Head of People in Manchester

Contract: Fixed term, 12 months (maternity cover)

About the role

Our client is looking for a Head of People to provide maternity cover at leadership level, as part of the Operations team. You will be the strategic and operational lead for people, aligning the people agenda with business objectives and making sure the day-to-day service runs smoothly. This is a proactive, practical and people-first role, combining strategic input with hands-on oversight of people operations, systems, compliance and the employee lifecycle. The client will consider people who wish to work full time or part-time.

Key responsibilities

People strategy and business partnering

• Partner with the Board to design and deliver a people strategy that supports the business plan and future growth
• Act as a strategic advisor on culture, structure, change management and workforce planning
• Coach and influence senior leaders to build strong, engaged and effective teams
• Lead talent and succession planning to make sure the business has the capability and leadership it needs for growth

Learning and development

• Design and deliver a company-wide L&D strategy aligned to business priorities
• Oversee an in-house development programme and guest speaker series
• Facilitate training on HR, leadership and line management best practice
• Evaluate the effectiveness and ROI of learning initiatives using data and feedback

Recruitment

• Oversee the full recruitment lifecycle, embedding efficient, inclusive and compliant practices
• Define and deliver a long-term recruitment strategy aligned with business growth
• Ensure recruitment complies with GDPR and other relevant legislation

Employee relations and policy

• Lead the approach to complex employee relations matters, ensuring fair, consistent and legally compliant outcomes
• Work with legal partners to stay informed of employment law updates and risks
• Review and improve people policies in line with best practice

Culture, wellbeing and inclusion

• Lead internal communications on people initiatives and culture
• Champion the employer value proposition, including staff meetings and external award submissions
• Co-lead the employee partnership board and drive initiatives that improve the employee experience
• Lead wellbeing initiatives, occupational health referrals and workplace adjustments
• Support managers and employees on reasonable adjustments, neurodiversity, disability and long-term health conditions
• Act as a Mental Health First Aider and support DE&I goals

Health and safety

• Lead and champion health and safety, ensuring compliance with legal requirements and company policy
• Oversee the annual H&S audit, risk assessments and training requirements

Reporting, insights and technology

• Develop people metrics and dashboards covering engagement, retention, recruitment, performance and organisational effectiveness
• Own the people KPI framework and measure the ROI of people initiatives
• Monitor utilisation, resource planning and workforce capacity, partnering with business leaders to support commercial performance
• Champion AI, automation and digital tools to improve efficiency and the employee experience

Day-to-day delivery and team leadership

• Manage, mentor and support a People & Performance Partner, and cover their responsibilities during absence
• Deliver the annual people calendar, including performance reviews, engagement surveys and policy reviews
• Maintain oversight of HR systems, ensuring records are accurate, up to date and well reported
• Ensure payroll inputs, benefits administration and expenses are completed accurately and on time
• Take part in interviews and appraisals, giving practical guidance to line managers
• Keep employment law knowledge current and apply changes to policy and practice
• Be a visible, collaborative member of the Operations team, including cross-functional meetings, away days and company events

About you

• A confident HR leader who is comfortable being both strategic and hands-on
• Strong employee relations and employment law knowledge
• Experience coaching and influencing senior stakeholders
• Experience across recruitment, L&D, wellbeing and health and safety
• Confident using data to drive decisions and working with HR systems
• A people-first approach with a commercial mindset

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and circumstances, including minorities and those with disabilities.

#J-18808-Ljbffr