Director of People Operations

About Us

In our 60th year, the University of Bath is looking ahead with ambition. Building on our strengths in research and education, we are committed to delivering greater impact through discovery, learning and innovation. Consistently ranked among the UK's leading universities, we are proud of our achievements and determined to extend our global reach and influence.

About the Role

People are at the heart of our new University Strategy. Our community is one of our greatest strengths, and investing in our people and culture is essential to achieving our ambitions.

Our People function supports around 4,000 employees. Through our People and Culture Strategy and an ambitious transformation programme, we are reshaping our services, systems and ways of working to provide a more responsive, efficient and accessible experience for colleagues throughout their working lives.

As Director of People Operations, you will lead the development of a modern, high-performing function, bringing together people, processes, technology and data to deliver excellent service. Working with the People Leadership Team and colleagues across the University, you will translate strategic ambitions into effective day-to-day operations and lasting improvements to the employee experience.

Your priorities will include:

- Shaping the future service: designing and implementing an operating model that meets the University's evolving needs.
- Delivering operational excellence: ensuring People Operations services are reliable, responsive and easy to access.
- Leading transformation: improving processes and making effective use of digital tools to simplify how services are delivered.
- Turning insight into action: using data, feedback and performance measures to strengthen service quality and decision-making.
- Building trusted partnerships: working closely with academic and professional services leaders to understand priorities and develop effective solutions.
- Developing people and capability: building a collaborative, accountable team with a strong service ethos and a commitment to continuous improvement.

This is an opportunity to shape a key University function at a significant point in its development, with the scope to influence how we work and make a lasting difference to colleagues across our community.

About You

You will be an experienced senior leader who combines strategic vision with the ability to deliver. You will bring a strong track record of leading complex operational services, developing effective teams and translating organisational change into measurable improvements.

We are looking for evidence of:

- Senior leadership within a large, complex organisation, with accountability for service quality and operational performance.
- Successful service transformation, from shaping the approach through to implementation and sustained improvement.
- A strong understanding of customer experience and how to design services around users' needs.
- Effective use of data, insight and performance measures to guide decisions and demonstrate results.
- The ability to develop high-performing teams and lead people confidently through change.
- Strong relationship-building, influencing and communication skills, with the credibility to work across organisational boundaries.

Although we aren't looking for a deep HR expert, experience of how HR functions in large, complex organisations will be important. We welcome applications from leaders who have delivered excellent operational, shared or professional services in other settings. Your ability to understand complex needs, build trusted relationships and deliver sustainable change will be central to your success.

Your experience may have been gained in higher education, healthcare, local government, the wider public sector, professional services or another large, customer-focused organisation.

Above all, you will bring sound judgement, organisational awareness and a clear commitment to improving the experience of the people who use our services.

What We Offer

You will join an ambitious university where your leadership can make a visible and lasting difference. We offer the opportunity to shape a significant transformation programme, work with colleagues across a diverse academic community and contribute directly to the University's strategic ambitions.

We are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone can thrive and fulfil their potential.

Benefits include:

- Generous annual leave allowance with an additional 5 discretionary days
- Generous employer contributory pension schemes
- Cycle to work scheme
- Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme
- Staff discount at Team Bath gym
- Staff benefits include discounted postgraduate tuition and language courses, alongside a wide range of personal and professional development opportunities such as apprenticeships, LinkedIn Learning, and more
- Local discounts, including free entry to the Holburne Museum in Bath
- A family-friendly workplace
- Relocation allowance
- Visa reimbursement and Interest-Free Loan to help with the cost of some immigration expenses
- Employee assistance services through Health Assured, including access to the Wisdom app
- Staff support groups and networks, a network of Staff Wellbeing Champions, and a suite of tools and resources to support your wellbeing