Location
London Borough of Tower Hamlets (Office based in London, E14 4PU or Edinburgh, EH8 8FT)

Hours
Full Time

Salary
£79,697 per annum

About the Role
Our people are at the heart of GAD’s ability to deliver expert advice and unlock value for government. GAD’s People Strategy supports growth into new policy areas while strengthening delivery of our core work. We are committed to building a dynamic, flexible talent ecosystem, fostering a culture of inclusion and learning, and delivering excellence for our clients and the UK public sector. We offer great working benefits, flexible working options, and a career where your learning and development is taken seriously.

As Head of HR Operations, you will lead a team delivering high-quality, efficient, and compliant HR services that underpin the employee lifecycle. This role requires a confident and emotionally intelligent leader who can manage team dynamics, foster a high performing and collaborative culture, embed accountability, and lead impactful operational change. Acting as Deputy to the HR Director, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of HR operations, strengthening people management practices, and ensuring outstanding HR service delivery across the Government Actuary's Department.

Working under the HR Director’s direction, you will collaborate closely with the Head of Talent and Skills Development to provide joined-up leadership across the HR team and support delivery of the People Strategy objectives.

Key responsibilities include leading end-to-end HR operations such as recruitment, onboarding, contractual changes, payroll interface, systems management, and offboarding; ensuring HR policies and compliance frameworks are current and legally sound; managing relationships with external providers; overseeing the HR Risk Register; providing motivating leadership to the HR Operations team; coaching and developing team skills; using HR data and metrics to drive organisational effectiveness; and driving innovation and continuous improvement through technology and process optimisation.

The role demands strong leadership behaviours including managing a quality service, delivering at pace, developing self and others, and driving change and improvement.

Experience
Experience in the Civil Service or wider public sector is desirable.
Proven leadership experience in managing HR operations and teams.
Experience managing HR compliance, policies, and external provider relationships.
Demonstrable ability to use HR data and systems effectively to improve service delivery.
Experience driving operational change and continuous improvement initiatives.

About you
Confident and emotionally intelligent leader capable of fostering a high performing and collaborative team culture.
Strong communicator with the ability to embed accountability and motivate teams.
Committed to inclusion, diversity, and continuous learning.
Ability to work collaboratively across functions and with senior stakeholders.
Strategic thinker with excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.

Qualifications
CIPD qualified (essential).
Knowledge of employment law, civil service policies, data protection, and audit requirements.
Understanding of HR systems and workforce analytics.
Commitment to the Civil Service values and behaviours.