People Manager

College Group; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Two excellent pension schemes

Brilliant holiday package

Free onsite parking

Fully equipped gym

Discounted spa and salon treatments

Job summary

College Group is seeking an experienced People Manager to lead a high-quality HR service across our college network. This senior role combines strategic partnering with hands-on delivery, shaping workforce strategies to support performance, staff and student experience, and organisational change.

You will manage a team of HR professionals, advise senior leaders on employment law and ER casework, oversee complex cases, and drive workforce planning and data accuracy.

Qualifications

• Experience in a senior advisory or business partnering role.
• Strong knowledge of employment law and employee relations case management.
• Experience leading or supervising teams.
• Confidence working with senior leaders and influencing decision‑making.
• Ability to manage complex, sensitive and high‑risk cases.
• A proactive, solutions‑focused and people‑centred approach.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of people professionals, ensuring high performance, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Partner with managers and senior leaders to design and deliver effective workforce and staffing strategies.
• Provide expert advice across employee relations, performance, absence management, recruitment and organisational change.
• Oversee complex casework, including disciplinary, grievance, capability and restructuring activity.
• Ensure fair, consistent and legally compliant application of HR policies and employment law.
• Support workforce planning, identifying trends, risks and opportunities to improve organisational effectiveness.
• Oversee contracts of employment, compliance and accurate people data management.
• Work closely with Payroll, Recruitment, CPD and external legal advisers to ensure seamless service delivery.
• Lead on attendance management and wellbeing interventions across allocated areas.
• Support and deliver organisational change programmes, including restructuring and consultation processes.

Skills

Senior advisory role

Employee relations

Team leadership

Influencing decision-making

Complex case management

Solutions-focused approach

Organisational skills

Job description

We are seeking an experienced and motivated People Manager to lead the delivery of a high-quality service across our College Group. This is a key leadership role within the People function, combining strategic partnering with operational excellence and team leadership. You will work closely with senior leaders and managers to shape workforce strategies that support our ambition, strengthen performance, and enhance the experience of both staff and students. If you are passionate about people, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and enjoy balancing strategic influence with hands‑on delivery, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference. As People Manager, you will:

• Lead and develop a team of people professionals, ensuring high performance, collaboration and continuous improvement
• Partner with managers and senior leaders to design and deliver effective workforce and staffing strategies
• Provide expert advice across employee relations, performance, absence management, recruitment and organisational change
• Oversee complex casework, including disciplinary, grievance, capability and restructuring activity
• Ensure fair, consistent and legally compliant application of HR policies and employment law
• Support workforce planning, identifying trends, risks and opportunities to improve organisational effectiveness
• Oversee contracts of employment, compliance and accurate people data management
• Work closely with Payroll, Recruitment, CPD and external legal advisers to ensure seamless service delivery
• Lead on attendance management and wellbeing interventions across allocated areas
• Support and deliver organisational change programmes, including restructuring and consultation processes

We are looking for someone who brings:

• Proven experience in a senior advisory or business partnering role
• Strong knowledge of employment law and employee relations case management
• Experience of leading or supervising teams
• Confidence working with senior leaders and influencing decision‑making
• Ability to manage complex, sensitive and high‑risk cases
• A proactive, solutions‑focused and people‑centred approach
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities
• Applicants must be eligible to work in the UK as we do not sponsor work permits, and work permits from other organisations are unacceptable as proof of right to work in the UK.
• A leadership role with real influence across a diverse College Group
• The opportunity to shape workforce strategy and organisational culture
• A supportive and collaborative People & Culture team
• Continuous professional development opportunities
• The chance to make a tangible difference to staff and student experience

A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in everything you do.

If you're ready to lead and influence in a values-driven, learner-focused organisation, we'd love to hear from you!

If this sounds like you and you will enjoy working in a forward thinking, friendly, fast paced, changing environment with state of the art facilities, we would love to hear from you.

In return, we offer a competitive salary, as well as staff benefits.

• choice of two excellent pension schemes
• a brilliant holiday package
• free onsite parking
• access to our fully equipped gym
• discounted in house Spa and Salon treatments