At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead HR and Payroll system enhancements, driving innovation and efficiency.
- Company: A leading independent engineering and services business in the UK.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous holiday, private medical insurance, and flexible benefits.
- Other info: Join a dynamic team with clear career progression and ongoing support.
- Why this job: Shape the future of HR technology while making a real impact on employee experience.
- Qualifications: Expertise in HR/Payroll systems and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
- People Systems Manager
- Leeds - Hybrid (2-3days in office)
- Permanent
- Summary
This role is pivotal role at the heart of our HR and Payroll transformation journey.
As the driving force behind the governance, performance and evolution of our Dayforce platform, you'll play a key role in delivering the HR and Payroll Strategic Plan and shaping how technology supports our people.
You'll lead the resolution of complex system challenges, champion innovation, and continuously enhance the employee and manager experience.
By challenging traditional ways of working and identifying opportunities to streamline, automate, and optimise processes, you'll help unlock greater efficiency, improve data driven decision making, and ensure our system evolve in line with the needs of our growing and changing organisation.
You'll lead a team of system analysts, providing strategic and technical oversight to ensure the integrity, performance, and future-readiness of the HR and Payroll system.
You'll take ownership for managing all people system developments and changes, implementing a structured change control process, and ensuring high standards of testing, documentation, and user adoption.
Beyond systems and processes, you'll champion for user capability and engagement.
Through targeted training, coaching, and support, you'll help colleagues maximise the value of our people systems, fostering a culture of self service, continuous improvement, and digital innovation.
This is a highly strategic and technically demanding role, requiring strong leadership, a deep understanding of HRIS and payroll systems, and the ability to translate complex requirements into practical, high-impact system solutions.
Some of the key deliverables for this role will include
- Serve as the senior functional across the HR and Payroll systems function, providing strategic direction and expert guidance to stakeholders across all business areas, ensuring optimal utilisation of the HRIS platform to support organisational goals.
- Align systems development and service enhancements with the broader strategic direction of the organisation, ensuring that technological investments are future-ready and contribute measurable value.
- Ensure that the HRIS remains fit-for-purpose and responsive to business strategy, through structured roadmap planning and collaboration with executive leadership.
- Lead a strategic review of existing business processes and system functionality, identifying opportunities for process reengineering and digital transformation.
- Govern the delivery of system enhancements and process optimisation initiatives, ensuring they are aligned to business objectives and delivered to high standards of quality, consistency, and customer satisfaction
- Oversee the resolution of escalated technical and service issues from the Helpdesk, ensuring consistent alignment with departmental SLAs and maintaining high standards of service continuity.
- Provide high-level escalation management for complex technical or service issues, continuously evaluating service performance and identifying risks to data quality or delivery.
- Assume full ownership of all system patches, upgrades, and scheduled maintenance, orchestrating cross-functional communication and alignment to mitigate disruption and ensure successful deployment maximising business value
- Act as the Data Steward for HR and Payroll, ensuring that all management information and personal data are handled in accordance with GDPR and broader information governance frameworks
- Champion system training, capability building, and data governance practices across the organisation.
- Develop a continuous improvement culture by identifying and implementing enhancements to optimise user efficiency and uphold data integrity.
- Lead the definition and prioritisation of user requirements, acting as a trusted advisor to senior HR and Payroll stakeholders in designing scalable solutions.
- Build and sustain strong, collaborative relationships with key stakeholders and specialist functions, serving as the primary interface between business needs and systems capability
- Serve as the key relationship owner with the HRIS vendor (Dayforce), representing the organisation in product forums, release previews, and enhancement workshops.
- Identify gaps and opportunities within the system, providing detailed feedback to the vendor and actively promoting internal initiatives to secure community support for high-impact development requests.
- Provide strategic leadership to the People Systems Team, ensuring high performance, strong engagement, and a culture of accountability.
- Direct workforce planning, recruitment, team structuring, and long-term performance strategies to ensure consistent delivery and business value.
What we're looking for
- Expert knowledge of HR/Payroll systems (ideally Dayforce or similar)
- Significant experience of HR and Payroll systems, within a large and complex organisation
- Proven experience of managing a team
- Solid knowledge of SAP HCM or equivalent employee systems
- Knowledge of SQL, XML Writing, Excel skills
- Ability to see the whole' picture understand the dependencies and deliver practical solutions
- Problem solving skills.
