Senior People Services Hub Operations Manager

Pertemps; Milton Keynes; Hybrid; GBP 73,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational institution seeks a Senior People Services Hub Operations Manager to provide high-quality HR services. This pivotal role involves managing People Operations teams, implementing HR systems, and driving service improvements. The ideal candidate possesses significant HR leadership experience and a strong background in operational transformation.

Qualifications

• Experience in leading large-scale People Operations or HR Shared Services environments.
• Proven track record in delivering HR services across the employee lifecycle.
• Experience in operational transformation and change leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage delivery of HR services from recruitment to retirement.
• Act as senior escalation point for operational HR issues.
• Develop and monitor KPIs to drive service excellence.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder Engagement

Data Management

Operational Transformation

Communication

Tools

SAP SuccessFactors

Job description

Job Title: Senior People Services Hub Operations Manager
Location: Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire (Hybrid working available)
Salary: Up to £72,692
Job Type: Full-time, FTC until July 2026
Start Date: ASAP

About the Role

We are proud to be working in partnership with The Open University to recruit a Senior People Services Hub Operations Manager. This is an exciting opportunity to join one of the UK's most respected educational institutions in a senior operational HR leadership role.

Reporting to the Director of the People Services Hub, you will lead and manage the delivery of high-quality, efficient and user-focused HR services across the full employee lifecycle-from recruitment through to retirement and exit. This is a key leadership role responsible for driving service performance, continuous improvement, and people engagement across the Recruitment Operations, Tier 1 Advisory, and Tier 2 Advisory teams.


Key Responsibilities

• Provide operational leadership across Recruitment Operations, Tier 1 and Tier 2 Advisory teams, ensuring efficient and consistent service delivery.
• Act as a senior escalation point for service delivery issues and apply sound judgement to resolve operational HR matters.
• Translate university-wide and People Services strategies into action plans with measurable outcomes.
• Lead service transformation initiatives, embedding continuous improvement and best practice across teams.
• Support the implementation and optimisation of HR systems such as SAP SuccessFactors, automation tools, and generative AI.
• Ensure compliance with employment law, data protection (GDPR), and university policies.
• Develop and monitor KPIs and metrics to inform decision-making and drive service excellence.
• Foster a high-performing, inclusive, and collaborative team culture across all service lines.
• Build strong working relationships with stakeholders across People Services, Digital Services, Finance, Faculties, and external providers.
• Oversee performance and contract management of outsourced providers including Occupational Health and Employee Assistance Programmes.

Person Specification

• Significant experience in leading large-scale People Operations or HR Shared Services environments.
• Proven track record of delivering customer-focused HR services across the employee lifecycle.
• Strong leadership capabilities with experience managing multi-disciplinary teams.
• Demonstrable experience in operational transformation, change leadership, and service redesign.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Deep understanding of governance, compliance, data management and risk in HR operations.
• Analytical mind-set with the ability to use data and insight to improve services and performance.
• Experience working in a Higher Education or public sector setting.

Interested?

Click to apply or contact us for more information about this opportunity.
Pertemps acts as both an employment business and an employment agency on behalf of The Open University.