide, original films and a weekly mix series that has run for 20 years.

Purpose of the role:

We are seeking a People Lead who is as passionate about electronic music as they are about supporting people and teams to grow, combining traditional HR Generalist duties such as employee relations, talent management, performance support, learning and development, and coaching. The ideal candidate leads with empathy, communicates with care and professionalism at all times, and is trusted by staff at every level to handle sensitive matters with discretion and emotional intelligence. They are in place to ensure the organisation not only functions efficiently from an HR perspective but thrives culturally, enhancing both employee experience and organisational performance.

This role will drive RA’s People Experience, build our People strategy, and implement new ways to engage our teams. You will lead the People & Culture team, including the People and Operations Lead and the Recruitment Coordinator, and will work closely with our staff to understand team dynamics, support employee development, and create upskilling initiatives for our globally distributed team. This role blends traditional HR functions with broader strategic initiatives centred on employee engagement, well-being, and organisational culture.

Key responsibilities:

People Strategy and Development

Developing Talent Strategies: Working with the P&C team to create strategies to attract, retain, and develop talent that aligns with RA’s goals and values.Workforce Planning: Ensuring the organisation has the right people in the right roles by planning for recruitment, development, and succession.Performance Management: Implementing and overseeing processes for setting employee probation, OKRs, DEI goals, performance reviews, and career development.Employee Development and Training: Designing and delivering programs for skill development, leadership training, and continuous learning for all staff.Partner with the People & Operations Lead on budget ownership and planning.

Culture and Engagement

Employee Engagement: Measuring and improving employee satisfaction and engagement through initiatives, surveys, and programs that make working at RA more fulfilling.Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): Leading efforts to foster a diverse, inclusive, and equitable work environment by implementing relevant policies and initiatives.

HR Operations and Compliance

HR Policy Management: Creating and updating HR policies, ensuring they are aligned with legal standards and company values.Compliance and Legal Matters: Ensuring the company adheres to labour laws across all offices, employment regulations, and industry standards. This includes managing/owning employee relations issues and conflict resolution processes.Compensation and Benefits: Overseeing compensation structures, benefits programs, and rewards systems to ensure they are competitive and aligned with company goals.

Leadership

Leadership Coaching and Support: Acting as a strategic advisor to senior leadership and line managers on matters related to coaching, organisational development, leadership practices, and people management.Modelling and upholding the highest standards of professional conduct, fostering psychological safety and ensuring all staff feel respected and heard.

Employee Wellbeing

Wellness Programs: Work with the P&C team to develop programs that promote employee health, work-life balance, and mental well-being.Work Environment: Fostering a safe, positive, and productive work environment, whether it’s in-office or remote.

Internal Communication

Employee Communication: Facilitating transparent communication across the organisation to ensure alignment with company objectives, updates, and cultural values.Listening to Employee Feedback: Collect and respond to employee feedback through channels such as surveys, one-on-one conversations, and informal group discussions.

Employer Branding

Promoting Company Culture Externally: Partnering with the Community team and external relations to build and communicate the company's culture and values to potential candidates and the broader community.

We’re looking for:

Demonstrates high emotional intelligence, with an approachable, empathetic, and professional communication style, including in difficult or sensitive situations.Builds trust and credibility across the organisation, acting as a safe, neutral, and reliable point of contact for employee concerns.Excellent communicator with strong relationship-building skills and the ability to coach and influence senior stakeholders.Proven experience managing People/HR risk, including employee relations, compliance, policy development, data privacy, health & safety, and organisational change.Experienced in leading and developing teams, including performance management, coaching, delegation, and prioritisation.Comfortable working across cultures, regions, and time zones within a global organisation.Strong understanding of RA and the electronic music community and culture.Holds CIPD Level 5 or above (Level 7 desirable), or equivalent professional qualification, experience, or degree-level education.

What we offer you:

Generous annual leave policies aimed at promoting work-life balance.Flexibility in working arrangements, offering hybrid or remote work options based on role requirements and location. Matching pension schemes and/or 401k.Comprehensive staff wellbeing initiatives, featuring regular activities and workplace programmes to support mental and physical health. This includes discounted Classpass memberships, and custom-fitted earplugs.Company-led social events, team lunches, and discounts on RA merch.Paid annual volunteering allowance, encouraging contributions to community projects and charities you care about.Regular company-wide Q&A’s with senior leadership, along with ongoing virtual educational training sessions for all staff.A transparent internal company culture committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (see: https://ra.co/about/diversity).Active involvement in community projects within the electronic music community (see: https://ra.co/about/community).

More about RA:

As an independent company run by devoted dance music enthusiasts, our mission is to bring together the world's electronic music communities. Our Global Contributor Network (GCN) and international teams help us establish connections with hyper-niche local scenes.

We became B-Corp certified in 2024, which counts us among businesses leading a global movement for an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy and part of a community that meets high social and environmental impact standards.

We especially welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds, abilities, ethnicities, experiences, gender identities, and sexual orientations. We aim for our team to reflect the communities we engage with. We ensure everyone is valued and respected by actively promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion in our workplace.

Our values:

Electronic music is art.We celebrate the progressive values that underpin electronic music.We advocate for a more inclusive and equitable electronic music community.We honour the past, present and future of electronic music.We use innovation to empower the community.We choose honesty over gain and purpose over profit.We're always front left.

This role is a full-time, permanent position based at our London office. This position requires applicants to be based in London and to work from the office three days per week. The annual salary range for this role is £55,000 to £75,000. If you have questions about the role, please contact work@ra.co.

This listing will be open for a minimum of two weeks from the 7th May 2026. Please be sure to add work@ra.co to your contacts and check your junk/spam folder for emails from us.