Military & Elite Athlete 2026 Talent Placement – People Operations Lead
Intake: September 2026 Location: UK wide (Hybrid with occasional office travel to sites such as Leicester, Stockport, London, Windsor, Reading).
Length of Placement: 12‑month Fixed Term Contract with potential to transition into a permanent role.
Responsibilities
- Lead and deliver critical People Operations transformation activities under the Future Operating Model and technology roadmap.
- Provide operational leadership across core people processes, ensuring a consistent, efficient and colleague‑centric experience.
- Build capability, governance and consistency across People Operations.
- Support Centrica’s shift to a tech‑enabled, data‑driven People Operations function and a scalable model for managing colleague matters and processes.
- Drive standardisation, governance, and clear ownership across services.
- Lead delivery of People Operations technology changes, simplify and digitise colleague and manager journeys, embed automation and data insight.
- Provide leadership across day‑to‑day People Operations activities, strengthening governance, consistency and operational standards to enable colleague‑centric and compliant people processes.
Key Domains
- Operating Model Transformation – design and implement the Future People Operations model, translate strategic design into practical processes and structures, drive standardisation and governance.
- Technology & Process Transformation – lead technology changes, streamline digitised journeys, embed automation and data insight.
- Operational Delivery & Capability Build – lead day‑to‑day activities, strengthen governance and operational standards.
Qualifications
- Experience in HR / People Operations environments.
- Operational delivery in complex organisations.
- Strong process design and improvement capabilities.
- Ability to translate strategy into practical delivery and lead change in ambiguous environments.
- Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
- High ownership, accountability and resilience.
- Experience operating in structured, high‑accountability environments.
- Leading teams through change or transformation.
- Problem‑solving and decision‑making capability.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholders.
- Interest in People transformation and technology & operational improvement.
Benefits & Offerings
- Exposure to enterprise‑level transformation.
- Experience in building and scaling operational capabilities.
- Opportunity to lead real organisational change.
- Development of strategic, operational, and people leadership capability.
- £50,000 salary for the 12‑month placement.
- A dedicated mentor and opportunities to meet senior leaders.
- Flexible working and travel to office locations only when collaboration is needed.
- Access to Employee Networks and a Buddy from Ex‑Military or Athlete communities.
- For Service Leavers: chance to begin placement during final four resettlement weeks.
Eligibility
- Military Service Leavers: leaving the Forces or within the 2‑year CTP window at application.
- Elite Athletes: international competition experience and/or professional UK sports experience within the last three years.
Application Process
- Submit a personal statement (max 750 words) and CV (max 2 pages) in Word or PDF format.
- Personal statement should cover: role you’re applying for, how your skills and experience align, transferable skills, key achievements, qualifications, military or athletic experience.
Key Dates
- Application deadline: midnight Wednesday 1st July.
- Online screening interviews: June – mid July.
- Business Area interviews (face‑to‑face): July and August at one of our office locations.
- Placement start date: Wednesday 30th September (must be able to start).
