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The People Director’s People Director
Expert people leadership alongside your existing team, when you need it most
Every business, no matter how large or well established, will reach a point where capacity cannot meet demand. The people function of a business becomes more complicated as an organisation grows, and handling complex change programmes or periods of significant turmoil, growth or transformation on top of that creates many additional challenges. Even the best People Directors can only be in one place at a time. They can’t do everything. And in a business that is ambitious and needs pace in every project, the people agenda is often bigger than any one person – or even a team – can carry alone.
That is where fractional twinning comes in. A senior People Puzzles People Director works alongside your existing Chief People Officer or HR lead – as full- or part-time as you need them, embedded in your business – bringing extra capacity, specialist expertise and a trusted strategic peer. Not a replacement, nor a consultant with a prescriptive report, but a safe pair of senior, commercial hands to free up your capacity, develop team competency, or handle a significant project so you can focus on your core role.
What is fractional twinning?
A senior People Puzzles People Director works alongside your existing People Director / Chief People Officer / HR Director, part-time and on an ongoing basis. The “twin” can be brought in for a specific project or period of change, or as a long-term strategic partner. The relationship flexes as the business changes.
Twinning works in two ways:
Identical twinning: more hands on the same agenda
Your People Director is stretched. The workload is bigger than their capacity. A fractional twin brings the same calibre of expertise and picks up a defined portion of the work, freeing your People Director to focus on the things that matter most.
Complementary twinning: a different specialism alongside your existing one
Your people function needs something it does not yet have. Whether that is deep expertise in reward, ED&I, employment law, HRIS implementation or organisational design, a complementary twin fills the gap without a permanent specialist hire. This can also mean bringing in a more senior strategic voice to develop and challenge the People Director over time — building their capability and the capability of the team around them.
Who does fractional twinning help?
Fractional twinning is used by a range of businesses, to solve a number of issues. Sometimes we are brought in by an existing HR team, and sometimes it’s the business leader, CFO or COO who engages us to support or augment that team.
If you are a People Director
You are good at what you do, but the business is moving faster than you can carry alone.
You might need:
- more capacity than you currently have
- a specific specialism for a particular project, event or intervention
- an experienced peer to think strategically alongside you
- Mentoring or development for you or your team, within the context of the business
- Additional support for a significant project or event (e.g. funding, M&A, systems upgrade etc)
Fractional twinning gives you the support, the challenge and the development that a People Director at the top of their game both deserves and needs.
If you are an MD, CEO, CFO or COO
The People function of business has never been as complex as it is right now. Sometimes the question is not whether your People Director is good enough. It’s whether any one person, however talented, can carry the entire people agenda for an ambitious, growing business.
You may want:
- independent assurance that the people function has the right capability and capacity for where the business is going
- a restructure or capability audit run by an external person
- development, strategic depth and peer challenge for your People Director
- additional expert support for a specific project or business event, like funding or M&A
- L&D support for the people function on top of what you have capacity to provide in-house
Fractional twinning addresses all of that. And it only works when the People Director is part of the conversation from the start — so it is not a way of managing around someone. It is a way of making sure the whole function performs at its best.
Why do businesses ask for a People Director’s People Director?
1. Strategic people projects are stalling because no one has the capacity to lead them, meaning growth slows or work is delivered to a subpar standard
2. The business is scaling fast and headcount and people demands are climbing without enough hands on deck
3. A complex, one-off project needs specialist expertise: a restructure, TUPE transfer, acquisition integration or culture change programme
4. Growth opportunities are being missed because the People Director is already at full capacity
5. The business needs a specific specialism – reward, ED&I, employee relations or organisational design – or needs to upskill the people team across different areas
6. Sustained rapid growth, international expansion or entry into new sectors requires extra strategic people expertise
7. A new HRIS or people systems implementation must go ahead while business-as-usual keeps running smoothly
8. The business is navigating major change -restructure, redundancy or M&A integration – and needs the capacity to do it well and humanely
9. Complex or increasing employment regulation means the team needs bandwidth to respond without dropping everything else
10. The People Director is in the middle of a people crisis and needs support from, in their own words, ‘another one of me’
11. Senior leaders want independent assurance that the people function has the right capability, capacity and structure for where the business is going, and a trusted pair of eyes to help address any gaps
12. The people function needs restructuring, and experienced leadership is needed to design and deliver the change without losing the team’s confidence
13. A new MD, CEO or leadership team has inherited a people function and wants to understand its true strengths and gaps before deciding what, if anything, needs to change
What your business gets
- Extra capacity, immediately. A senior People Director available within days, not weeks, matched to your sector, challenge and culture.
