Senior People Operations Manager (12 Months FTC)

Salary: up to £74,000 per year (depending on experience)

Location: London (Hybrid)

Contract: 12 Month Fixed-Term Contract

Reporting to: VP People & Culture

Experience Level: Senior (5+ years’ experience)

Position Summary

We’re looking for an experienced Senior People Operations Manager to join our People & Culture team on a 12‑month fixed‑term contract to cover maternity leave.

Responsibilities

• People Operations LeadershipLead the day‑to‑day delivery of People Operations, ensuring a high‑quality, consistent experience across the employee lifecycle including the compensation review cycle. Act as the most senior People Operations point of contact during the cover period, deputising for the VP People & Culture on operational matters where required. Support P&C team members, providing direction, support, mentoring and quality oversight. Own and improve People Operations processes, policies, and documentation, ensuring they remain fit for purpose, legally compliant, and scalable. Work on employee relations casework, including complex or sensitive matters, escalating to the People Operations Lead or VP where appropriate. Own employee onboarding and payroll administration processes, ensuring positive employee experience, accuracy and compliance. Drive compliance with employment legislation and internal governance and compliance requirements, including ensuring compliant right to work check process. Build strong, trusted relationships with senior managers and business leaders, providing confident and pragmatic HR guidance.
• Workday Ownership, HR Systems and ReportingAct as the senior Workday subject‑matter expert for the business, owning the overall approach to system governance, configuration, and continuous improvement. Lead and manage Workday across all relevant modules, including Absence, Performance & Goals, Recruiting, Compensation cycles. Own the relationship with the wider Group Workday team, representing the business on system updates, testing, and cross‑group rollouts. Lead the scoping, implementation, and embedding of new Workday functionality and process enhancements. Set and maintain standards with the P&C Analyst for data integrity, reporting and audit processes, partnering with the VP People & Culture to ensure accountability for Group and Board reporting. Develop and deliver Workday training and capability‑building across the business, including for senior stakeholders and managers. Use people data and system reporting to surface insights, identify trends, and inform decision‑making. Drive a culture of operational efficiency, proactively identifying opportunities to improve systems, processes, and the employee and manager experience.
• People & Culture ContributionContribute to and, where appropriate, lead on wider People & Culture projects and initiatives during the cover period. Support the VP People & Culture in delivering against the People & Culture strategy. Collaborate with the People Operations Lead to design and deliver learning content for managers and employees beyond Workday training, building broader people management capability across the business. Support employee engagement activity, helping to maintain and strengthen the business as a great place to work. Represent People Operations in cross‑functional forums and senior stakeholder meetings.

Requirements – Essential

• A strong track record in a People Operations, HR Operations, or HR Systems‑focused role, with demonstrable progression to a senior or lead level.
• Hands‑on Workday expertise, including configuration and business process management, with good working knowledge across modules such as Absence, Performance, Goals, Recruiting, and Compensation.
• Experience with employment law and managing complex employee relations cases with minimal supervision.
• Confidence operating as a senior HR point of contact and advising senior managers and leaders.
• Strong analytical skills and experience using people data to support decision‑making.
• Excellent judgement, discretion, and ability to manage sensitive matters professionally.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, with a collaborative and proactive style and ability to partner with cross‑functional teams.
• Comfortable operating independently and driving change management.

Nice to Have

• Experience working in a SaaS, technology, private‑equity‑backed or high‑growth businesses.
• Exposure to HR strategy or organisational development work.
• CIPD qualification or equivalent experience.
• Experience managing or mentoring People Operations team members.
• Familiarity with process improvement methodologies.
• Experience using AI tools to improve productivity and efficiency in People Operations.

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