- Experience of providing administrative support to projects
- Good communication
- Practical experience of supporting/leading on CI projects
- Testing experience
Benefits
We're always evolving our benefits to ensure we're attracting and retaining great people. Some of what you can expect includes:
- Pension with aleading provider andup to8% employer contribution
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
- Personal Wellbeing and Volunteer Days
- Private Medical Insurance
- Salary sacrifice car scheme (Hybrid/Electric Vehicle)
- Free 24/7 365 Employee Assistance Program to support mental health and well-being (including counselling sessions and legal advice)
- Flexible benefits to suit from Dental Insurance, Gym Memberships, Give As You Earn, Travel Insurance, Tax Free Bikes.
- Personal development programme
We are a Disability Confident Employer and awarded Gold Standard in the Armed Forces Covenant.
About Us
We are one of the leading independent engineering and services businesses in the UK.
Founded in 1921, with a turnover of £500m and 3000 employees, we are proud of our history of developing great people through our investment in training.
Working across a variety of sectors within the building and infrastructure industry, our innovative, responsible and forward-thinking approach allows us to work on fantastic ground-breaking projects, providing solutions using the latest tools and technologies.
Progression is something we value, and we will make sure that when you join us you have a clearly defined development path, supported by regular reviews, training and ongoing support to enable you to be the best you can be.
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- #LI-hybrid
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People Systems Manager in Leeds employer: NG Bailey Group & Central
NG Bailey Group & Central is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Leeds that fosters collaboration and innovation. With a strong commitment to employee development, the company provides ample growth opportunities and encourages a culture of service excellence, making it an ideal place for those seeking meaningful and rewarding careers in IT support.
Contact Details:
NG Bailey Group & Central Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land People Systems Manager in Leeds
✨Join HR Networks
Get involved in HR-specific communities, like the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and local HR meetups. This is a fantastic way to connect with industry professionals and learn about job openings before they even hit job boards!
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Attend HR conferences and workshops in your area to network with potential employers. Don't be shy—introduce yourself, exchange business cards, and let them know you're keen on a full-time role in HR. Who knows, you might just land a friendly face at NG Bailey Group & Central!
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Create content around HR topics you’re passionate about, like employee engagement or diversity initiatives. Share articles or insights on LinkedIn to demonstrate your knowledge and get noticed by recruiters. It’s a subtle yet effective way to show you’re the right fit for a full-time role at NG Bailey Group & Central.
We think you need these skills to ace People Systems Manager in Leeds
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your HR Skills:When you’re crafting your CV, make sure you highlight specific HR skills that are relevant to the role at NG Bailey Group & Central. Include any experience with recruitment processes, employee relations, or performance management, and don’t forget to mention your familiarity with HR software or tools that could give you an edge.
Tailor Your Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine, so tailor it to NG Bailey Group & Central and the specific HR role. Highlight your passion for people management and how your unique approach can help foster a positive workplace culture. Be sure to sprinkle in examples from your past experiences that illustrate your problem-solving abilities and interpersonal skills.
Include Relevant Certifications:If you’ve got any HR certifications or relevant training under your belt, be sure to showcase them! These qualifications can really set you apart from other candidates when applying for this full-time HR position at NG Bailey Group & Central. List them prominently on your CV to catch the hiring manager's eye.
Align with Company Culture:Make sure your application speaks to NG Bailey Group & Central's values and culture. Research the company and align your experiences or values with what they stand for. This will show them that you're not only a fit for the role but also for the overall vibe of the team and organisation.
How to prepare for a job interview at NG Bailey Group & Central
✨Brush Up on HR Best Practices
As you're diving into human resources, it’s crucial to be well-versed in the latest HR practices and legislation. Get familiar with key topics like employee engagement, talent acquisition, and diversity initiatives, as these could easily pop up in your interview with NG Bailey Group & Central.
✨Know Your Recruitment Tools
Most HR roles involve using various recruitment tools and ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems). Make sure you can comfortably discuss platforms like Workday or Greenhouse. If you've had direct experience, share those examples; if not, show your eagerness to learn!
✨Highlight Your People Skills
A full-time HR role at NG Bailey Group & Central will require strong interpersonal skills. Prepare to share stories that demonstrate how you’ve successfully navigated conflicts or supported team members in past experiences. Authenticity goes a long way in this field.
✨Stay Current with HR Trends
Being up to speed with current HR trends, like remote working protocols or mental health initiatives, can set you apart. Be ready to discuss how these trends could impact NG Bailey Group & Central and how you would contribute to adapting HR strategies.
