Interim Head of People

Zodia Custody is a leading force in the institutional digital asset space. Backed by Standard Chartered, SBI, Northern Trust, National Australia Bank and Emirates NBD, we provide secure custody services for institutional investors, empowering them to invest confidently in the future of digital assets.

As we continue to scale, we’re looking for an experienced and strategic Interim Head of People to help lead our People & Culture function.

As the Interim Head of People, you will take ownership of our people strategy, ensuring we attract, develop, and retain the talent needed to power Zodia’s continued success. This 12-month fixed-term role will be instrumental in driving HR operational excellence, supporting leadership development, embedding our culture, and preparing the business for scalable, sustainable growth.

• Partner with the Executive team to align people strategy with Zodia’s business goals and regulatory environment.
• Lead the evolution of People policies and practices to support a scaling, high-performance organization.
• Act as a key advisor to senior leaders on culture, organizational design, and leadership development.

• Ensure all HR practices remain compliant with regional employment laws and regulatory standards.
• Manage and continuously improve core HR processes including employee lifecycle management, performance reviews, compensation, and benefits.
• Own HRIS systems, reporting, and analytics, ensuring effective use of data to support decision-making.

• Lead talent acquisition in collaboration with hiring managers to secure top-tier candidates from both traditional finance and digital asset spaces.
• Drive initiatives to strengthen employee engagement, wellbeing, and internal communications.
• Champion diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across the business.

• Support organisational change initiatives including restructures, new team formations, and evolving governance needs.
• Provide leadership during ongoing regulatory and operational scaling.
• Lead or contribute to cross-functional projects, including global expansion and policy harmonisation.

Essential:

• Proven HR leadership experience in a fast-growth, regulated environment (preferably fintech, digital assets, or financial services).
• Deep knowledge of global employment laws, regulatory HR considerations, and best practice.
• Experience designing and implementing people strategies in scaling organizations.
• Strong people management skills with a collaborative leadership style.
• Ability to influence at all levels, from C-suite to individual contributors.
• Tech-savvy and comfortable with HRIS tools and data-driven decision making.

Desirable:

• Experience working in or alongside finance / digital asset / blockchain firms.
• Familiarity with regulatory expectations and compliance frameworks.
• CIPD Level 5 or equivalent.

We are a friendly team, with monthly socials and seasonal celebrations as well as offering a range of fantastic benefits including:

• Competitive employer contribution pension scheme
• Private health care
• Critical Illness cover
• Life Insurance
• Flexible bank holidays (can chose whether to work on bank holidays and use the leave elsewhere in the year)