Head of People & Operations in City of London

We are delighted to be supporting a growing, people-centred professional services group in the search for a Head of People Operations — a newly shaped leadership role offering significant impact and scope. This is an exceptional opportunity to join an organisation undergoing sustained expansion and transformation, where the People function plays a central role in enabling strategic growth.

Working at the heart of a small but expanding central People team, the Head of People Operations will take ownership of the group-wide HR Operations agenda. This includes HR systems, data, processes, compliance, reporting and employee experience. Acting as a key member of the People leadership team, you will partner closely with the Chief People Officer and peers across People & Culture and Talent Development.

This role will suit an individual who thrives in a dynamic, multi-entity environment and enjoys shaping scalable people infrastructure that enables business performance.

• HR Technology & Systems
  • Lead the development of the People Technology roadmap, partnering with Technology and Data teams.
  • Oversee the implementation and optimisation of HR systems, ensuring strong adoption across all business units.
  • Introduce new modules and system enhancements, ensuring smooth change management.
  • Provide training and support across the People team to strengthen system capability.
  • Drive the development of high-quality people analytics and automated reporting.
• People Processes
  • Design and embed efficient, scalable HR processes across the employee lifecycle.
  • Build centralised onboarding, offboarding, leave and contract change processes that deliver a seamless colleague experience.
  • Lead regular audits to maintain data accuracy and compliance.
  • Drive continuous improvement, automation, and operational excellence.
  • Coordinate the annual salary review cycle end-to-end, working closely with Payroll and People Leads.
  • Oversee screening and vetting processes, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
  • Serve as the escalation point for people-related operational and data queries.
• People Data & Reporting
  • Act as guardian of all people data across the group.
  • Develop high-quality reporting frameworks including dashboards, headcount reporting and trend analysis.
  • Partner with analytics teams to deliver both scheduled and ad hoc data outputs.
  • Lead statutory reporting requirements such as pay gap reporting.
• Integrations
  • Lead people operations workstreams for newly acquired firms.
  • Build trusted relationships with new teams and facilitate a smooth transition onto group systems and processes.
  • Deliver training, induction and ongoing operational support during integrations.

We are seeking a collaborative, data-driven People Operations leader with:

• Experience operating in a complex, multi-site professional services environment.
• Strong expertise in HR systems, data, reporting and process design.
• A passion for data accuracy and using insight to inform decision-making.
• Experience leading cyclical HR processes including salary review and budgeting.
• Prior exposure to building or evolving a service-centre operating model.
• Proven leadership skills with an inclusive, coaching style.
• A track record of delivering at pace and navigating organisational complexity.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities, especially during change or integration.

As a responsible business, it is important that we represent the diversity of our people, our clients and our communities. We believe that the firms that thrive are those with the most diverse team; that's why we work so hard to source the best talent from the broadest pool possible. As an equal opportunities employer we strive to accommodate anyone who may have specific needs. If you require reasonable adjustments to be made during the selection process, please talk to a member of the recruitment team so that any required adjustments can be made in advance.