People Operations Lead

People Operations Lead

Based: Edinburgh or Glasgow

The Scottish National Investment Bank is seeking an experienced People Operations Lead to lead the delivery, governance and continuous improvement of high-quality, compliant and colleague-focused People Operations services across the Bank.

Reporting to the Chief People & Culture Officer, you will act as the senior operational lead for People Operations, translating agreed people priorities into practical, reliable and scalable services across the employee lifecycle. You will provide specialist leadership across employee relations, governance, HR systems, payroll, benefits, people data and colleague services.

This is a broad senior role with a focus on operational excellence and continuous improvement. You will help simplify and strengthen people processes, use data and insight to support decision making, and identify practical opportunities to use digital tools, automation and emerging technologies to improve colleague experience and organisational performance.

We welcome applications from candidates who believe they can excel in this role, even if you do not meet every single requirement. We value diverse experiences and perspectives and encourage applications from all backgrounds.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the delivery and continual improvement of the Bank's People Operations function, ensuring efficient, compliant and colleague-focused services across the employee lifecycle.

Provide senior specialist advice on people operations, employee relations, policy application and employment law, acting as an escalation point for complex matters and higher-risk issues.

Establish and continually review people policies, governance frameworks, operational controls and service standards to support legal compliance, regulatory adherence and effective people management.

Maintain oversight of people data, records management, HR systems, payroll operations, benefits administration and People MI, ensuring data integrity and reliable service delivery.

Develop people metrics, management information and workforce insights that support decision making, identify trends, manage risk and drive continuous improvement.

Lead the review and optimisation of People systems and processes, identifying opportunities for simplification, self-service, digitisation, automation and practical use of artificial intelligence.

Manage People & Culture suppliers and third-party partners and work collaboratively across the function to ensure joined-up delivery of people priorities and initiatives.

Lead, coach and develop People Operations colleagues, and provide operational leadership for audits, regulatory reviews, governance reporting and the annual SMCR Fit & Proper Assessment process.

Key Skills & Experience

You will bring considerable experience in Human Resources Management, with a strong track record of leading People Operations, employee relations and HR service delivery in a complex organisation.

Considerable experience leading People Operations, employee relations and HR service delivery activities.

A demonstrable track record of operational excellence, process improvement and service transformation within a People & Culture environment.

Significant experience managing complex employee relations matters, with strong UK employment law knowledge and the ability to provide expert, pragmatic advice.

Fully conversant HR governance, compliance, policy development, risk management and the design and improvement of operational controls.

Experience improving people systems and processes, with a sound understanding of digital transformation, process redesign, self-service, automation and AI-enabled solutions.

Proven analytical and problem-solving capability, with experience using people data, metrics and workforce insights to inform decisions and continuous improvement.

Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to work effectively with colleagues and leaders at all levels.

Project and change management skills, business acumen, and the ability to prioritise effectively in a fast-moving environment.

Chartered Membership of the CIPD, together with advanced People & Culture knowledge.

What We Offer

At the Scottish National Investment Bank, we offer a supportive culture that values your expertise and autonomy, encourages continuous learning, and provides opportunities for meaningful work. The salary range is £72-84k, depending on experience, with additional benefits including 30 days annual leave plus public holidays, a 12% non-contributory pension, volunteer days, and more. We operate a hybrid working model and are open to discussing flexible working patterns.

If you are eligible under the Disability Confident Scheme or need any adjustments to support your application, please reach out to us. We are committed to providing the support needed for you to participate fully in our recruitment process.