People Operations Lead

Campaign Against Living Miserably; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited annual leave

Healthcare cash plan

6% pension contribution

Therapeutic services (post probation)

Hybrid working

Nine day fortnight

Job summary

Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is seeking a People Operations Lead to shape culture, processes and HR systems in a busy environment. You will own employee lifecycle activities, ensure compliant administration and support managers with complex people matters.

The role combines operations, policy updates and internal comms, with hybrid working arrangements in London and remote days. A CIPD-aligned background and data-driven mindset are essential.

Qualifications

• HR experience across the employee lifecycle in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice.
• Experience advising on employee relations, grievance and disciplinary processes.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end people operations and HR system administration with meticulous attention to detail.
• Provide expert guidance on employee relations and coach managers to handle sensitive matters.

Skills

Attention to detail

People operations

Empathy

Communication

Data & systems

Education

CIPD Level 5 or equivalent

Level 3 qualification with demonstrated practical experience

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 are 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;

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About us

We’re Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), and we’re united against suicide.

We’re a suicide prevention charity, on a mission to help people end their misery, not their lives. We run stigma-smashing campaigns, offer loads of digital tools and resources, and run a life-saving helpline - all designed to help people find hope and a way forward. We are - united against suicide.

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Don't meet every requirement? We’re still interested.

Research shows that people from marginalised groups – including women, LGBTQ+ people, people from global majority backgrounds, disabled people, and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds – are less likely to apply for a role unless they meet the full criteria. At CALM, we know that skills and potential come in many forms, and that diverse perspectives and lived experience of mental health or suicide can be just as valuable as formal qualifications.

If you're passionate about our mission but your experience doesn't tick every box, we'd still love to hear from you. You could be exactly who we're looking for.

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Safeguarding

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and adults at risk, both offline and online. We recognise that harm can occur in physical, digital, and virtual environments, and we take our safeguarding responsibilities seriously across all areas of our work.