Helen Pickles
Biography
Helen was appointed Chief People Officer at HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in January 2025.
She had previously been interim Director General for People and Capability at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), starting in August 2023, having joined the department in 2014.
Her previous roles include:
- Director for HR Business Partnering for Service Delivery, DWP
- Director for People Strategy and Resourcing, DWP
- Deputy Director HR Operations, DWP
- various roles in Civil Service Employee Policy, HM Prison Service and the Northern Ireland Office
Helen also spent 12 months on secondment to The Prince’s Trust. She is an advocate of the opportunities across the Civil Service to build a career outside of London and lives in Leeds with her husband and 2 children.
Chief People Officer
The Chief People Officer is responsible for the effective and efficient running of the HR Community in HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The HR Community have accountability for people management capability and deployment across HMRC, and oversee the delivery of HR services. They are accountable for developing the HMRC People Strategy and the Employer Brand, as well as the delivery of a specialist organisation design service.
The Chief People Officer is also accountable for HMRC’s role as a responsible corporate organisation; and for the governance and delivery of HMRC’s learning and talent activities.