- Board-level expertise. Our People Directors bring experience from major organisations, applied to the pace and ambition of a growing business.
- A trusted strategic peer for your People Director. Someone who understands the role, the pressures and the politics, and who can challenge and support in equal measure.
- Specialist skills without a permanent hire. Reward, ED&I, employment law, OD, HRIS implementation, or any other specialism, brought in as needed.
- Independent assurance for senior leaders. An experienced, objective view of the people function’s capability, structure and performance, delivered constructively and with the team’s confidence maintained.
- Development built into the relationship. The twinning model naturally raises capability across the whole people team over time, not just at director level.
- Flexibility built in. Scale capacity up or down as the business changes. No long-term overhead.
What does fractional twinning look like in practice?
Picture an ambitious business mid-way through a series of acquisitions. The existing People Director and their team are stretched: there is integration work to do; harmonising terms, managing TUPE transfers, protecting culture through change, on top of a full business-as-usual people agenda. They do not have the bandwidth to lead both.
We embed a highly experienced fractional People Director alongside them. They lead the people side of the integration: TUPE, culture alignment, communications. The in-house team stays close to every key development without losing sight of the bigger strategic picture. Capacity flexes up through the intensive integration period and dials back once the business is stable.
Dy came in to support us through a massive change programme. She quickly got up to speed, gaining the confidence of both the senior team and the HR team. Her approach is in understanding culture and personalities and bringing quick and clear solutions. She was instrumental in us achieving an excellent outcome.
Erika Lewis, CEO — Connected Places Catapult
FAQs
Do we have to be running a major project to have a fractional twin?
No. Fractional twinning works for any size or duration of project — or simply for ongoing day-to-day workload that has outgrown a single People Director’s capacity. If your people function is overloaded, for whatever reason, this is the solution.
Will this replace our existing People Director?
No. Fractional twinning is about complementing, not replacing, your People Director. The aim is to increase capacity, add specialist capability or build competency across the team — not to fill their role. Your People Director remains in place and in the lead.
What if we need more than just extra capacity?
Fractional twinning covers a wider range of needs than workload alone. If the people function needs restructuring, if there are capability or specialism gaps to address, if the People Director would benefit from development alongside a more experienced peer, or if senior leaders need independent assurance of the function’s performance — the model works for all of those. The starting point is always an honest conversation about where you are, without assumptions about what that means.
Does the People Director need to be on board for this to work?
Yes — and this is important. Fractional twinning only delivers real value when the People Director is part of the conversation from the start. It is not a mechanism for managing around someone. If the relationship is framed well — and it almost always is — People Directors find the support genuinely valuable. Many ask for it themselves.
How quickly can you get someone in place?
Typically within days, not weeks. Our People Directors are already part of our team — it is a case of matching the right expertise to your business, not finding a new person. We have a wide range of sectors, specialisms and working styles across the network.
Is this a long-term commitment?
Not necessarily. Some clients bring in a fractional twin for a defined project or period of change, and that is exactly right. Others find that having ongoing strategic depth and peer challenge available to their People Director is a significant long-term advantage, and the relationship evolves accordingly. We are flexible either way.
What specialisms can a fractional twin bring?
Our People Directors have deep expertise across all areas of the people agenda: reward and recognition, ED&I, employment law and ER, organisational design, HRIS and people systems, leadership development, succession planning, M&A integration and culture change. We match the right specialism to your need.
How is this different from using a consultant or bringing in an interim?
A consultant typically arrives with a brief, delivers a project or report and leaves. An interim usually steps into a full-time role, often covering a gap. A fractional twin does neither. They work part-time and ongoing, embedded in your team, getting to know your culture and strategy over time. That continuity — and the peer relationship with your existing People Director — is what makes the model different.
Organisations our People Directors have had a lasting impact on
Is fractional twinning right for your business?
Whether you are a People Director looking for a strategic peer, or a business leader who wants to ensure the people function has everything it needs for where the business is going — let’s have a conversation. No obligation, no assumptions. Just a straightforward discussion about where you are and whether we can help.
See what our clients say!
Clyde has been instrumental in taking BEAR Scotland from 'good to great'
Iain Murray, Managing Director, BEAR Scotland
Working closely with Clyde Marwick we developed a five-pillar framework addressing our goal for a high performing HR function including employer branding, recruitment innovation, and reward enhancement. We have navigated complex employee relations challenges while building strategic capability across our HR team. We now have the people infrastructure to match our operational excellence.
