About the Role: We are seeking an experienced People Operations Manager to lead and develop the central People Operations team. Reporting directly to the People Director, the successful candidate will be responsible for managing a team of 3 and will be responsible for all employee life cycle & payroll processes, to include compensation & benefits administration. They will also be responsible for policy development, ensuring compliance to employment legislation requirements. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, operationally focused environment, with a strong understanding of HR systems and processes, and a passion for driving continuous improvement. Location: Based at our Biggleswade site 2 days per week (on a Monday & Wednesday) with 2 days PW WFH and 1 day PW at one of our other locations (Egham, Tamworth, Hemel, Purfleet or Medway) Key Responsibilities: Team Management: Provide strong and supportive leadership, driving high performance and operational excellence.Oversee and organise the day-to-day activities of the People Operations team, ensuring the efficient delivery of all HR administration services to employees and managers Systems: Support the implementation and maintenance of HR systems, including data preparation and integration Customer Service: Respond to employee and manager enquiries related to HR policies and procedures using a triage model. Collaborate with broader People team colleagues to ensure smooth and efficient service levels End-to-end employee lifecycle support : Responsible for processing all HR transactional and administration activities such as onboarding, offboarding and employee changes Data Management & Reporting: Maintain accurate and confidential employee records within HR systems and provide insights and reports on HR metrics to support data led decision-making Payroll Processing: Ensure timely and accurate payroll processing, including deductions, benefits, and payments for all employees Compensation Administration: Responsible for the annual salary review and bonus compensation processes, to include external benchmarking, data consolidation, preparation of letters and ensuring payments are processed accurately Benefits Administration: Manage the administration of employee benefits programs such as PMI, PHI, Life assurance, pension scheme etc, liaising with 3rd party suppliers as required Compliance & Policy Development: Ensure adherence to employment legislation and best practices relating to HR and Payroll policies and procedures. Ensure strong governance controls for all Payroll and HR Administration activities, minimising breaches and risks. Continuous Improvement: Lead on continuous improvement initiatives to enhance HR service delivery. Projects: Support ad hoc HR projects as required alongside day-to-day responsibilities Key Requirements: Ideally CIPD qualified Experience of working in the logistics sector would be desirable Experience of working for Companies with 500 employees Proven experience in HR administration leadership roles Proven experience of managing and developing teams Strong evidence of adherence to HR compliance & best practice Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders Detail-oriented, proactive, and analytical with a continuous improvement mindset A collaborative approach with a passion for enhancing HR operations Strong understanding of HR policies, procedures, and employment legislation Excellent organisational and time management skills. Ability to handle multiple tasks/deadlines and prioritise effectively Proficiency in HR software and Microsoft Office Suite