Human Resources Operations Manager

HR Heads; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits

Job summary

HR Heads is seeking an experienced People Services Manager to shape and deliver global people services. You will lead a modern, insight-led function integrating payroll, systems, workforce data and employee experience, and drive governance and reporting across jurisdictions.

Based in the Southampton area with hybrid working, the role offers significant scope to influence strategic HR delivery and transform how services are provided across a multinational organisation.

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading HR Operations, Shared Services or People Services functions.
• Strong payroll governance and operational delivery experience.
• Solid understanding of HR systems, ideally including NetSuite or similar enterprise platforms.
• Experience producing meaningful workforce reporting, dashboards and analytics.
• Strong process improvement and continuous improvement capability.
• Experience of systems implementation, optimisation or digital transformation.
• Strong stakeholder management skills across HR, Finance, IT and operations.
• Experience working within international/multi-site environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery and continuous improvement of People Services across the organisation.
• Develop and maintain a clear global people services operating model.
• Own payroll governance, controls and service delivery across relevant jurisdictions.
• Act as the key HR lead for NetSuite and associated people systems.
• Drive improvements in data quality, reporting and workforce analytics.
• Build dashboards and management information for leaders to make better decisions.
• Oversee employee lifecycle processes from onboarding through departure.
• Drive process automation and digitisation initiatives.
• Manage service providers, systems partners and key stakeholders.
• Lead ongoing service improvement programmes addressing root causes rather than symptoms.

Skills

HR Operations leadership

Payroll governance

HR systems

Workforce analytics

Process improvement

Stakeholder management

Multi-site environments

Tools

NetSuite

Job description

Southampton | Hybrid Working | Up to £70,000 + Benefits

Our client is a globally recognised membership organisation supporting operations across Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. With specialist teams located around the world, they help organisations prepare for and respond to complex operational challenges in demanding environments.

With approximately 300 employees across multiple international locations, the organisation combines a strong sense of purpose with genuine global impact. It is now investing in the next phase of its HR function, creating an exciting opportunity for an experienced People Services Manager to help shape how people services are delivered across the business.

The Opportunity

Reporting directly to the HR Director, this is far more than a traditional HR Operations role.

The organisation has a clear ambition to build a modern, insight-led people function where systems, processes, payroll, workforce data and employee experience work seamlessly together.

The successful candidate will lead the design and delivery of global people services, ensuring high levels of operational excellence whilst developing the reporting, systems and governance needed to support better decision‑making across the organisation.

This is a rare opportunity to combine operational leadership, technology, analytics ad service improvement in a role with real influence and visibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery and continuous improvement of People Services across the organisation.
• Develop and maintain a clear global people services operating model.
• Own payroll governance, controls and service delivery across relevant jurisdictions.
• Act as the key HR lead for NetSuite and associated people systems.
• Drive improvements in data quality, reporting and workforce analytics.
• Build dashboards and management information that enable leaders to make better workforce decisions.
• Oversee employee lifecycle processes, ensuring high-quality service delivery from onboarding through to departure.
• Drive process simplification, automation and digitisation initiatives.
• Manage service providers, systems partners and key stakeholder relationships.
• Lead ongoing service improvement programmes, ensuring root causes are addressed rather than symptoms.

What We’re Looking For

We're keen to speak with experienced HR Operations, Shared Services or People Services professionals who enjoy creating structure, improving processes and using data to drive organisational improvement.

You’ll likely bring

• Significant experience leading HR Operations, Shared Services or People Services functions.
• Strong payroll governance and operational delivery experience.
• A solid understanding of HR systems, ideally including NetSuite or similar enterprise platforms.
• Experience producing meaningful workforce reporting, dashboards and analytics.
• Strong process improvement and continuous improvement capability.
• Experience of systems implementation, optimisation or digital transformation.
• Strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to influence across HR, Finance, IT and operational teams.
• Experience working within multi‑site, international or complex operational environments.

Particularly Relevant Backgrounds

We would be interested in hearing from individuals currently working as:

• HR Operations Manager
• People Operations Manager
• HR Shared Services Manager
• HR Service Delivery Manager
• Head of HR Operations
• People Services Manager

Experience gained within international, regulated, operational or safety‑critical environments would be particularly attractive.

Why Join?

This is an opportunity to join an organisation with a genuinely unique purpose and international reach at a pivotal stage in its evolution.

Working closely with an experienced HR Director, you'll play a key role in transforming how people services are delivered, helping the organisation become more data‑driven, efficient and strategically focused.

For someone passionate about people operations, technology, workforce data and service excellence, this role offers the chance to make a lasting impact and build capability that will support the organisation for years to come.