At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic People Operations team and enhance our customer-focused service.
- Company: Join Peabody, a modern organisation dedicated to making a difference.
- Benefits: Enjoy 30 days annual leave, flexible benefits, and leadership development opportunities.
- Other info: Hybrid working model with 3 days on-site and excellent career progression.
- Why this job: Shape the future of our People service and support thousands of colleagues.
- Qualifications: Experience in HR operations, team management, and strong communication skills.
Pitsea, Essex – hybrid working, 3 days a week on site. We’re looking for a Team Leader to lead within our newly created People Operations team and help shape a brilliant, customer-focused People service across Peabody. This is a hands-on role where you’ll manage a small team, oversee day-to-day service delivery, act as the escalation point for complex queries, and make sure our People Operations are efficient, compliant and consistently high quality. You’ll act as an advisory, providing guidance to colleagues and managers as part of the tiered People Operations customer model. You’ll sit at the heart of our people function, working closely with payroll, people relations and strategic partners to deliver a seamless end-to-end service.
About the role
Your day might include reviewing workloads and service metrics, coaching your team, handling complex People cases, and working with stakeholders to improve how we deliver our service.
- Manage, coach and develop a team of People Operations Assistants and Administrators
- Oversee triage and resolution of HR queries across the business
- Provide second-line HR advice to managers and colleagues
- Ensure pay-impacting changes are accurate, compliant and on time
- Own quality, compliance, audit and data accuracy for your area
- Manage escalations and more complex HR cases
- Drive continuous improvement across processes, systems and service delivery
- Build strong relationships across the wider People function and the business
You’ll need to be in the office for 3 days per week and the remaining time you’ll be able to work remotely.
What you’ll bring
You’re a confident, supportive Team Leader who enjoys balancing people management with operational delivery. You’re organised, commercially aware, calm under pressure, and passionate about delivering a great customer experience with a high level of integrity and doing the right thing. You’re comfortable challenging constructively, making decisions, and holding high standards while still being kind, fair and collaborative.
- Solid experience in a People / HR Shared Service / operations environment
- Proven experience supervising/managing or mentoring a team
- Good working knowledge of employment law and HR best practice
- Confidence using HR systems, data and case management tools
- Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills
- CIPD Level 5 (or equivalent experience)
- A proactive, solutions-focused and improvement-driven mindset
Why join us? At Peabody, we’re building a modern, customer-focused People service that really makes a difference. You’ll play a key leadership role in shaping how we support thousands of colleagues across the organisation.
- 30 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays
- Two paid volunteering days per year
- 4x life assurance
- Up to 10% matched pension contribution
- Flexible benefits package
- Leadership development and career progression opportunities
If this sounds like the right opportunity for you, please apply by submitting an anonymised CV and a short supporting statement outlining your suitability for the role. Closing date: 20th May 2026 at midnight. Interviews will be ongoing and in person at our Pitsea office no later than 29th May. You'll need to allow 90 minutes for the interview which will consist of a presentation from you, competency-based questions and a task to complete.
Please note: Peabody is not a licensed UK sponsor, so we’re unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.
People Operations Team Leader in Pitsea employer: Peabody
Contact Detail:
Peabody Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land People Operations Team Leader in Pitsea
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company culture before your interview. Check out Peabody's social media and website to understand their values and mission. This will help you tailor your responses and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of their team.
✨Tip Number 2
Practice your presentation skills! Since you'll need to present during the interview, rehearse what you want to say and how you’ll engage your audience. Keep it clear and concise, and don’t forget to highlight your leadership experience.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for competency-based questions by thinking of specific examples from your past experiences. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers and demonstrate how you've successfully managed teams and resolved complex HR issues.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after your interview! A quick thank-you email can go a long way in showing your appreciation and keeping you top of mind. Plus, it’s a great chance to reiterate your enthusiasm for the role and the company.
We think you need these skills to ace People Operations Team Leader in Pitsea
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the People Operations Team Leader role. Highlight your experience in managing teams and delivering high-quality HR services, as this will show us you’re the right fit for our customer-focused approach.
Craft a Compelling Supporting Statement: Your supporting statement is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you’re passionate about this role and how your skills align with our needs. Be specific about your experience with HR systems and team management.
Showcase Your Leadership Style: We want to know how you lead! In your application, share examples of how you’ve coached and developed your team in the past. This will help us see your supportive and collaborative nature, which is key for this role.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it makes the process smoother for everyone involved.
How to prepare for a job interview at Peabody
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of HR best practices and employment law. Since this role involves providing second-line HR advice, being well-versed in these areas will help you answer questions confidently and demonstrate your expertise.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples that highlight your experience in managing and developing teams. Think about specific situations where you coached someone or resolved a complex issue. This will show that you can balance people management with operational delivery, which is key for this role.
✨Be Ready for Scenario Questions
Expect competency-based questions that assess how you handle HR queries and escalations. Practice articulating your thought process and decision-making skills in these scenarios, as it will showcase your calmness under pressure and your solutions-focused mindset.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Since building strong relationships is crucial, think of ways you've successfully collaborated with different teams or stakeholders in the past. Be prepared to discuss how you would approach relationship-building in this new role, as it will demonstrate your ability to work across the wider People function.