People Services Lead

Oakleaf Partnership; Greater London; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Part time

Job summary

A consulting firm is looking for a People Services Lead to oversee their People Service Desk and improve employee experiences. The role demands strong leadership and a proactive approach to process automation and operational efficiency. Candidates should have a CIPD qualification, experience leading a People Service Desk, and the ability to implement innovation. This position offers a competitive daily rate in Central London, with a focus on leadership and continuous improvement.

Benefits

Opportunity to go permanent

Qualifications

• Experience leading a People Service Desk.
• Hands-on HR generalist experience, including visa management.
• Demonstrated success in process transformation.

Responsibilities

• Lead the People Service Desk ensuring efficient operations.
• Oversee employee lifecycle administration.
• Drive automation and optimize HR systems.

Skills

Strong customer service ethos

Problem-solving aptitude

Effective communication skills

Leadership skills

Organizational skills

Analytical abilities

Adaptability and resilience

Education

CIPD qualification or equivalent experience

Tools

Workday

Job description

People Services Lead

• £500 per day (Inside IR35)
• circa 6 months
• 3 days per week on site
• January Start
• Central London
• Opportunity to go permanent

Are you an experienced People Services Leader who thrives on building high‑performing teams, transforming processes, and delivering outstanding employee experiences? Our client, Wellcome, is seeking a dynamic People Services Lead to take ownership of their People Service Desk, elevate service delivery, and drive meaningful improvements across the employee lifecycle.

This is a fantastic opportunity to lead a talented team, deliver quick wins in process automation, and bring stability and strong leadership during a period of change. Ideal for a confident People Services professional or HR Generalist with hands‑on service desk leadership experience.

The Role

As the People Services Lead, you'll head up the People Services function, ensuring an efficient, solutions‑focused and inclusive experience for employees at every touchpoint. You'll lead the People Services Helpdesk, improve processes, champion automation and innovation (including AI), and mentor a team of Administrators.

You will be instrumental in embedding consistency, strengthening ways of working, and supporting Wellcome's mission through exceptional people operations.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Strategy

• Lead the delivery of an effective and efficient People Service Desk, driving a strong service culture aligned with SLAs.
• Support the development and implementation of a People Services strategy aligned with organisational goals.
• Manage and motivate a high‑performing, agile team‑fostering collaboration, learning and excellence.

People Services & Administration

• Oversee all People Services administration across the full employee lifecycle—including onboarding, HR operations, visa management, redundancy administration, and policy queries.
• Ensure accurate coordination with the payroll team as part of the monthly payroll cycle.
• Own and refine end‑to‑end HR processes, using mapping and continuous improvement to enhance productivity and employee engagement.

Innovation, Systems & Automation

• Drive automation and optimised workflows through HR systems‑ideally Workday—and identify quick wins to streamline processes.
• Explore opportunities to embed AI and new technologies to improve operational efficiency and user experience.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build strong relationships across the organisation, providing sensible, pragmatic and high‑quality responses to People‑related enquiries.
• Monitor service desk trends, sharing insights across the People team to help strengthen organisational‑wide processes.

Culture & Values

• Contribute to building an inclusive and collaborative culture aligned with Wellcome's values.
• Operate in line with governance, policies and budget guidance, remaining adaptable as organisational needs evolve.

About You

Skills & Attributes

• Strong customer service ethos with a commitment to high‑quality delivery.
• Clear, confident written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven ability to solve problems proactively and identify opportunities for innovation.
• A strong leader who brings people together, stabilises teams during change, and strengthens ways of working.
• Highly organised, analytical and able to interpret information to support effective decision‑making.
• Adaptable, resilient and comfortable working in a fast‑paced, evolving environment.

Experience & Qualifications

• CIPD qualified (or equivalent professional experience).
• Proven track record leading a People Service Desk in a complex, multi‑discipline organisation.
• Hands‑on HR generalist experience, ideally including visa management, redundancy admin and policy interpretation.
• Strong Workday (or similar cloud‑based HRIS) experience.
• Demonstrated success in process ownership, transformation and automation.
• Experience delivering high‑quality work within tight deadlines.
• Budget and headcount management experience, with the ability to shape a high‑performing, inclusive team.

If you are a confident People Services Leader who can bring structure, innovation and exceptional service delivery, we'd love to hear from you.

Interested?

Please get in touch to discuss the role in more detail or submit your CV for immediate consideration.