Head of People Operations

at  The Royal Society of Chemistry

ARE YOU AN EXPERIENCED HR MANAGER AND PASSIONATE ABOUT INFLUENCING PEOPLE AND MANAGING HR FUNCTION THROUGH A TRANSITION OF A COMPLEX ORGANISATION? THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CHEMISTRY (RSC) IS SEEKING AN EXPERIENCED HEAD OF PEOPLE OPERATIONS TO JOIN OUR PEOPLE AND CULTURE TEAM.

About Us: The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) is a not-for-profit organisation with a thriving international community of over 60,000 members, an internationally renowned publisher of high-quality chemical science knowledge and the professional body for chemists in the UK, with a reputation as an influential champion for the chemical sciences. Our purpose is to help the chemical science community make the world a better place.
We are seeking an experienced and innovative Head of People Operations to join our People and Culture (P&C) function at a pivotal time of transformation. This role offers an exciting opportunity to shape and enhance our key HR specialist services, working closely with the P&C Director to drive positive change across the organisation.
At the RSC we embrace flexibility and offer hybrid working, which means our teams come together when they need to collaborate.
Although this role is contractually based at our Cambridge or London office, you will be able to work from home within the UK, with the expectation that you will attend the office as needed for your role.
In this role it is expected that you will attend the office 1 day per week. If you need flexible working arrangements, please outline this in your application. Travel to both the Cambridge and London will be required for this role.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS:

• CIPD Level 7 qualified or Level 5 qualification coupled with significant experience of operating at a senior/lead level
• Extensive HR operational knowledge within relevant legal frameworks, ability to devise innovative solutions to significant and complex HR problems.
• Experience of successfully operating as a people manager providing leadership and direction across a range of HR specialist services, aligned with the delivery of strategic people goals
• Significant experience of effective people management across a wide team
• Excellent negotiation skills and an ability to influence outcomes through reasoning, persuasion and tact.
• Strategic and logical thinker and decision-maker able to provide practical and creative solutions to the management of corporate and directorate issues.
• High level analytical abilities: able to assimilate and analyse information quickly, identifying issues, priorities and solutions and using effective models, techniques and resources to resolve issues.
• Demonstrable continuous development and improvement of own professional practice.
• Proven experience of influencing strategic HR policy direction within a large / complex organisation, ideally with some experience of leading a people function with international colleagues
  Why Join Us? At the RSC, we are committed to fostering a high-performing organisation that amplifies the impact of chemical sciences through data-driven decision-making and strategic partnering services. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape our Workday solution, support our international organisation, and be an influential part of our People & Culture transformation journey.
  How to Apply: If you are interested in this role, please apply before the end of the closing date. When applying, you will need to provide an up-to-date CV and a supporting statement (no more than 500 words) indicating how your skills and expertise match the competencies outlined in the Job Description. Download the full job description here.
  Interviews process: Please be aware that there will be 2 stages of interviews. The 1st stage interviews will be conducted via Teams on the w/c 7th October and the 2nd stage interviews will be conducted shortly after at our Cambridge office. If you are shortlisted for the 2nd interview you will be asked to prepare a presentation.
  Visit our Work For Us website to learn more about us, our benefits, equal opportunities statement and inclusive culture pledge.
  At the RSC, we recognise the benefits of a diverse workforce and welcome applicants from a range of backgrounds to apply. We particularly encourage applications from disabled and ethnic minority candidates.
  As a part of the Disability Confident Scheme, we endeavour, where possible, to offer an interview to candidates meeting the essential criteria of the role, who has a substantial physical/mental impairment which impacts their ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.
  We are committed to making our recruitment processes accessible to all and as part of this, we are flexible in the ways we give and receive information. If you would like to apply using a different format, please contact the Recruitment Team at jobs@rsc.org or on +44 (0) 1223 432229 and we will do our best to put any reasonable adjustments in place.

• As the Head of People Operations, you will play a crucial role in driving the RSC’s people strategy and organisational effectiveness. You will lead the implementation of P&C’s transformation initiatives, managing a team of specialist leads across key HR functions. Your responsibilities will span strategic leadership, productivity enhancement, and performance management, overseeing the development of a high-performance culture through aligned frameworks.
• You will be accountable for the total reward strategy, including compensation, benefits, and pension schemes. Talent management will be a key focus, encompassing workforce planning, recruitment, career development, and succession planning. You’ll also spearhead the organisation’s learning and development programs.
• In this role, you’ll foster positive employee relations, lead on complex ER cases, and manage people policy development. As the Initiative Owner for the new HRIS (Workday) implementation, you’ll ensure its successful delivery and adoption. Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion will be integral to all your activities.
• You’ll establish and track key P&C metrics, providing regular reports and using data to drive decision-making. Building strong relationships with senior leaders, you’ll act as a credible HR expert, providing guidance and identifying opportunities for organisational alignment and value creation.
• Financial acumen is crucial, as you’ll manage budgets related to P&C initiatives. Your role will be pivotal in shaping the RSC’s people practices, driving cultural change, and ensuring the organisation has the capabilities to meet its strategic objectives.