People & Operations Manager

We are looking for a People & Operations Manager to coordinate the day-to-day people, hiring and business operations that help Diesta run smoothly as it grows. Reporting to the Chief of Staff, you will be a reliable operational partner across recruitment, employee experience, office operations and internal processes. This is a hands-on, highly organised role for someone comfortable moving between people administration, candidate management, onboarding, team logistics and practical operational projects. You will own routine coordination and keep stakeholders informed, while escalating sensitive HR, payroll, legal and employee-relations matters to the Chief of Staff and relevant advisers.

Key Responsibilities

• Talent Acquisition & Candidate Experience
  • Own job postings, candidate records, hiring documentation and candidate communications across active roles.
  • Support sourcing and conduct initial screening calls to assess candidate suitability, motivation, communication style and role fit.
  • Coordinate interview scheduling, take-home assignments, feedback loops and follow-ups to provide a professional, consistent candidate experience.
• People Operations & Employee Lifecycle
  • Coordinate onboarding and offboarding, including contracts, right-to-work documentation, equipment, access, introductory plans and employee records.
  • Maintain accurate people data, leave and absence records, probation milestones and routine HR administration with discretion and care.
  • Support the delivery of performance-review, feedback and employee-experience processes, ensuring managers and employees receive clear, timely information.
  • Conduct initial screening calls to assess candidate suitability, motivation, communication style, and role fit.
  • Maintain organised candidate pipelines and ensure each candidate is moved through the process in a timely manner.
  • Track follow-ups, feedback, and next steps so hiring processes remain clear and consistent.
• Business & Office Operations
  • Coordinate internal meetings, team logistics, office supplies, equipment and facilities, resolving day-to-day issues or escalating them promptly.
  • Manage routine supplier, invoice and purchasing administration, maintaining clear records and supporting the Chief of Staff with budget and approval processes.
  • Help plan team events, offsites and internal communications that strengthen employee experience and keep the team connected.
• Operational & Administrative Support
  • Support the Chief of Staff with additional administrative, operational, and office-related duties.
  • Help coordinate internal meetings, team logistics, documentation, and follow-ups.
  • Take ownership of ad-hoc projects and office upkeep tasks that support the smooth running of the business.
• Stakeholder Coordination
  • Build trusted working relationships with candidates, employees, hiring managers and external suppliers, ensuring requests and follow-ups are managed clearly.
  • Keep the Chief of Staff informed on progress, priorities, decisions and issues that need escalation.
  • Support ad-hoc projects that improve the employee experience or the smooth running of the business.

What We're Looking For

• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage competing people, hiring and operational priorities at once.
• Strong written and verbal communication, with confidence working with candidates, employees, senior stakeholders and external suppliers.
• High attention to detail when managing confidential records, schedules, employee processes, documentation and follow-ups.
• Ability to work independently, use good judgement, keep others informed and know when an issue needs escalation.
• Comfortable handling confidential information with discretion, professionalism and appropriate boundaries.

Nice-to-Haves

• Experience in people operations, HR administration, recruitment coordination, office management, executive support or startup operations.
• Experience using applicant tracking systems, HRIS platforms, job boards, LinkedIn, candidate databases or operational trackers.
• Familiarity with onboarding, employee lifecycle administration, right-to-work processes, office operations or supplier coordination.

Within the first 30 days

• Gain a clear understanding of Diesta's team structure, people processes, hiring priorities, operating rhythm and escalation routes.
• Take ownership of core recruitment coordination, routine people administration, employee records and key operational trackers.
• Begin coordinating onboarding, office logistics and recurring team processes with support from the Chief of Staff.

Within the first 60 days

• Coordinate candidate pipelines, interviews, onboarding and routine employee-lifecycle processes with increasing independence.
• Establish clear checklists, templates and communications for recurring people and operational activities.
• Support team events, office operations, supplier administration and internal follow-ups, escalating decisions appropriately.

Within the first 90 days

• Own the day-to-day coordination of people, hiring and office operations with minimal oversight.
• Improve people and operations processes so they are clear, reliable and scalable as the company grows.
• Become a trusted operational partner to the Chief of Staff and a dependable point of contact for candidates, employees and suppliers.

Join a mission-driven team addressing real pain points in insurance finance. Be part of a lean, high-performing team with direct impact on hiring, operations, and company growth. Work closely with the Chief of Staff and gain exposure to how a fast-growing startup operates. Grow into a Hiring Lead or Hiring Manager role as the company scales. A culture of high trust, low ego: we value competence, commitment, and transparency. Hybrid work model with a central London office (Bank / Liverpool Street). Regular team lunches and international offsites. State-of-the-art technical equipment. 22 days annual leave (excluding bank holidays).

Interview Process

• Intro Call with our Chief of Staff to explore your background, motivations, and fit for the role.
• Practical Interview focused on organisation, communication, candidate management, and operational judgement.
• Onsite Interview at our London office to meet the team and experience our culture first-hand.