Head of People Services and Systems

Head of People Services and Systems

Location:Leeds York or Manchester
Salary:85000 to 90000
Role type:Permanent or Fixed Term Contract considered
Safety Critical:No

Drive changelead transformation and make a real impact.

Were on the lookout for an exceptional leader to join Northern as Head of People Services and Systems a critical role driving forward service excellence digitaloptimisationand data-led decision-making across our People function.

Were open to both permanent and fixed-term applicants. The timing couldnt be more important were in the middle ofmodernisinghow we work and this role is central to our journey.

Why join us

If youre motivated by the opportunity to make a lasting impact youll thrive here. Youll shape the future ofpeopleservices in a complex unionised and fast-evolving industry with direct access to senior leadership and the ability to influence what great looks like in the future of rail.

Whats the job about

People Services is the engine room of our People function the team colleagues interact with most frequently. Its where reliable support smarter processes and data-driven insights make a real difference to how we serve the business. As Head of People Services and Systems youll:

• Lead and modernise our Shared Services function embedding a performance- and customer-focused culture

• Drive excellence in service delivery defining SLAs improving responsiveness and championing colleague experience

• Own the people data and analytics agenda turning insights into action that influences business decisions

• Oversee our people systems optimisation including supporting the implementation of Workday and collaborating closely with IT

• Lead strategic continuous improvementre-engineering end-to-end process to drive efficiencies in service and ways of working

• Shape our future shared services model playing a key rolein contributing tothe evolving Great British Railways (GBR)shared servicesstrategy

• Oversee the programme management of our people strategy collaborating with the People Leadership team to deliver our plan

Youll manage two direct reports and have influence across a wider team scope is broad the pace is high and your ability to cut through complexity will be key.

What kind of person are we looking for

We want someone who brings fresh thinking and a clear sense of direction. Youll be a proactive and credible people leader capable of influencing senior stakeholders and balancing pace with thoughtful strategic delivery.

Youll need:

• Experience leading people shared services or customer-facing operations in a complex fast-paced organisation

• A strong track record in service transformation HR systems (ideally including implementation or optimisation) and data-led decision making

• Excellent stakeholder engagement skills calm focused and confident in navigating competing priorities

• A practical customer-first mindset with the ability to connect insight to action

• Resilience curiosity and the drive to challenge the status quo in a traditional industry

Exposure to unionised environments and public sector or politically influenced settings would be a bonus but not essential.

What does success look like in the first 6 months

• Clear SLAs are defined embedded and monitored with visible improvements in service
• Efficiencies are realised through re-engineering of priority end to end employee lifecycle processes

• Strong support is provided to thesystemsdata and reporting teamsharing your vision and expertise

• Meaningful metrics and KPIs areembedded helping the People function make better faster decisions

• A performance-focused culture is taking root across the shared services team

• Visible leadership is shown in active involvement in contributing to industry working groups to shape the future shared services model under GBR

Why now

Youll join a People Leadership Team thats united focused and ambitious with a shared vision and genuine collaboration at its core. Theres no shortage of complexity but if you enjoy solving problems influencing outcomes and making a measurable difference youll feel right at home.

Future opportunities Theyre here too.

This role offers real progression for someone ready to step into broader leadership. Its a fantastic platform to build your credentials contribute strategically and grow towards senior roles including potential succession to Director-level posts in the future.

Ready to lead with purpose and impact

Apply today and shape the future of People Services at Northern.

Why Northern

Were more than just a train operator. Were the heartbeat of the North - connecting communities creating opportunities and driving sustainable growth. With 2500 trains running daily were on a mission to improve rail travel and enhance the customer experience while protecting the environment.

Back in 1825 the first passenger train set off in the North of England after which rail quickly spread across the globe - and this year were celebrating 200 years of the modern railway. As we look back on the historic events that led us here we also look towards the future as we move into the era of Great British Rail. Join us at this pivotal moment in rail history and play your part in our journey.

A place for everyone

The best journeys happen when everyone feels welcome on board.

At Northern we dont just move people from A to B - were building a team where everyone feels they belong. Our talent team can make reasonable adjustments to the process if thats something you need. Were also a Level 2 Disability Confident employer so if you meet the minimum criteria for the role well always offer an interview.

We automate parts of our screening process to remove any unconscious bias and to make sure every application is treated fairly. All successful offers will be subject to a DBS check and a medical assessment.

No matter your background experience or whether you call it a bap barm or cob theres a place for you here in the railway.