HR Support for Charities and Purpose-Led Organisations in Derby
Senior HR leadership for charities, social enterprises and purpose-led organisations . Without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire.
HR Support for Charities and Purpose-Led Organisations in Derby
Derby sits at the southern edge of the corridor between Sheffield and the East Midlands, with a third sector that reflects the city's mix of urban deprivation, manufacturing heritage and growing diversity. Community organisations, social enterprises and small charities form the backbone of local social provision, particularly in wards like Arboretum, Normanton and Sinfin where statutory services have been reduced.
Derby's VCSE infrastructure includes Derbyshire Voluntary Action and the Community Action Derby network, providing support to organisations navigating funding, governance and capacity challenges. But as with many mid-sized cities, the gap between infrastructure support and internal organisational capability remains wide, particularly around people management.
The HR challenges specific to Derby's third sector
Small teams, big responsibilities. Many Derby charities have between 5 and 25 staff, with the CEO or project manager acting as the de facto HR function. They're writing contracts, handling grievances, managing absence and making recruitment decisions alongside their core role. The risk of getting something wrong, and the personal toll of carrying that responsibility, is significant.
Safeguarding complexity in children's and family services. Derby has a significant number of charities working in early years, family support and children's services. These organisations operate under Ofsted, safeguarding board and Charity Commission oversight. Employment decisions in this context, particularly around safer recruitment, disclosure, fitness to practise and managing allegations, require specialist HR knowledge.
Derbyshire County Council commissioning landscape. Charities in Derby often deliver services commissioned by both the city council and the county council, each with different procurement processes, contract terms and monitoring requirements. Staff may work across both, and the employment arrangements can become complicated without proper HR oversight.
Proximity to larger cities drawing talent and funding. Derby charities compete for staff and funding with organisations in Nottingham, Leicester and Sheffield. Without competitive employment practices, clear development pathways and a strong organisational culture, retention becomes a persistent problem.
How we support Derby organisations
Derby is one of the closest cities to our Sheffield base. We provide fractional Head of People services, retained advisory, and strategic people projects to charities and purpose-led organisations across Derby and Derbyshire.
Three services. Each one built for where you are right now.
Fractional Head of People
Your organisation needs a Head of People but can't justify — or fund — a full-time hire. We embed as your senior people leader on a part-time, ongoing basis. Attending board meetings. Building your people strategy. Handling the complex ER cases. Giving your CEO back the headspace to focus on mission delivery. This is our lead service for charities that are growing, going through change, or simply past the point where the CEO can keep doing it all.
HR & People Advisory (retained)
Ongoing access to senior HR advice on a retained basis. Not a helpline — a named, dedicated advisor who knows your organisation, your people, and your context. For charities that need consistent, reliable HR support without the overhead of a fractional appointment. Covers employee relations, compliance, policy, manager coaching, and the steady stream of people questions that don't stop coming.
Strategic People Projects
Defined-scope projects with a clear beginning and end. Restructures. TUPE transfers. Handbook and policy builds. Employment law readiness, including the Employment Rights Act changes rolling out through 2026 and 2027. Pay and reward reviews. Investigations. The one-off pieces of work that need senior expertise and proper process.
We don't just work with charities.
We understand how they work.
Most HR consultancies list "charities" as one of fifteen sectors on a dropdown menu. We've chosen this sector deliberately because the people challenges here are different, and they deserve an advisor who genuinely understands them.
Governance matters more. Trustees carry legal responsibility for how a charity manages its people, but most boards don't have HR expertise around the table. We bridge that gap, providing the board-level assurance that employment decisions are sound, proportionate, and compliant. We've sat on charity boards ourselves.
Funding shapes everything. When income depends on grants, contracts, and donations, workforce planning can't follow a standard corporate model. Restructures happen when funding shifts, not when strategy says so. TUPE transfers are common when contracts move between providers. We've managed these situations and understand the pressure they create.
Safeguarding is non-negotiable. Charities working with children, young people, or vulnerable adults operate under additional employment obligations — DBS frameworks, safer recruitment, Charity Commission reporting. Getting this wrong doesn't just create legal risk, it puts people in harm's way.
Mission and management pull in different directions. Purpose-led organisations attract people who care deeply. That's a strength — until it means poor performance goes unaddressed because everyone's too kind to have the conversation, or a grievance escalates because the CEO doesn't want to seem heavy-handed. We help you manage people with both compassion and clarity.
The experience behind the advice.
Jason King — Chartered MCIPD, MSc in Human Resource Management, 15+ years of senior HR leadership across charities, financial services, care, manufacturing and regulated environments. Experience of being a Board trustee at two Yorkshire charities, the Children's Heart Surgery Fund and Age UK Sheffield.
That trustee experience isn't a CV line. It means we understand Charity Commission expectations, governance tensions, safeguarding obligations, and the reality of volunteer-led boards from the inside, not as observers.
Becky King — co-founder and operational lead, with a decade of leadership experience across not-for-profit and hospitality sectors.
We're based in Sheffield and work across the UK.
Why this sector. Why it's personal.
Our daughter Amelia was seriously ill as a young child. During that time, the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund provided support to our family that we didn't know we needed and couldn't have asked for. It changed how we understood what these organisations actually do, not in the abstract, but when it matters most.
That experience is part of why we chose to focus King HR Advisory on charities and purpose-led organisations. Not as a niche to fill, but because we've seen first-hand what happens when these organisations work well. We want to help them stay that way. The people behind the mission are where that starts. Your people strategy isn't separate from your impact. It's what makes it sustainable.
