Job Description
Job Title: Senior HR Project Manager / People Services Manager
Job Purpose
To lead the delivery of HR transformation across People Services, ensuring that key corporate projects, workforce changes, and modernisation programmes are effectively designed, governed, and implemented.
The postholder will be responsible for developing, reviewing, and delivering a portfolio of HR projects that enhance service performance, strengthen organisational capability, and enable the Council to meet its strategic priorities.
Values & Corporate Accountabilities
Shared Values
Accountability & Integrity: Take ownership and deliver outcomes with transparency.
Collaboration & Impact: Work collectively to achieve shared goals and measurable results.
Continuous Improvement: Listen, adapt, and improve services in response to stakeholder feedback.
Corporate Responsibilities
Contribute to service plan objectives and performance targets.
Ensure compliance with Data Protection legislation and Information Security policies.
Work flexibly and agilely across locations and working arrangements, including remote working.
Participate in performance development, talent reviews, and personal development planning.
Promote diversity, equality, and inclusion in all activities.
Ensure compliance with Health and Safety legislation and Council policies.
Support the Section 17 duty under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.
Complete mandatory training as required.
Undertake additional duties consistent with the grade and nature of the role.
Key Service Accountabilities
Deliver agreed cost, quality, and efficiency outcomes from key corporate HR and transformation projects aligned to Council priorities.
Develop and manage projects in line with the corporate project management framework and governance requirements.
Build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders to deliver complex and sensitive transformation programmes.
Take commercial responsibility for ensuring benefits realisation in line with approved business cases and budget targets.
Lead and matrix-manage multidisciplinary teams to deliver strategic projects aligned to service design principles.
Monitor and report on project progress, providing accurate updates to governance forums.
Maintain robust project documentation including:
*Project plans
*Risk, issue and change logs
*Dashboards
*Business cases
*Benefits realisation plans
*Post-implementation reviews
*Closure reports
Act as a "critical friend" in reviewing business cases to support governance approvals.
Share learning and promote best practice across the organisation.
Act as an ambassador for change and organisational values, fostering a positive change culture.
Communicate effectively with the Corporate Project Management Team and senior stakeholders.
Prepare high-quality reports for SLT, Chief Executive, and Committees, ensuring statutory deadlines and HR data publication requirements are met.
Deputise for the Head of People Services as required.
Person Specification
Essential Skills & Experience
Proven experience leading and delivering highly complex, large-scale projects with significant organisational impact (e.g., staffing, reputational, financial risk).
Substantial vocational and management experience within an HR Strategy or similar senior HR professional role.
Demonstrable experience building effective relationships with Trade Unions, staff representatives, partners, Cabinet Members, and senior stakeholders.
Strong analytical capability, including interpreting complex financial and numerical data to inform strategic decision-making.
Proven ability to drive organisational change and implement innovative solutions in complex environments.
Strong influencing and negotiation skills, with the ability to secure commitment through persuasive business cases and reasoned challenge.
Excellent organisational skills, able to manage high workloads and competing priorities.
Outstanding written communication skills, including drafting reports, business cases, and recommendations for senior stakeholders.
Effective verbal communication skills across group and 1:1 settings, encouraging engagement and feedback.
Proficiency in MS365 suite (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint).
Practical knowledge and experience within local government or the wider public sector.
Educated to degree level or holding relevant professional qualification(s), or equivalent industry experience.
Essential Behaviours & Other Requirements
Demonstrates behaviours aligned with Council values.
Commitment to agile and flexible working arrangements.
Strong commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion and compliance with Council policies.
Safeguarding
Substantial unsupervised access to children or vulnerable adults: No
DBS Requirement: Not required