Director of HR Operations
Director of HR Operations

Director of HR Operations

London Full-Time 43200 - 72000 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead HR Operations, ensuring a seamless colleague experience from hire to retire.
  • Company: Sysco GB is the UK's largest foodservice supplier, dedicated to quality and inclusion.
  • Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, car allowance, bonus scheme, private healthcare, and flexible working.
  • Why this job: Shape the future of HR in a dynamic environment focused on innovation and inclusivity.
  • Qualifications: Proven HR leadership experience, especially in fast-paced environments; Workday expertise is a plus.
  • Other info: Join a culture that values diversity and empowers everyone to thrive.

The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.

This job is brought to you by Jobs/Redefined, the UK\’s leading over-50s age inclusive jobs board.

Company Description

Job Description

Director of HR Operations

Location: Home based with travel to sites and Ashford Customer Support Centre
Package: Competitive salary, car allowance, bonus scheme, private healthcare, and more

Be part of what\’s next at Sysco GB.

At Sysco GB (Brakes, Fresh Direct, KFF & Medina), we\’ve laid the foundations of a bold HR transformation, investing heavily in people, process, and platforms. With the successful global implementation of Workday, we\’re ready to shift from build to scale. As our Director of HR Operations, you\’ll play a pivotal role in shaping the future of colleague services for our 8,500+ colleagues nationwide.

Reporting directly to the GB HR Director, you\’ll lead a talented team of 25 across HR Administration, Payroll, People Analytics & Systems,

Your impact:

As Director of HR Operations, you will:

  • Lead & inspire the HR Operations function to deliver a streamlined, digitally enabled, colleague first experience across the entire hire-to-retire lifecycle
  • Champion service delivery through continuous improvement, simplification and automation, leveraging our global Workday platform by owning and optimising core HCM processes and user adoption across the GB business
  • Accountable for end-end payroll operations across GB, ensuring accurate and timely colleague pay across multiple sites, while maintaining full compliance with legal, regulatory and audit requirements
  • Drive shared services maturity, embedding best-practice operations, robust SLA governance and scalable service models that support our fast-moving, customer-centric business
  • Optimise people systems, data and insights, ensuring timely, trusted analytics inform decision-making across all levels of the organisation, driving smarter workforce planning and improved business outcomes
  • Champion continuous improvement, streamlining policies, simplifying processes and digitising manually tasks to free up HR capacity and improve turnaround times
  • Drive operational excellence, leading strong governance across SLAs, KPIs, service quality and risk management, ensuring compliance and consistency in every interaction
  • Collaborate cross-functionally, working closely with HR Business Partners, Centres of Excellence, Technology, Change, PMO, Finance and IT to deliver HR programmes and innovation
  • Lead HR project delivery, ensuring change is well-executed, people centred and delivers tangible business impact and support transformation, ensuring the function is agile and change ready as the wider business evolves and scales
  • Strengthen operational compliance, embedding consistent policies, employment practices and controls in partnership with our CoEs and Legal teams
  • Represent HR Operations on key steering groups and external forums, helping shape the broader people agenda across Sysco GB and Sysco International

What you\’ll bring:

You\’re a delivery focussed leader with a strong operational expertise and an eye on the future. You will bring:

  • Proven leadership in HR Operations or Shared Services functions at scale, ideally within high-paces, multi-site or matrixed environments (experience in retail, distribution, logistics, or FMCG a plus)
  • Deep, hands on experience with Workday HCM, with a track record or successfully embedding and optimising system processes, configuration, reporting and user experience (knowledge of Time Tracking and Payroll modules are advantageous)
  • Proven experience in end-to-end payroll operations, with a deep understanding of statutory requirements, tax regulations and audit controls (SAP knowledge highly desirable)
  • Commercial acumen, influencing skills and the confidence to operate at both strategic and tactical levels
  • Demonstrated success in leading operational teams through transformation, with the ability to embed and sustain change
  • Inspirational people leadership, coaching and motivating and growing teams while embedding a high performance, customer focused culture
  • A modern, progressive HR mindset, always seeking smarter ways to deliver value through digital, data and design thinking
  • Resilience, pace and a passion for getting things done well in complex and evolving environments
  • Sound understanding of UK employment law, contracts, policy governance and audit/ risk mitigation

Why Sysco GB?

We\’ve laid the foundations for a modern HR function, digitally enabled, colleague focused and fit for the future. With Workday now in place and a culture built on inclusion, pace and performance, we\’re ready to take HR and the business, from good to great. This is your opportunity to shape what comes next. The scope of this role may evolve over time, with opportunities to take on broader responsibilities in line with business needs an priorities.

