Head of HR Operations

Co-op Academies Trust; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

An educational trust in Manchester seeks an experienced HR Operations Manager to lead HR services, ensuring compliance and operational effectiveness. Ideal candidates will have a Chartered CIPD qualification, a strong HR leadership background, and a commitment to safeguarding children. The role involves driving continuous improvement and innovative HR strategies within a hybrid working model.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in leading multi-disciplinary HR operations.
• Strong understanding of people systems and compliance frameworks.
• Expertise in using data-driven insights for strategic decisions.

Responsibilities

• Lead HR service delivery across the employee lifecycle.
• Ensure compliance with employment legislation and data protection.
• Drive people transformation initiatives and change management.

Skills

Team leadership

Process design and innovation

Systems mindset

Employment legislation

GDPR

Change management approaches

Project management

Education

Chartered CIPD or equivalent experience

Job description

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About the Job

Purpose of role:

• To combine strategic oversight and operational delivery, the role ensures efficient, compliant, and people-centric services that support our evolving workforce.
• To lead the HR operations team to provide excellent, value for money operational HR services aligned to our values to enable the Trust to achieve its objectives
• To enable delivery of the people strategy through:
• casework and advice
• integrated HR process across policy, guidance, HRIS
• reporting and analysis of people data
• continuous improvement across HR operations
• wider activities across the employee lifecycle, as may be determined following the review of HR across the Trust.
• To lead on HR policy reviews and operational effectiveness
• Deputise for the CPO as required

Key accountabilities (and specific duties / responsibilities):

• To build and lead a high performing operational HR team driving continuous improvement, innovation, and resilience across HR Operations to support our employee journeys.
• Lead end-to-end HR service delivery across the employee lifecycle, including onboarding, contractual changes, absence management, offboarding, benefits administration and HR hub. Drive excellence in service performance, automation, simplification, and process scalability across volume HR functions.
• Own and evolve HRIS/People Systems to meet evolving business needs, ensuring robust data governance, ID verification, and regulatory compliance. Collaborate cross-functionally to digitize workflows, improve reporting accuracy, and enhance user experience and analytics capabilities.
• Ensure full compliance with employment legislation, data protection (GDPR), and internal policies. Lead risk mitigation, conduct regular audits, and serve as a key stakeholder in Trust-wide projects
• Sponsor and deliver people transformation initiatives. Apply agile and change management methodologies to embed change sustainably and align projects with Trust strategy.
• A key member of HR LT. Inspire and lead multidisciplinary teams, fostering a culture of accountability, development, and inclusion. Partner with senior leaders to align HR Operations with strategic intent, acting as a trusted advisor and championing HR Operations.

Personal attributes required (based on job description)

Qualifications

• Chartered CIPD or equivalent experience (Essential)

Experience

• A proven track record in leading multi-disciplinary HR Operations or Shared Services at a senior level.
• Strong understanding of people systems, compliance frameworks, and service delivery models.
• Demonstrated expertise in using data-driven insights to make strategic decisions. ( All essential)

Skills, Ability, Knowledge

• Team leadership
• Process design and innovation, including digitisation
• Systems mindset
• Employment legislation
• GDPR
• Change management approaches
• Project management

(All essential)

Personal Qualities

• Ability to persuade and influence stakeholders at all levels
• All our colleagues are expected to demonstrate a commitment to co-operative values and principles and the Ways of Being Co-op.

Must include qualities relating to the safeguarding of children:

• Motivation to work with children
• Ability to form and maintain appropriate relationships and personal boundaries with children.

Co-op Academies Trust as an aware employer is committed to safeguarding and protecting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults as its number one priority. This commitment to robust recruitment, selection and induction procedures extends to organisations and services linked to the Trust on its behalf. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check with appropriate childrens and/or adults barred list check if necessary. A person who is included in the childrens or adults barred list commits an offence if they engage in regulated activity from which they are barred.

Co-op Academies Trust is committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage or civil partnerships.

Location: United Kingdom (Hybrid)