Liz's support was instrumental in us delivering a successful consultation
Director of Finance, National Hair & Beauty Federation
Following the completion of our restructure, I wanted to get in touch to say thank you. Liz's support was instrumental in us delivering a successful consultation. We are extremely grateful for her measured and sound advice, helping us to navigate such a sensitive situation, and we look forward to working with her again in future .
Lynn guided me out of my comfort zone to help me achieve my goals
Samantha Freeman, Management Accountant, Wirtgen Group
I could not recommend Lynn more, she guided me out of my comfort zone to help me achieve my goals and to think about things from an alternative perspective. I have also had a few people comment on the positive changes they can see in me which is a result of our sessions.
Sarah is a trusted advisor and sounding board to both me and my team.
Claire Watkin, Managing Director, Trendsetter
Working with People Puzzles has enabled me to step out of the day to day running of the business and concentrate on our future strategic direction. Sarah has helped us focus on how we develop our future leaders, cross team collaboration, and enhance overall business performance, as well as supporting the achievement of B Corp status.
The achievements of the People Strategy made a measurable difference.
Craig Bennett, Chief Executive Officer, Sigma
I can't thank Paula enough for all her support over the last 3 years. Her time with us turned out to be much longer than any of us expected but I guess this reflects the extraordinary events and circumstances we’ve encountered since 2019. The achievements over this period made a measurable difference to engagement and has helped Sigma transition our people policies from that of an SME into market leading large corporate. Thank you.
Lynn was always positive and listened when it mattered
Coaching Client – Wirtgen Limited
I cannot give Lynn enough thanks for the help that she gave me to better understand myself and help me find the answers to some tough questions. Lynn was always positive and listened when it mattered, Thanks again Lynn.
I have been able to build a proactive relationship with Pauline
Amy Fisher, MD, Doby Verrolec
I have been able to build a proactive relationship with Pauline. I came into this role last year with an agenda for growth and we have been working together across employee engagement, contacts and policies.
Pauline developed our people strategy with a robust methodology
Jeremy Royle, MD, YourNRG
Pauline’s hands on approach helped us to build on the work we have already taken and develop our people strategy with a robust methodology to meet the current needs and future growth of the business.
Working closely with one local and very knowledgeable person
Amy Fisher, MD, Doby Verrolec
The real benefit of People Puzzles is that your business and industry sector needs are matched with one of the People Puzzles Directors. This means you work closely with one local and very knowledgeable person who can quickly understand the people needs of the business.
Working with Sarah has been a rewarding, productive and an educational experience
Chief Operating Officer, Salford Primary Care Together
We wanted to understand more about what was driving our organisational culture, key risks and issues, what our priorities should be, and to understand what we could achieve with our limited resources. Sarah brought commitment, pragmatism, and positivity to our challenges which helped us achieve many of our goals including organisational restructures, re-design of several key HR processes and upskilling of our teams.
Pauline has very quickly gotten to grips with Your NRG.
Managing Director, Your NRG
Pauline has very quickly gotten to grips with Your NRG, and has brought to our attention some processes that need our focus as a result of our recent rapid growth. We are pushing on with the more pressing operational day-to-day strategies and initiatives whilst also educating the SMT on their overall understanding of ‘cradle to grave’ employment. Pauline continues to work diligently and tirelessly for Your NRG and I am delighted to have her ongoing support alongside us as we continue on our journey to realise our levels of ambition.
Changed the way we approach our senior meetings and develop our strategy.
Chair, Regular Cleaning
Shaun worked closely with me and the senior team and taught us a lot. Shaun dedicated time for each team member and encouraged, educated and guided them to be the best they can be. We achieved so much in the time we worked with Shaun and he has helped to change our focus from working in the business to working on the business giving us time to dedicate to the progression of the teams that make up the rest of our family.
Jill has worked on many projects as our part time HR Director.
Founder, Aura
One was around sick days which she has now reduced by 75%. This has significantly minimised the disruption it was causing.
Stewart's work has been a major factor in helping us achieve our ambitious targets.
Gerry Simmonds, Safpro
Stewart helped to align our senior team around business goals and implemented clear people plan has been a major factor in helping us achieve our ambitious targets. We have grown 20% over the past two years and with the team we now have in place this growth is set to continue.
Lynn's work as our trusted HR consultant and my mentor has been absolutely invaluable.
