Base pay range
Contract: Permanent, Full‑time, 35 hours per week
Salary: £57,415 – £60,436 per annum with excellent benefits
Location: London, UK
UK hybrid working: at least 40 % of working time face‑to‑face (London office, external meetings or travel). Two days per week, one Thursday, when the UK People Team are office based.
About WaterAid
We are a global federation driven by a single vision: a world where everyone, everywhere has clean water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030. Powered by our values of Respect, Accountability, Courage, Collaboration, Integrity and Innovation, we work alongside communities, partners and supporters to make change happen.
About the team
The UK People Team play a critical role in helping WaterAid realise its goals. We lead on the development, deployment and application of strategies, policies and guidance that ensure that WaterAiders are aligned and engaged, and that they have the skills and opportunities to maximise the impact they can make to our mission. A small, impactful team, at the forefront of our delivery is the service we give to the organisation and central to that is our employee experience to support WaterAiders and the maintenance of a high‑performing environment.
About the role
A key leadership position in the UK, responsible for leading a dynamic and talented team that delivers the highest standards of operational support to WaterAiders in country. The role will need to plan, prioritise and deliver to a high standard what we promise in order to deliver our ambitious mission.
In this role you will
- Manage, coach and build the capabilities of the People Support Team, their performance and development in line with our values and people promise.
- Own UK People Team policies, processes and procedures, ensuring they meet legislative requirements, are fit for purpose and in line with best practice and organisational priorities under the umbrella of our employee value proposition.
- Lead the delivery of the programme of work so that service standards are met, solutions are pragmatic and driven by our values, minimising risk.
- Accountable for the delivery of UK monthly payroll and pension processes, providing oversight and support to the work of the in‑house Payroll Officer and being a back‑up to their role, to ensure payroll is run accurately each month.
- Implement the annual pay award operationally ensuring accuracy, compliance and timeliness of payment to all UK based staff.
- Implement a new payroll system for the UK.
- Primary super user of HR Information System, PeoplePlace, ensuring effective and efficient use of the system. Responsible that the country’s employee data is correct and in compliance with data protection.
- Drive the importance of data and people analytics and create a culture of data‑based decision‑making and insight across the team.
- Maintain the monthly UK headcount establishment data with key stakeholders in Finance.
- Annual analysis and statutory reporting of the Pay Gap in the UK.
- Act as the UK Team specialist on areas of HR compliance, working with 3rd parties and specialist advisors, to ensure that our policies, processes and practices are compliant and meet legal requirements.
- Provide senior expertise and build capability across the wider people function on data protection in the People Team.
- Ownership of salary calculations in the event of employee termination and/or redundancy.
- Monthly payroll and pension sign off.
- Budget management and invoice approval.
Requirements
- Proven experience in leading, managing and developing a high‑performing people operations team in a matrix, fast‑paced organisation.
- Proven experience in managing and running in‑house payroll for at least 250 staff or more.
- Excellent understanding of HR policy development and proven experience in developing and embedding HR policies, processes and procedures that are fit for purpose.
- A qualified and robust HR Practitioner who has sound and up‑to‑date knowledge of employment law, tax and legislative requirements affecting a wide spectrum of HR policies and practice, i.e. payroll, pension, reward and benefits, together with their application in the context of the employee experience.
- Working knowledge and experience of HR and Payroll systems to maximise functionality and create efficiencies.
- Demonstrated project management capability.
- Proven experience in contract management and managing a wide range of third‑party service providers.
Personal qualities
- A self‑starter focused on delivery and execution: proactive in bringing solutions and recommendations to resolve problems and continuously improve HR practices.
- Able to navigate uncertainty and ambiguity: comfortable working at pace, resilient and able to work under pressure.
Desirable capabilities
- Degree‑level education or equivalent.
- Associate (or higher) membership of the CIPD or equivalent work experience.
- An interest in and/or knowledge of development issues and the work of INGOs.
Benefits
- 36 days holiday (including 8 Bank Holidays) – see note below for clarification.
- Option to buy an extra 5 days annual leave.
- Employer pension contribution up to 10 %.
- Flexible and hybrid working arrangements.
- Season ticket loan.
- Free annual eye tests.
- ‘Give as you Earn’ charitable giving scheme.
- Enhanced parental leave (maternity, adoption/surrogacy, shared parental and paternity).
- Sabbaticals.
- One paid volunteer day each year.
As part of our annual leave policy, all employees receive three additional days of annual leave on top of their standard allocation of 25 days. These days are designated to cover the period when our UK office closes between Christmas and New Year, allowing all UK WaterAiders to take a well‑deserved break.
Equal Opportunities
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, beliefs, customs, traditions, ways of life, and status. This includes, but is not limited to, race, ethnicity, caste, colour, gender, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, disability status, neurodiversity, age, marital and family status, sexual orientation and gender identity, health status, place of residence, economic and social situation.
Safeguarding
We are committed to protecting everyone we come into contact with. All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks (which can include counter‑terrorism, safeguarding and criminal records checks).
Application deadline
Applications close 28 October 2025 at 12:00 PM UK time. Availability for the first interview (online) is required for 10 November 2025, and the second interviews will take place in person at Canary Wharf on 19 November 2025.
How to apply
Click Apply to upload your CV and a short one‑pager cover letter.
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