12 months FTC

Reports to: Head of Corporate Services

Location: Enfield (minimum 3 days a week) and Welwyn Garden City (1-2 days a week)

Direct Reports: People Operations Advisor, People Operations Assistant and People Operations & Payroll Coordinator

Role Purpose:

The People Operations Manager is responsible for leading and delivering the operational and strategic delivery of all People and HR services across the organisation. The role ensures that people processes, policies and systems are effective, compliant, and aligned to business objectives, supporting a high-performing, engaged and legally compliant workforce.

The People Operations Manager will act as the subject matter expert for People Operations, workforce governance, employee lifecycle management, employee relations, and compliance, while driving continuous improvement across People services.

Scope of Role:

The role covers all People Operations activity including but not limited to:

• Workforce planning and organisational structuring support
• Recruitment operations and onboarding governance
• Employee relations and case management
• Policy development, implementation and adherence
• Compensation and benefits administration
• HR systems, data management and reporting
• Attendance, absence and performance administration
• Compliance, audit readiness and employment legislation
• Contractor and supplier workforce governance (where applicable)
• Employee engagement operational delivery
• Offboarding and exit management
• Process improvement and efficiency initiatives

Note: This role excludes Learning and Development strategy, design and delivery.

Key Responsibilities:

People Operations Strategy and Delivery

• Develop and implement People Operations processes that are scalable, efficient and aligned to organisational strategy.
• Drive continuous improvement across HR service delivery, systems and workflows.
• Support workforce planning activity in partnership with business leaders.

Employee Lifecycle Management

• Oversee end-to-end employee lifecycle processes including recruitment operations, onboarding, contract management, role changes, and exits.
• Ensure compliance with employment legislation and organisational policy.
• Maintain high standards of employee experience across all operational touchpoints.

Employee Relations

• Provide guidance and support to managers on complex employee relations matters.
• Manage disciplinary, grievance, capability and performance processes where required.
• Ensure risks are appropriately managed and escalated.

Policy, Governance and Compliance

• Develop, review and maintain HR policies and standard operating procedures.
• Ensure organisational compliance with employment law, data protection requirements and audit standards.
• Support internal and external audit processes.

HR Data, Reporting and Systems

• Maintain accuracy and integrity of HR data.
• Produce workforce analytics, dashboards and management information.
• Identify trends and insights to support business decision-making.
• Lead optimisation of HR information systems.

Reward and Benefits

• Support implementation and administration of reward and benefits programmes.
• Ensure payroll input, benefit enrolment and contractual reward elements are processed accurately.

Engagement and Experience

• Support the operational delivery of employee engagement initiatives.
• Monitor employee experience metrics and recommend improvements.

Contractor and Supplier Workforce Management

• Where relevant, oversee governance of contingent labour, agency workers and outsourced workforce arrangements.

Health, Safety and Wellbeing Support

• Work closely with Health & Safety, Learning & Development, and compliance functions to support a safe working environment and wellbeing initiatives.

Stakeholder Management

• Partner with senior leaders, managers, and external providers to deliver People services effectively.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to streamline processes, improve automation, and enhance service efficiency.

Key Skills and Competencies

Technical Skills

• Strong knowledge of employment legislation and HR compliance.
• Experience managing employee relations cases.
• HRIS and workforce data management.
• Policy development and implementation.
• Workforce reporting and analytics.
• Process design and improvement.

Behavioural Competencies

• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Analytical mindset with attention to detail.
• Commercial and business awareness.
• Problem solving and decision making.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• High level of integrity and confidentiality.

Experience and Qualifications

Essential

• Minimum 5 years proven experience in a People Operations, HR Operations or equivalent role.
• Experience managing employee relations and complex people issues.
• Demonstrable experience improving HR processes and service delivery.
• Strong knowledge of employment law.
• Experience working with HR information systems.
• Professional HR qualification, minimum Level 5 CIPD or equivalent.
• Experience producing workforce data insights.

Desirable

• Experience in a manufacturing, operational or multi-site environment.
• Experience supporting audit or regulatory compliance.

Personal Attributes

• Solutions-focused and proactive.
• Collaborative and relationship-orientated.
• Comfortable working both strategically and operationally.
• Resilient and able to handle sensitive matters professionally.