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JOB VACANCY

People Services Team Lead

Home » People Services Team Lead

September 22, 2026

Human Resources

Permanent

37 hours

£41,888

£37,728 - £41,888

Director of People

VN0219/26

ABOUT THE ROLE

As People Services Team Lead, you will play a key leadership role in the operational delivery of recruitment, payroll administration and workforce data services across the College. Reporting directly to the Director of People and working closely with the Head of People Services, you will lead and develop the Recruitment, Payroll & Workforce Data Officer team, driving high performance, service quality and an excellent customer experience for staff, managers and candidates.

You will be responsible for ensuring the effective delivery of the monthly payroll cycle, supporting the management of the College’s outsourced payroll contract and maintaining the highest standards of accuracy, data quality and integrity across recruitment, payroll and workforce information. You will also ensure full compliance with safer recruitment practices and Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) requirements.

A key focus of the role will be championing the College’s commitment to inclusive recruitment, including achieving Disability Confident accreditation and progressing Armed Forces Covenant and Veterans pledge commitments.

You will also lead the development and delivery of robust monthly, quarterly and annual workforce reporting and KPIs, including gender pay gap reporting and wider workforce metrics. By turning data into meaningful insight, you will provide assurance and support informed decision-making for senior leaders and the People & Culture Standing Group.

This is an ambitious, hands-on leadership role for someone who is proactive, solutions-focused and committed to continuous improvement. You will be confident taking initiative, working collaboratively and delivering at pace in a fast-moving, compliance-driven environment, while maintaining a strong focus on service excellence and the needs of our people.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Establish and embed mechanisms to measure customer (staff and manager) satisfaction with People Services delivery, including recruitment and payroll.
Use feedback and service data to drive continuous improvement of processes, systems and the overall service experience.
Develop and monitor service standards and turnaround times, ensuring the team consistently meets agreed expectations.
Ensure the integrity, accuracy and security of all recruitment, payroll and workforce data held within HR systems.
Ensure full adherence to safer recruitment standards and Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) requirements across all recruitment activity.
Own and maintain the Single Central Record (SCR), ensuring it is accurate, complete and audit-ready at all times.
Lead and line manage the Recruitment, Payroll & Workforce Data Officer team (2 posts), setting clear objectives, priorities and performance standards.
Coach, develop and performance manage direct reports, supporting their professional growth and building capability across the function.
Act as the operational lead for recruitment, payroll administration and workforce data, deputising for the Head of People Services as required.
Oversee the end-to-end recruitment function, ensuring an efficient, compliant and positive candidate and hiring manager experience.
Lead the College’s Disability Confident accreditation, ensuring the scheme’s commitments are embedded in recruitment practice and reported on as required.
Oversee the monthly payroll process end-to-end, ensuring accuracy, timeliness and compliance with statutory and contractual requirements.
Support the management of the outsourced payroll contract, acting as a key point of contact and monitoring contractual and service performance.
Ensure the integrity, accuracy and security of all recruitment, payroll and workforce data held within HR systems.
Ensure full adherence to safer recruitment standards and Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) requirements across all recruitment activity.
Own and maintain the Single Central Record (SCR), ensuring it is accurate, complete and audit-ready at all times.
Develop and deliver monthly, quarterly and annual workforce reports for senior leaders, the People & Culture Standing Group and Governors.
Own and continuously develop the People Services KPI suite, including recruitment, payroll and workforce metrics (e.g. headcount, FTE, turnover, absence, agency usage).

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & EXPERTISE

SKILLS AND EXPERTISE

Level 2 Qualification in Maths & English (GCSE A*-C) or equivalent.
CIPD Level 5 (or above) qualification, or working towards, or equivalent demonstrable experience.

QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING

Significant experience in a senior HR/People Services operational role, including recruitment and payroll administration.
Proven experience of managing or supervising a team, including setting objectives and managing performance.
Experience developing and delivering workforce reports and KPIs to senior stakeholders.
Strong working knowledge of UK employment legislation, GDPR and data protection as applied to HR and payroll.
Ability to use initiative, make sound judgements and drive service and performance improvement.
Strong stakeholder management skills, able to build credible working relationships across all levels of the organisation.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret workforce data and translate into meaningful insight and action.

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