People Projects and Governance Manager (12mths FTC)

Heathrow Group; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Private health insurance

Market-leading pensions

Job summary

Heathrow is seeking a People Projects and Governance Manager to shape our People Plan and drive governance across strategic initiatives. You will partner with senior HR leaders to ensure delivery of high-impact projects and maintain robust governance standards.

You will operate at the interface of strategy, governance, and delivery, turning governance into actionable improvements that elevate employee experience and organisational effectiveness.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in project or programme management within a People, HR, or organisational change environment.
• Experience developing and applying governance frameworks in large organisations.
• Strong stakeholder management and ability to influence senior leaders.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning, governance, and delivery of key People projects aligned to Heathrow’s People Plan.
• Develop and maintain governance frameworks to ensure accountability and transparency.
• Partner with senior leaders to prioritise and deliver change programmes improving employee experience.

Skills

Project management

Governance

Stakeholder management

Change management

Analytics

Organisational skills

Education

PRINCE2 / Agile certification

Job description

Introduction

People are at the heart of Heathrow. Not just the millions of passengers who travel, trade, shop, eat, connect and explore with us every year, but also the thousands of colleagues who go the extra mile to give every one of them the best airport service in the world. In the People team, we partner with people across our business to help to make Heathrow a place where everyone is accepted for who they are and can achieve their best.

Introduction

People are at the heart of Heathrow. Not just the millions of passengers who travel, trade, shop, eat, connect and explore with us every year, but also the thousands of colleagues who go the extra mile to give every one of them the best airport service in the world. In the People team, we partner with people across our business to help to make Heathrow a place where everyone is accepted for who they are and can achieve their best.

We’re a community of human resources and health and safety professionals, encompassing all aspects of HR and wellbeing. Whether your passion is in business partnering, reward, learning and development, or any other specialist area, you’ll be part of a team creating and delivering Heathrow’s innovative People Strategy. We arecommitted to being a truly inclusive organisation that represents the diversity of the local community at every level.

There’s no place like Heathrow – for the buzz, for the variety, for the sense of belonging and for the chance to go on a really fulfilling career journey. We’re passionate about our colleagues’ experience, making Heathrow a great place to work and creating careers, not just jobs.

Job Description

At Heathrow, our people are at the heart of everything we do. As a People Projects and Governance Manager, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping how we deliver our People Plan - ensuring that our initiatives, governance frameworks, and change programmes drive meaningful outcomes for our colleagues and the business. You’ll join a collaborative and forward-thinking People team that partners across the airport to deliver strategic projects that enhance employee experience, strengthen leadership capability, and embed a culture of continuous improvement.

This role sits at the intersection of strategy, governance, and delivery. You’ll support the delivery and implementation of people-related projects that align with Heathrow’s long-term ambitions, ensuring that governance standards are robust, transparent, and enable effective decision-making. Success in this role means creating clarity, consistency, and confidence in how we deliver change - helping Heathrow remain a great place to work and grow.

Your role will involve

• Leading the planning, governance, and aiding the delivery of key people projects that support Heathrow’s People Plan and business strategy.
• Developing and maintaining governance frameworks that ensure accountability, transparency, and effective decision-making across People initiatives.
• Partnering with senior leaders and HR colleagues to prioritise and deliver change programmes that improve employee experience and organisational effectiveness.
• Tracking project performance, identifying risks, and implementing mitigation to ensure successful outcomes.
• Facilitating cross-functional collaboration to embed consistent project management practices and continuous improvement across the People function.
• Providing insight and recommendations to the People Leadership Team to inform strategic decisions and future planning.

These Skills Are Essential

• Proven experience in project or programme management within a People, HR, or organisational change environment.
• Understanding of governance frameworks and their application in complex organisations.
• Experience of managing multi skilled teams, driving performance through clear direction and accountability.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence at senior levels.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret data and translate insights into actionable recommendations.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.

Ideally, you'll also have:

• Professional qualification in project management (e.g. PRINCE2, Agile, or equivalent).
• Experience working in a large, matrixed organisation or within the aviation or transport sector.
• Knowledge of HR systems, processes, and change management methodologies.

About Us

There’s something so special about working at the world’s most iconic airport. Its sights. Its sounds. Its constant air of excitement. Heathrow is an amazing backdrop to a career filled with unique opportunities.

Every day, you’ll discover a world full of fresh possibilities and end the day buzzing with stories to tell, as you encounter people from all cultures, nationalities and experiences. A world full of pride for what we do and no end of exciting career prospects to explore.

It brings out the best in all of us. And inspires everyone to deliver on our ambitious plans. Together, we’re working to welcome millions more passengers while ensuring aviation can continue to be a force for good by leading global efforts in sustainability.

Join us on that journey and we'll help you achieve your ambitions too. Supporting you to learn, encouraging you to be yourself, backing you to achieve more than you might ever have imagined. Because there’s no place like Heathrow.

Our rewards

We offer competitive salaries and excellent benefits that will support you now and in the future. As well as performance-based annual bonuses and our longer-term Share in Success Bonus plans, we also offer generous annual leave allowances and market-leading pensions. With family friendly policies, access to private health insurance and a wide range of wellbeing tools, we’ll support you to be at your best inside and outside work. And of course, we’ll provide varied learning and development opportunities too. Here you’ll find everything you need for a fulfilling career journey that can take you in exciting directions.

Working Location

Our Hybrid working approach offers the opportunity for colleagues in some roles to work from home for an average of two days a week, providing the flexibility to work in an agile way whilst ensuring we deliver for the operational needs of Heathrow . Working arrangements vary from team to team and will be confirmed during the recruitment process. You’ll need to be based in the UK and within a commutable distance to Heathrow.

Sustainable Travel to work

Heathrow’s Sustainable Travel Guide sets out easy and sustainable travel options that everyone can access.

Equal Opportunities

As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all. We believe that diverse talent makes us stronger – not least because we welcome passengers from all corners of the globe, every single day. Heathrow is an accessible place to work. With five diversity networks, we champion inclusivity and celebrate individuality.