HR Shared Service Team Lead

Syme Drummond Ltd; Glasgow; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A global organization in Glasgow is seeking an HR Shared Services Team Lead to oversee a small team delivering first-line HR support. This role involves leading operations, ensuring high-quality service delivery, and managing team performance. The ideal candidate possesses extensive HR Shared Services experience, strong leadership skills, and a passion for operational excellence. The position offers hybrid working and competitive salary and benefits.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in HR Shared Services or HR Operations, ideally in a multinational environment.
• Experience leading or managing a team, focusing on coaching and performance management.
• Deep understanding of service delivery, SLAs, KPIs, and process improvement.
• Advanced knowledge of HRIS and enterprise case management/ticketing systems.
• Experience managing escalations and VIP requests.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop a team delivering HR support.
• Act as the first point of escalation for complex cases.
• Oversee HRSS transactions ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Monitor KPIs, SLAs, and quality standards for improvement.

Skills

HR Shared Services

Team leadership

Operational excellence

Process improvement

Communication skills

Fluency in English

Tools

HRIS (Oracle preferred)

Enterprise case management

Job description

Overview

HR Shared Services Team Lead – Glasgow. Hybrid working: 3 days on-site, 2 from home. Competitive salary and benefits.

An excellent opportunity to join a global organisation during an exciting phase of transformation, as it builds a world-class HR Shared Services function from the ground up. Based in Glasgow, this new role will lead a team providing first-line HR support across EMEA and North America, combining people leadership, operational excellence, and a focus on continuous improvement.

As the HR Shared Services Team Lead, you’ll oversee a small team of 4, ensuring timely, high-quality HR service delivery across multiple regions. This is a hands-on leadership role, balancing day-to-day operational management with mentoring, coaching, and process development. You’ll work closely with global colleagues with various seniorities across the business to drive service consistency, efficiency, and an exceptional employee experience.

What you’ll be doing

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of HR Shared Services professionals to deliver first-line HR support and case resolution.
• Act as the first point of escalation for complex or high-priority cases, ensuring effective triage, routing, and resolution.
• Oversee HRSS transactions, maintaining a strong focus on accuracy, compliance, and data integrity.
• Coordinate workflow planning and operational coverage, ensuring smooth collaboration across global time zones.
• Partner with global HR Operations and the Malaysia hub to ensure consistent, seamless service delivery and effective case handoffs.
• Monitor KPIs, SLAs, and quality standards; identify opportunities for process improvement and team development.
• Support transformation and continuous improvement projects as the function evolves and expands its remit.

About you

You’re an experienced HR Shared Services leader with a passion for operational excellence and team development. You understand the pace, complexity, and precision required to deliver exceptional HR support in a global, multi-site environment.

Essential experience needed:

• Proven, extensive experience in HR Shared Services or HR Operations, ideally in a multinational environment.
• Proven experience leading or managing a team, with a focus on coaching, mentoring, and performance management.
• A deep understanding of service delivery, SLAs, KPIs, and process improvement.
• Advanced knowledge of HRIS (Oracle preferred) and enterprise case management/ticketing systems.
• Strong communication skills and cultural awareness, with the ability to build trust across regions and functions.
• Experience managing escalations and VIP requests, maintaining discretion and professionalism.
• Fluency in English is essential; proficiency in German, Swedish or Finnish is highly advantageous.
• A flexible, solutions-focused mindset with comfort navigating change in a fast-growing global environment.

Why this role?

This is a rare opportunity to support the evolution of a newly established HR Shared Services hub and play a key role in its success. You’ll have genuine scope to influence how processes and standards evolve while leading a small, capable team in a business that values innovation, collaboration, and high performance.

You’ll report to a supportive and experienced Global HRSS Director who is passionate about developing their people and creating an environment where trust, accountability, and growth are at the heart of the team.

If you’re ready to lead a team and make a meaningful impact within a global HR Ops transformation, this is an exciting time to join.

Apply now or email [e-mail] to hear more!