Head of HR Operations

NHS; Oxford; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 97,000; Full time

Job summary

A local governmental organization based in Oxford is seeking a Head of HR Operations to lead dynamic HR services and innovate solutions for employee relations. The successful candidate will have substantial HR operations experience in large organizations and will collaborate closely with the HR Director to modernize practices and improve staff performance. Salary ranges from £85,682 to £96,260 annually.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in HR operations in large organizations.
• Strong coaching and mentoring skills.
• Ability to deliver dynamic HR services and modern HR solutions.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the HR operations team.
• Drive the use of AI and data in HR processes.
• Ensure effective management and delivery of employee relations.

Job description

Job Summary

Your effective coaching and mentoring style will ensure that your team can learn from the breadth of your experience. The scale of this role cannot be underestimated, with a very busy recruitment team, building new systems and processes, driving both the use of AI and data and insights, dashboards and reporting as well as establishing an effective help desk all with a focus on driving manager self‑service to be fit for the future. Your insights into the effective management and delivery of employee relations will ensure that our people are supported, understand what is required of them and our managers lead with a focus on getting the best from our employees. This means thinking differently about our approach to employee relations, ensuring that mediation and informal resolution are used effectively to help build trust and positive working relationships.

Main Duties of the Job

We are gearing up for Local Government Reorganisation and doing things differently will mean modernising everything that we do and everything that we deliver and truly putting people at the heart of our organisation. This role is not just an ordinary Head of HR Operations, you will be a key member of the HR leadership team and exposed to decision making at the highest levels of the organisation. Working alongside the HR Director you will ensure that HR solutions are recognised as modern, effective and innovative.

About Us

For more details about the role, please refer to the attached information pack. It’s designed to give you a real sense of what it’s like to work at Oxfordshire County Council, outline the role in detail, and help you prepare a strong application. You’ll also find the job description and our People and Culture Strategy included.

Job Description / Responsibilities

Do you believe in delivering dynamic HR services and doing things differently to achieve great impact on your organisation? We are looking for a forward‑thinking seasoned Human Resources (HR) professional who can challenge the status quo and understands the complexities of HR operations in a very large organisation. Your effective coaching and mentoring style will ensure that your team can learn from the breadth of your experience. The scale of this role cannot be underestimated, with a very busy recruitment team, building new systems and processes, driving both the use of AI and data and insights, dashboards and reporting as well as establishing an effective help desk all with a focus on driving manager self‑service to be fit for the future. Your insights into the effective management and delivery of employee relations will ensure that our people are supported, understand what is required of them and our managers lead with a focus on getting the best from our employees. This means thinking differently about our approach to employee relations, ensuring that mediation and informal resolution are used effectively to help build trust and positive working relationships.

Contact

For a confidential discussion about the role, please contact Jan Cox (Interim Head of HR Operations) on [e-mail].

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer Details

Employer name: Oxfordshire County Council

Address: Oxford, OX1 1ND

Website: https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/

Job Details

Reference number: VP531635B7

Location: Oxford (OX1 1ND)

Salary: £85,682 to £96,260 a year

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time

Payment scheme: Other

Date posted: 13 November 2025