People Operations Lead

Thecalmzone; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited annual leave

Healthcare cash plan

6% pension

Therapy services

Hybrid working

Nine-day fortnight

Job summary

CALM is transforming with a bold new strategy, and you’ll shape people experience, culture and infrastructure as our People Operations Lead. You’ll partner with the Operations Director to build a practical, inclusive and high-performing people ops function across London and remote settings.

You will own HR systems (Personio, Culture Amp, Notion), salary benchmarking, policies, and end-to-end employee lifecycle administration, coaching managers through sensitive people matters with care.

Qualifications

• Relevant HR qualification (CIPD Level 5 preferred) or strong practical experience in People Ops.
• Experience delivering high-detail, fast-paced HR operations.
• Experience providing HR advice and managing employee relations, including grievances and disciplinaries.
• Experience coaching managers on people-related matters.
• Experience developing and improving HR processes and systems.
• Experience using data/feedback to generate insights.

Responsibilities

• Champion CALM culture and values, using feedback and data to optimise the employee experience.
• Own end-to-end people operations, HR platforms, policies and administration.
• Provide guidance on complex employee relations issues and coach managers.
• Lead clear internal communications on policies, benefits and workplace updates.

Skills

People Operations

Employee relations

HR data & systems

Communication

UK employment law

Coaching managers

Education

CIPD Level 5

HR Level 3

Tools

Personio

Culture Amp

Notion

Job description

Your mission

CALM is entering an exciting period of change, with a bold new strategy and big ambitions for the future. As our People Operations Lead, you’ll play a key role in creating the people experience, culture and infrastructure we need to make those ambitions a reality.

Your profile

About You

You are a proactive, detail-obsessed People Ops professional who loves bringing order, structure, and care to people and processes. Highly empathetic yet resilient, you excel at balancing a high volume of operational tasks with sensitive employee relations work. You take pride in being a trusted sounding board for managers, have a natural curiosity for people, data and systems. You are passionate about creating a trusting, inclusive workplace where people feel motivated and supported.

Responsibilities

Employee Experience

Champion CALM’s culture and values, using employee feedback and data to optimise an exceptional employee experience, from recruitment to offboarding. Collaborate with the Operations Team to continuously evolve workplace practices and productivity to meet the changing needs of the organisation and our people.

Operational Excellence & Flawless Administration

Own end-to-end people operations and systems with meticulous attention to detail. This includes maintaining HR platforms (Personio, Culture Amp, Notion), managing salary benchmarking, keeping policies both compliant and relevant. Ensure flawless, reliable administration across every touchpoint of the employee lifecycle.

Manager Empowerment & Employee Relations

Work with our HR partners to provide expert guidance on complex employee relations issues, equipping and coaching managers to navigate sensitive people matters confidently, professionally, and with care.

Internal Comms

Act as an excellent written and verbal communicator across CALM, leading the clear and engaging communication of policies, benefits, and workplace updates, ensuring teams remain informed and connected.

Qualification

• A relevant HR qualification, ideally CIPD Level 5 or equivalent. We would also consider candidates with a Level 3 qualification who can demonstrate exceptional practical experience and expertise in people operations and employee experience, alongside a commitment to continuing their professional development.

Experience

• Experience delivering flawless attention to detail in a fast-paced and busy environment.
• Strong practical experience across People Operations and the employee lifecycle.
• Experience providing HR advice and managing employee relations matters, including grievance and disciplinary processes.
• Experience supporting and coaching managers to confidently handle people-related situations.
• Experience developing and improving people processes, policies and systems.
• Experience using data and feedback to identify insights and drive improvements.
• Experience partnering with Hiring Managers and recruiters to provide an exceptional candidate experience.
• Experience working with HR systems such as Personio, Culture Amp or similar platforms.
• Excellent working knowledge of UK employment law and current HR best practice.

Competencies

• People-centred & pragmatic:You genuinely care about people and are motivated by creating an excellent employee experience. You balance empathy with sound judgement and practical action.
• Inclusive:You actively seek different perspectives and is committed to creating an environment where people feel valued, respected and able to contribute.
• Organised:You deliver a high standard of work while managing competing priorities.
• Adaptable:You’re comfortable working in an organisation with evolving needs.
• Continuous improvement mindset:You naturally look for ways to make things better and more effective, using insight to guide your approach.

Why us?

• Reports to:Operations Director
• Contract:Permanent
• Benefits:Unlimited annual leave, Healthcare cash plan, 6% pension contribution, therapeutic services (after completion of probation), hybrid working & nine day fortnight
• Based:London Waterloo twice a week (Wednesdays and Thursdays) / Remote Working (Mon, Tues & Fri), 9.30am - 5.30pm.
• Salary:£45k - £52k per annum. We benchmark our salaries to ensure our pay structure remains fair, transparent, and equitable for everyone in our team.

Applications will close on Thursday 1st October and are reviewed on a rolling basis; we encourage interested candidates to apply early.