We offer flexibility, autonomy and a package designed to reward you, plus award-winning food at near cost price, an inclusive team and a business that believes everyone should have a seat at the table, belong and thrive.

We don\’t want you to \”fit\” our culture, we want you to help shape it.

Qualifications

Additional Information

At Brakes everyone is welcome. We don\’t want you to \’fit our culture\’ we want you to help define it and we actively celebrate the unique talents of each and every colleague. We don\’t just look at your CV, we\’re more focused on who you are and your potential. As part of our values, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture where everyone has a voice, is appreciated and has the same opportunities. We work hard to ensure that everyone feels part of our business, as we care for one another and connect the world through food and trusted partnerships. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that everyone belongs and thrives at Brakes and we recognise that Brakes can only thrive when everyone feels they belong. We\’ll do everything we can to support you during your application. If you need us to make any adjustments to our recruitment process, speak to our resourcing team who will be happy to support you.

Brakes

Built on a passion for food and feeding the nation, we are the UK\’s largest foodservice supplier. Every day Brakes deliver the highest quality fresh and frozen food and ingredients from our nationwide network of distribution centres to some of the nation\’s most famous pubs and restaurants, as well as schools, caterers, care homes and hospitals. Our customers depend on us, and our 8,000-strong workforce is dedicated and proud to be part of this vital provision. And we\’re growing!

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Director of HR Operations employer: Sysco GB

At Sysco GB, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that champions inclusivity and innovation. As the Director of HR Operations, you will lead a talented team in a digitally enabled environment, with ample opportunities for professional growth and development. Our commitment to employee well-being is reflected in our competitive benefits package, including private healthcare and a bonus scheme, all while fostering a collaborative atmosphere where every voice is valued.
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Contact Detail:

Sysco GB Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Director of HR Operations

✨Tip Number 1

Familiarise yourself with Workday HCM, as it's a key platform for this role. Consider taking online courses or tutorials to deepen your understanding of its functionalities, especially in payroll and analytics.

✨Tip Number 2

Network with professionals in HR operations, particularly those who have experience in high-paced environments like retail or logistics. Attend industry events or join relevant online forums to gain insights and make valuable connections.

✨Tip Number 3

Showcase your leadership skills by volunteering for projects that involve team management or transformation initiatives. This will demonstrate your ability to lead operational teams through change, which is crucial for the Director role.

✨Tip Number 4

Stay updated on UK employment law and best practices in HR governance. Subscribe to HR newsletters or follow thought leaders in the field to ensure you are well-informed and can discuss these topics confidently during interviews.

We think you need these skills to ace Director of HR Operations

Leadership in HR Operations
Experience with Workday HCM
End-to-End Payroll Operations
Understanding of Statutory Requirements
Commercial Acumen
Influencing Skills
Operational Transformation
People Leadership
Coaching and Team Development
Knowledge of UK Employment Law
Policy Governance
Risk Mitigation
Data-Driven Decision Making
Change Management
Collaboration Across Functions

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in HR operations, particularly in multi-site or matrixed environments. Emphasise your leadership skills and any hands-on experience with Workday HCM.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for HR transformation and how your background aligns with the role. Mention specific achievements that demonstrate your ability to lead operational teams through change.

Showcase Relevant Skills: Highlight your knowledge of UK employment law, payroll operations, and your ability to drive continuous improvement. Use examples to illustrate your commercial acumen and strategic thinking.

Prepare for Potential Questions: Anticipate questions related to your experience with Workday and your approach to leading HR transformations. Be ready to discuss how you would optimise HR processes and enhance colleague experiences.

How to prepare for a job interview at Sysco GB

✨Understand the Role and Responsibilities

Before the interview, make sure you thoroughly understand the job description and the key responsibilities of the Director of HR Operations. Be prepared to discuss how your previous experiences align with these responsibilities, especially in areas like payroll operations and HR transformation.

✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills

As a potential leader for a team of 25, it's crucial to demonstrate your leadership style and how you inspire and motivate teams. Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams through change and transformation in previous roles.

✨Familiarise Yourself with Workday

Since the role involves optimising the Workday platform, ensure you have a solid understanding of its functionalities, particularly in HCM processes and payroll modules. Be ready to discuss any hands-on experience you have with Workday and how you've used it to improve HR operations.

✨Emphasise Continuous Improvement

Sysco GB values continuous improvement and innovation. Prepare to share specific examples of how you've streamlined processes or implemented new systems in past roles. Highlight your ability to think critically and creatively about HR operations.

Director of HR Operations
Sysco GB
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  • Director of HR Operations

    London
    Full-Time
    43200 - 72000 £ / year (est.)

    Application deadline: 2027-08-24

  • S

    Sysco GB

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