HR Operations Team Lead

HR Search; Dublin; On-site; EUR 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

HR Search is seeking an experienced HR Operations Team Lead to join a leading international financial services organisation in Dublin. You will lead a small team, drive continuous improvement across HR processes, systems and employee services, and ensure an exceptional experience for employees, managers and HR stakeholders.

Responsibilities include onboarding/offboarding, payroll support, HR data maintenance and reporting, plus driving automation and AI initiatives to streamline operations.

Qualifications

• Experience leading an HR Operations or HR Admin team.
• Experience implementing, embedding or optimising HR systems.
• Interest in leveraging AI/automation to enhance HR operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead a small HR Operations team delivering a high-quality HR service.
• Oversee onboarding, offboarding, contracts and HR documentation.
• Maintain HR records and accurate HR data across systems.
• Support payroll processes and pre-employment due diligence.
• Drive continuous improvement through system optimisation and AI.
• Coordinate learning and training programmes.

Skills

Team leadership

HR operations

HRIS

Excel

Payroll experience

Automation/AI mindset

Stakeholder management

Regulated industry experience

Education

HR qualification in progress

Job description

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced HR Operations Team Lead to join a leading international financial services organisation. This role is ideal for a people-focused HR professional with strong operational expertise who enjoys leading a small team while driving continuous improvement across HR processes, systems and employee services.

Reporting into the Senior Reward & Operations Manager, you will lead a team responsible for delivering an efficient, high-quality HR operations service across the employee lifecycle, ensuring an exceptional experience for employees, managers and HR stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop a small HR Operations team, ensuring the delivery of an efficient and high-quality HR service.
• Manage workloads, priorities and team performance while fostering a collaborative and customer-focused culture.
• Act as the first point of escalation for complex HR operational queries.

HR Operations

• Oversee all HR administration across the employee lifecycle, including onboarding, offboarding, contracts, employee changes and general HR documentation.
• Ensure HR records are maintained accurately and confidentially across HR systems.
• Support payroll processes and partner with relevant stakeholders to ensure accurate monthly processing.
• Coordinate recruitment administration and support pre-employment and due diligence activities where required.
• Respond to employee and manager queries in a timely and professional manner.
• Maintain HR systems and ensure the integrity and accuracy of employee data.
• Produce regular and ad hoc HR reports, dashboards and people analytics.
• Drive continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to enhance HR processes through system optimisation, automation and AI.
• Support the implementation, embedding and ongoing optimisation of new HR systems and technologies, helping to improve efficiency, reporting capabilities and the overall employee experience.
• Champion innovation within the HR function by leveraging technology to streamline processes and reduce manual administration.

Projects & Continuous Improvement

• Support HR projects across areas including employee experience, wellbeing, diversity and inclusion.
• Drive operational efficiencies by reviewing and improving existing HR processes.
• Assist with the implementation of new HR initiatives and system improvements.

Learning & Development

• Coordinate the annual training programme alongside the HR team.
• Manage all training administration, including scheduling, supplier liaison and employee communications.

About You

We're looking for an experienced HR professional who combines strong operational expertise with excellent leadership skills.

You will have:

• Previous experience leading or supervising an HR Operations or HR Administration team.
• A strong background in HR Operations or a broad HR Generalist role.
• Experience implementing, embedding or optimising HR systems and driving process improvements.
• A genuine interest in leveraging AI and automation to enhance HR operations and improve the employee experience.
• Experience working with HRIS platforms and Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
• Excellent organisational skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience supporting payroll administration is advantageous.
• Previous experience within a regulated industry such as financial services, banking, insurance or another highly regulated environment would be beneficial.
• A relevant HR qualification, or be working towards one.

What's on Offer

• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Opportunity to lead a small, high-performing HR Operations team.
• Play a key role in shaping the future of HR through technology, AI and digital transformation initiatives.
• Exposure to a dynamic international business.
• Ongoing professional development and career progression opportunities.