People Operations Manager

Portfolio HR & Reward are currently recruiting for a People Operations Manager to join our client on a 12-month fixed-term contract. We are looking for a seasoned professional who can balance strategic oversight with the day-to-day delivery of a high-quality HR service.

Reporting to the Head of Corporate Services, you will lead a dedicated team of three-comprising a People Operations Advisor, Assistant, and Coordinator. This role is split between Enfield (3 days) and Welwyn Garden City (1-2 days), making it an ideal move for a leader who enjoys being visible across sites and driving a consistent, high-standard employee experience.

The Role As the subject matter expert for all things People Operations, you will oversee the entire employee lifecycle, ensuring that recruitment, onboarding, and offboarding processes are seamless and compliant. A significant part of your remit will involve managing complex employee relations cases, providing pragmatic guidance to managers, and ensuring risks are appropriately handled. You will also take ownership of HR data and systems, using analytics to create meaningful dashboards that help senior leadership make informed business decisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Operations & Strategy: Developing scalable HR processes and driving continuous improvement across all systems and workflows.
• Employee Relations: Managing disciplinary, grievance, and performance processes while coaching managers on best practice.
• Policy & Governance: Maintaining and reviewing HR policies to ensure the business stays ahead of employment law and audit requirements.
• Reward & Benefits: Supporting the administration of reward programmes and ensuring payroll inputs and benefit enrolments are accurate.
• Workforce Planning: Partnering with business leaders to support organisational structuring and contingent labour governance.

What you will bring We are looking for someone with at least 5 years of experience in a People Operations or HR leadership role, ideally within a fast-paced or multi-site environment. You should hold a minimum of a Level 5 CIPD qualification and possess a strong technical understanding of UK employment law. Beyond the technical skills, you will need to be a relationship-oriented problem solver who is comfortable working both strategically and operationally.

If you are a proactive HR professional who enjoys professionalising services and leading a team through a 12-month assignment, I would love to discuss this with you.

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The Portfolio Group are acting on behalf of our client in recruiting for this position.