HR Governance & Operations Manager

You are responsible for leading HR governance and operational oversight across the UK with a strong focus on employment law compliance payrolllinked processes policy management and risk mitigation. You translate complex legislative and regulatory requirements into clear practical HR and payroll frameworks ensuring they are embedded effectively across the business.

You provide central ownership of highrisk HR and payroll processes across the employee lifecycle including sickness absence family leave joiners and leavers probation restructuring and statutory pay administration. You work closely with HR Business Partners Payroll teams and key stakeholders to ensure policies and supporting documentation are consistently applied systems are correctly configured and controls are robust and auditable.

You play a key role in preparing the organisation for ongoing UK employment law reforms strengthening process discipline improving documentation and ensuring the organisation remains auditready at all times.

Key duties and responsibilities

You will:

• Own and maintain the UK HR and payroll policy framework ensuring ongoing compliance with UK employment legislation and regulatory requirements
• Translate legislative change into clear operational HR and payroll processes guidance and controls
• Drive our approach to non-financial misconduct ensuring compliance and effective implementation and monitoring
• Provide governance and oversight of payrollrelated statutory entitlements including sick pay family leave and statutory payments
• Ensure HR and payroll processes are consistently applied documented and auditable across the organisation
• Act as the central point of accountability for HR operational risk compliance issues and process remediation
• Support HR Business Partners and managers by providing clear guidance frameworks and decisionmaking tools
• Oversee governance of highrisk employee lifecycle processes including disciplinary probation redundancy and restructuring activities
• Partner with Payroll to ensure accurate data flows eligibility rules approvals and system configuration
• Lead internal reviews audits and compliance assessments related to HR and payroll activities
• Maintain clear records audit trails and control documentation in line with regulatory and internal requirements
• Monitor upcoming employment law changes and proactively prepare the organisation for future implementation
• Reduce reliance on reactive legal advice by strengthening preventative governance and process controls

Required experience & competencies

• Strong experience in HR governance HR operations or employment lawfocused HR roles
• Demonstrated experience working at the intersection of HR policy payroll processes and compliance
• Indepth knowledge of UK employment legislation and statutory HR/pay obligations
• Experience designing implementing or overseeing HR and payroll processes and controls
• Strong risk awareness with the ability to identify assess and mitigate operational and compliance risks
• Proven ability to interpret complex regulation and translate it into practical guidance
• Experience supporting audits inspections or regulator scrutiny
• High attention to detail with strong documentation and process discipline
• Ability to work confidently with senior stakeholders and influence best practice
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
• Knowledge of ADP

Required Education

• Degree in Human Resources Employment Law Business or a related discipline or equivalent professional experience.