Head of People Operations / Compliance

London (South East)

Contract 6 Months, Immediate start

Salary from £70,000 (pro rata)

Hydrid, with 2 days office and 3 days working from home.

Purpose of the Role

The Head of People Operations provides senior operational leadership across people operations, talent acquisition, people systems, employee relations, immigration compliance, and people administration.

Reporting to the Executive Director of People, the role holder is responsible for translating organisational people strategies into effective, high-quality operational delivery. The postholder ensures people services are inclusive, compliant, customer-focused, and outcomes-driven, supporting organisational performance, workforce sustainability, and organisational change.

As a key member of the senior leadership team, the Head of People Operations leads service transformation, continuous improvement, and operational governance.

Key Accountabilities

Operational Leadership and Governance

• Lead the delivery of People Operations services, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements.
• Translate strategic objectives into operational plans, service standards, and performance measures.
• Provide operational assurance, risk management, and governance across all People Operations activities.
• Represent People Operations at leadership meetings, committees, and working groups.

Talent Acquisition and Recruitment

• Lead the delivery of inclusive, responsive recruitment and onboarding services, including senior and executive-level appointments.
• Oversee large-scale and complex recruitment campaigns, ensuring quality, efficiency, and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Ensure recruitment processes, frameworks, and systems remain compliant with employment law and immigration legislation.
• Provide expert advice and support to senior leaders on workforce planning and talent acquisition strategies.
• Lead the development and utilisation of recruitment and workforce management information to support decision-making.

People Operations and Employee Lifecycle

• Lead the provision of high-quality HR operational services across the employee lifecycle, including contractual changes, pay, absence management, family-friendly policies, and workforce compliance.
• Ensure consistent and timely support for employee relations matters in partnership with Employee Relations colleagues.
• Provide operational leadership for organisational change programmes, restructures, and service redesign initiatives.
• Maintain strong working relationships with Payroll and Finance teams to ensure accurate and timely payroll outcomes.

People Systems and Digital Enablement

• Lead the management, development, and continuous improvement of HR systems, including Oracle Cloud platforms.
• Ensure effective delivery of system enhancements, self-service functionality, training, and user support.
• Oversee the production of accurate management information and reporting to support operational effectiveness.

Immigration Compliance

• Lead the delivery of immigration compliance activities across all workforce groups.
• Ensure effective implementation of policies, procedures, and training that balance immigration requirements with employment legislation.
• Work closely with senior stakeholders to prepare for Home Office audits and inspections and minimise organisational risk.
• Monitor legislative changes and implement operational responses where required.

Leadership and People Management

• Provide effective leadership and line management to People Operations Managers.
• Promote a high-performance culture focused on service excellence, inclusion, wellbeing, and professional development.
• Support consultation and engagement activities with recognised trade unions on operational people matters.

General Responsibilities

• Contribute to the leadership and continuous improvement of the HR and People function.
• Act as an ambassador for the organisation both internally and externally.
• Lead or contribute to organisation-wide projects, working groups, and change initiatives.
• Manage budgets and resources effectively.

Professional Development and Relationship Management

• Develop and maintain positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Champion organisational values and behaviours.
• Maintain professional expertise through continuous professional development.
• Keep up to date with employment legislation, sector developments, and best practice.
• Build and sustain effective working relationships across the organisation.

Compliance and Governance

• Promote Equality, Diversity, Inclusion, and Information Security policies and practices.
• Ensure compliance with Health & Safety and Data Protection legislation.
• Support sustainability initiatives and encourage environmentally responsible working practices.
• Ensure digital content meets current accessibility standards and legal requirements, including Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

Key Performance Indicators

• Delivery of strategic people objectives.
• Quality, consistency, and timeliness of People Operations services.
• Customer and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Compliance, audit, and governance outcomes.
• Employee engagement and team performance measures.
• Successful delivery of projects against agreed timescales, budgets, and quality standards.