Policy Specialist Manager - 6 Month Fixed Term Contract in Salford

We’re looking for a passionate and people‑focused Policy Specialist Manager to lead our People Policy front‑line advisory service, and shape the way we support line managers across M&S. This is a brilliant opportunity to combine your HR expertise and leadership skills to deliver a high‑quality, front‑line policy advice service that balances business needs, colleague experience and legal requirements. This role is a 6‑month fixed term contract.

What you’ll do

• Lead, coach and develop a team of Policy Specialists, creating a high‑performing, engaged and inclusive team culture.
• Drive strong operational performance across the service, ensuring SLAs are consistently met and call quality and efficiency measures are delivered.
• Manage resource planning and scheduling to ensure the right support is in place across all operating hours.
• Identify trends, risks and opportunities through data and insight, using these to continuously improve processes, service delivery and customer experience.
• Build strong relationships with business partners across the business, ensuring feedback is captured and translated into meaningful improvements.

Who You Are

• Strong leadership experience, with a track record of managing and developing high‑performing teams.
• Solid HR knowledge, including employment policy, case management or generalist experience.
• Customer‑focused approach, with excellent listening skills and the ability to understand and respond to business needs.
• Confident coach, able to develop capability and support others to deliver high‑quality, balanced advice.
• Strong organisational, communication and business partner management skills, with the ability to adapt in a fast‑paced environment.

What’s in it for you?

• 20% colleague discount on all M&S products and many third‑party brands for you and someone in your household, available once you’ve completed your probation.
• Competitive holiday allowance with the option to buy more.
• Discretionary bonus schemes linked to your performance and ours.
• Strong pension and life assurance to help plan for the future.
• Tailored induction and training to support your development from day one.
• Exclusive perks and savings through our M&S Choices portal.
• Market‑leading family policies, including parental, adoption and neonatal leave.
• 24/7 wellbeing support, including virtual GP access and mental health services.
• One paid volunteer day a year to support a cause that matters to you.

Everyone’s welcome. We are ambitious about the future of retail. We’re disrupting, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We’re transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen. We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together. If you feel you’d benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don’t hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.