At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the strategy for People Services, enhancing employee experience and business growth.
- Company: Dynamic company focused on innovative people solutions and growth.
- Benefits: Competitive salary and opportunities for professional development.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with a focus on continuous improvement and team success.
- Why this job: Shape the future of People Services in a growing business environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in senior People Operations and strong analytical skills required.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
The Head of People Services leads the strategy and delivery of the core people infrastructure that supports an excellent employee experience and enables business growth. Bringing together Reward, People Operations, Systems, Automation and Workforce Intelligence, the role ensures People Services are efficient, scalable, well-governed and data informed. This is a broad and exciting role in a growing business, with the opportunity to shape how People Services evolves over time. Success in the role will come from focusing on areas of greatest impact, balancing priorities thoughtfully and using systems and automation in practical, smart ways to create capacity within a modest team. As the business continues to grow, the scope of the role is expected to evolve further as specialist capability in People Systems and Workforce Intelligence develops.
Responsibilities
- Leadership and Strategic Direction
- Define and deliver the People Services strategy, using technology, data and process improvement to enhance efficiency, service quality and employee experience.
- Lead the reward roadmap, ensuring alignment with business priorities and organisational growth.
- Act as a senior adviser to executive and senior leaders on reward, workforce costs, people operations and people-related risk.
- Establish clear ownership and decision-making across People Operations, Reward and Employee Relations.
- Lead, develop and coach a high‑performing specialist team, fostering accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.
- Act as the People Team lead for operational delivery, ensuring key launches and annual people cycle activity are effectively planned, scheduled and aligned with the wider business agenda.
- Reward
- Own the organisation’s reward philosophy, frameworks and governance, ensuring consistent application and clear communication.
- Lead pay transparency, job evaluation and grading, benchmarking and reward governance.
- Oversee workforce cost modelling and scenario planning.
- Lead annual reward processes, including salary review and bonus planning.
- Act as an escalation point for reward implications arising from employee relations matters and organisational change.
- People Services, Systems and Risk
- Own the People Services delivery model, service standards and continuous improvement approach.
- Lead the development, implementation and optimisation of people systems and automation to improve efficiency and enable self‑service.
- Ensure high standards of data integrity, reporting, compliance and operational governance across people processes.
- Oversee audit readiness, vendor performance and payroll data integrity.
- Work closely with People Partners and other stakeholders to ensure operational decisions align with reward frameworks, payroll controls and organisational risk.
- Workforce Intelligence
- Lead the people data and workforce intelligence agenda, ensuring insight supports effective decision‑making and future planning.
- Oversee the prioritisation and delivery of reporting requirements.
- Build stakeholder confidence in using people data to inform action and business decisions.
Experience Required
- Proven experience in a senior People Operations, People Services and/or Reward leadership role.
- Strong understanding of reward, including pay frameworks, benchmarking, job evaluation and annual reward processes.
- Experience leading people systems implementation, optimisation and transformation initiatives.
- Strong analytical capability, with experience using workforce data and insight to support decision‑making.
- Good understanding of governance, compliance, risk management and service delivery within a People function.
- Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders within a fast‑paced business environment.
- Experience leading and developing specialist teams within a changing or growing organisation.
- Commercially minded, pragmatic and able to balance employee experience with business needs.
Skills, Attributes, Behaviours and Mindset
- Leadership Mindset
- Leads with clarity, accountability and a continuous improvement mindset.
- Comfortable balancing strategic priorities with operational delivery.
- Able to navigate complexity and ambiguity with composure and sound judgement.
- Pragmatic and solutions‑focused, with a strong sense of ownership.
- Influence and Impact
- Builds trust and credibility with senior stakeholders across the business.
- Uses insight, data and commercial understanding to influence decision‑making.
- Balances governance and operational excellence with employee experience.
- Collaboration and Culture
- Thrives in collaborative environments where success is shared collectively.
- Builds strong partnerships across People, Finance and Operational teams.
- Champions scalable, efficient and people‑centred ways of working.
Compensation: Competitive salary
Head of People - Partnering and Development employer: People & Talent
As the Head of People Services, you will be part of a dynamic and growing organisation that prioritises employee experience and business growth. Our collaborative work culture fosters innovation and continuous improvement, providing ample opportunities for professional development and leadership within a high-performing team. With a focus on leveraging technology and data to enhance efficiency, we offer a competitive salary and a supportive environment where your contributions will directly impact the evolution of our People Services.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of People - Partnering and Development
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry on LinkedIn or at events. A friendly chat can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Tailor your answers to show how your experience aligns with their values and goals. We want to see you shine!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Do mock interviews with friends or use online platforms. The more comfortable you are, the better you’ll perform when it counts.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take that extra step.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of People - Partnering and Development
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to reflect the specific skills and experiences mentioned in the job description. We want to see how your background aligns with our vision for the Head of People role.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills:Highlight your experience in leading teams and driving strategic initiatives. We’re looking for someone who can inspire and develop a high-performing team, so don’t hold back on sharing your success stories!
Be Data-Driven:Since this role involves a lot of data and analytics, make sure to include examples of how you've used data to inform decisions in your previous roles. We love seeing candidates who can leverage insights to drive business outcomes.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at People & Talent
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you have a solid understanding of the core responsibilities outlined in the job description. Brush up on your knowledge of reward frameworks, people operations, and workforce intelligence. Being able to discuss these topics confidently will show that you're serious about the role.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've led teams and influenced senior stakeholders in previous roles. Think about specific situations where you balanced strategic priorities with operational delivery. This will demonstrate your leadership mindset and ability to navigate complexity.
✨Data is Key
Since this role involves a lot of data-driven decision-making, be ready to discuss how you've used workforce data in the past. Bring examples of how you've leveraged analytics to improve processes or drive business outcomes. This will highlight your analytical capability and understanding of governance.
✨Cultural Fit Matters
Research the company culture and think about how your values align with theirs. Be prepared to discuss how you thrive in collaborative environments and how you can contribute to building strong partnerships across teams. This will show that you're not just a fit for the role, but for the company as a whole.
