Strategic HR Operations Lead

Connop Brown Associates; Oxford; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A public sector organization in Oxford is seeking a seasoned Head of HR Operations to lead a large operational service. You will be pivotal in driving strategic change, managing significant budgets, and overseeing a team of around 35 employees. The role requires a forward-thinking approach to HR, focusing on employee relations and operational frameworks that ensure compliance and efficiency. This position offers a chance to truly influence HR practices within a busy council environment.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a senior HR professional in large organizations.
• Ability to manage complex HR operations with significant budgets.
• Strong understanding of employee relations and organizational change.

Responsibilities

• Lead HR operational services for the Council.
• Manage an annual staffing budget of over £2 million.
• Oversee a team of approximately 35 employees.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to support employer branding.

Skills

Strategic HR leadership

Change management

Employee relations

Coaching and mentoring

Collaboration and stakeholder engagement

Job description

Do you believe in delivering dynamic HR services and doing things differently to achieve great impact on your organisation?

We’re looking for a forward-thinking seasoned HR professional who can challenge the status quo and understands the complexities of HR operations in a very large organisation. We are gearing up for Local Government Reorganisation and doing things differently will mean modernising everything that we do and everything that we deliver and truly putting people at the heart of our organisation.

This role is not just an ordinary Head of HR Operations, you will be a key member of the HR leadership team and exposed to decision making at the highest levels of the organisation. You will shape and influence the strategic focus and provide insights into HR operations to become an effective partner to the organisation. Working alongside the HR Director you will ensure that HR solutions are recognised as modern, effective and innovative. Your effective coaching and mentoring style will ensure that your team can learn from the breadth of your experience.

The scale of this role cannot be underestimated; with a very busy recruitment team, building new systems and processes, driving both the use of AI and data and insights, dashboards and reporting as well as establishing an effective help desk – all with a focus on driving manager self‑service to be fit for the future.

Your insights into the effective management and delivery of employee relations will ensure that our people are supported, understand what is required of them and our managers lead with a focus on getting the best from our employees. This means thinking differently about our approach to employee relations, ensuring that mediation and informal resolution are used effectively to help build trust and positive working relationships.

What You’ll Do

You’ll lead a broad portfolio, challenging the status quo and helping to shape a future ready council, fit for Local Government Reorganisation and beyond. With a clear mandate to drive purposeful change, you’ll ensure our services are compliant, efficient, inclusive, and customer focused. From designing operational frameworks to embedding self‑service tools, your work will empower managers, enhance the colleague experience, and bring Our People and Culture Strategy to life.

Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Leading a complex and high‑profile operational service for the Council, driving delivery of the service’s vision and strategic plan.
• Reporting to the Director of HR and Cultural Change, with financial oversight of an annual staffing budget of over £2 million, and contract management responsibilities for agreements totalling approximately £10 million per year.
• Managing an overall team of c.35 employees. Key areas include Employee Relations & Organisational Change, Pay and Reward, HR Policy & Insight, HR Systems and third‑party shared services, Recruitment, and Trade Union relations.
• Collaborating with leaders and stakeholders across the organisation to develop strategies that support our ambition to be recognised as an employer of choice.

If you have worked in the Public Sector and seeking a strategic role within HR please press APPLY NOW without delay