Oktawia Ellis, HR Manager, We Seal
I have the distinct pleasure of working with Lynn at People Puzzles. Her work over the last few years as our trusted HR consultant and my mentor has been absolutely invaluable. Lynn is an expert in her field, she is very knowledgeable, encourageing, supportive, and an effective leader. She is also really funny and a pleasure to be around! I learned a lot from Lynn and I would strongly recommend her.
The impact Lynn has had on our challenges are beyond my expectations
James Laxton, Managing Director, Laxtons
She has engaged with all our staff and her approach is a breath of fresh air for the business. The support she has given me has made some difficult issues appear straight forward and she has given a new lease of life in the business. We would not have been able to get to where we are now without her wealth of experience and hands on people approach and I am excited to see what the future brings working with Lynn.
Every team leader can now make decisions in line with the vision
Roy Bowie, Managing Director, GreenBlue Urban
I used to have the view that HR was managing difficult cases and moving people on with occasional recruitment support. But what People Puzzles does is so much more than that. It’s about the development of the business and its people as a whole which has been the biggest eye opener for me.
Working with Gill has helped us develop a People Plan which goes beyond compliance
Bernard Sellars, Managing Director, Lindum Packaging
Working with Gill from People Puzzles has helped us develop a People Plan which goes beyond compliance – it has helped us as a team to achieve greater alignment and engagement with the business strategy and goals.
I found the personal development coaching I received from Lynn to be very beneficial.
Alex Calvert, Marketing and PR Account Manager, Intandem Communications Ltd
I found the personal development coaching I received from Lynn to be very beneficial. Lynn helped me to work on some very clear objectives with a good balance of supportiveness and knowing when to challenge and push me out of my comfort zone!
We are now in a strong position from a people perspective, to leverage the future
Craig Bennett, CEO, Sigma Group
Paula developed a clear People plan and road map, which has significantly moved us on. She has developed the existing HR team, and ensured that we progressed quickly on all the initiatives that we identified. I’m confident that based on the last 6 months, with Paula’s input and contribution, we are now in a strong position from a people perspective, to leverage the next 6 months and beyond.
A very professional team
Chris Morling, Founder & CEO, Money.co.uk
It’s been brilliant to have such knowledgeable consultants help us to empower our people. Stuart and Sophie were incredibly flexible, adapting their services to our business and existing culture. I’d highly recommend People Puzzles.
Shifted my view of HR!
Gavin Pooley, Managing Director, Liquidline
I used to think that HR was all about employment law compliance and managing the administration basics. I didn’t get the hugely positive impact strategic HR could make to the business – I do now!’
Transformed my understanding
Managing Director, B2B Supplies and Support Services
Having Alison on the team is like having another MD/MBA in the business. She has totally transformed my understanding of HR.
Fantastic support!
Kerry Berry, Director, S&K Berry Associates LLP
Lynn has been a fantastic support to us and an ongoing fountain of knowledge. If you have a business and/or staff you need to take care of, you need a Lynn on your team!
Such a detailed process
Sue Ford, Director, Bridge Case Management
Lynn ran a detailed process and I wasn’t allowed to get away with anything – All relevant issues were included and dealt with objectively.
We’ve accomplished a lot!
Joseph Carr, Managing Director, Carrs Pasties
This is an inspiring story and it’s all true. I can’t believe it’s about us! We’ve accomplished a lot over the last 18 months.
Helping us shape the business
Stuart Hill, CEO, WNDirect
Carole has helped me and the business massively and added real value while helping us shape the business.
Vee has delivered a huge amount for the company
Bertie Kerr, Managing Director, Albany Associates Ltd
Vee started with a baseline study of where we were. She then presented a work plan to deliver over the coming months and while some priorities have changed it is impressive to look back and see how much has been achieved. She has become a trusted member of the senior team, providing advice and guidance on difficult topics and is regularly consulted by staff for her input.
Alison joined Valleys to Coast on an interim basis and 18 months later is still with us!
Joanne Oak, Chief Executive Officer, Valleys to Coast Housing
Alison has been instrumental working with me to recruit to a permanent role. Alison’s approach has been one of partnership, contributing as part of the strategic leadership team, which has been critically important given the turbulence the organisation has been through. Alison is always available, responsive and I would highly recommend her for expert HR support
Over the last 3 years, People Puzzles has helped build a very strong people culture
Phil Dupont, Director, RVT Group
We now have a clear Vision for the Companies 5 Pillars, In-house manager, leadership ‘Power 90’ Training and a rhythm of key meetings throughout each year. This has had a direct contribution to the significant growth of the company in the last 3 years… With this support from People Puzzles continuing, the company continues to grow both financially and culturally for the benefit of all.