People Centre Team Leader

This is a great opportunity to combine operational leadership with people management. As a People Centre Team Leader, you will lead a team delivering a professional service, ensuring colleagues across the organisation receive the support they need when they need it.

You will be responsible for the day to day leadership, performance and development of the team, creating an inclusive environment where colleagues feel supported, valued and motivated to do their best work. Working at the heart of People Services, you will play a key role in maintaining high service standards, improving the colleague experience and helping shape how services are delivered in the future.

The Planning Inspectorate has a long and proud history of supporting a fair planning system for England. Our work has a direct impact on people’s lives, the communities they live in and the economy. We are committed to creating a flexible, collaborative workplace and continually looking for new ways to improve how we deliver our services.

For further information on the Planning Inspectorate, please visit our careers page at Civil Service Careers

As People Centre Team Leader, you will lead the day-to-day operation of the People Centre, ensuring colleagues across the organisation receive a high-quality, responsive and customer focused service.

You will provide effective leadership and line management to the team, creating a positive and inclusive environment enabling colleagues to develop, contribute and perform at their best. Through coaching, regular feedback and clear expectations, you will build capability, confidence and a strong focus on continuous improvement.

You will oversee the management of people and pay related queries and requests, ensuring work is prioritised effectively, service standards are achieved and team resources are used efficiently. Acting as the escalation point for more complex issues, you will work with colleagues and stakeholders to investigate issues, identify solutions and support People Services and pay related administration.

Using performance information, customer insight and feedback, you will identify opportunities to improve processes, strengthen service delivery and enhance the overall colleague experience, helping the People Centre continue to evolve and meet the needs of the organisation.

Salary

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. Internal rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

This role is being advertised at HEO grade which has a salary of £37,579.

Working hours:

Standard working week is 37 hours, Part time at 30 hours or above, flexible working hours policy available.

Office Attendance

This role is contractually based at our office in Bristol, 10-minute walk from Temple Meads train station. We recognise and value the mutual benefits of hybrid working and have a flexible approach to in person attendance, which can vary dependent on the requirements of individual business units - the details of which can be discussed with candidates if invited to attend an interview. Excitingly, we're relocating to a brand new office in December, while maintaining excellent transport links with Bristol Temple Meads station still just a 10 minute walk away.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Application

For guidance on how to structure your application please see About the application process , Civil Service Careers

Complete the online application form on Civil Service Jobs which requires the following information:

• The CV section is an opportunity for you to detail your career history. It should outline the jobs you have done, the length of time you were employed within each role and a brief description of your role, responsibilities and duties which demonstrate relevance to the role you are applying for against the essential criteria. You must type, or ‘copy and paste’ into the text box called ‘Employment History’ within the online application. You cannot attach a copy of your CV.
• A Personal Statement (1000 words max): The personal statement lets you explain why you're a good fit for the job in more detail. Use it to show how you meet the essential criteria and experience listed in our advert.

In the event of a large number of applications, a lead sift may take place. The following point will be used as the lead criteria when shortlisting if this happens, and if you do not meet the minimum standard the rest of your application will not be assessed.

• Experience working in a HR Service Desk, Operations or Shared Services teams delivering high-volume onboarding, contractual changes, absence, leaver and pay administration, using SAP or similar HR systems and Microsoft Office.

All shortlisted candidates will be advised of the outcome shortly afterwards.

Interview

If you are shortlisted, you will:

• Be asked to attend an interview to have a more in-depth discussion about your experience and suitability for the role.
• Interviews will be a blend of behaviour, and experience questions.

Candidates who pass the shortlist stage will receive full assessment details with their interview invitations.

Other Information

Shortlist Date: 10 – 11 September 2026

Interview Date: 24 – 25 September 2026

Interviews will be held in person at The Planning Inspectorate, Bristol, further details will be sent with the invite to interview.

The Planning Inspectorate does not fund travel and subsistence for candidates to attend interviews.

Reserve list

A reserve list may be held for a period of 9 months from which further appointments can be made.

Future Matches

Candidates who demonstrate strong potential and future readiness but score just below the required level at interview may be considered for alternative positions. These roles may be at a lower grade but align with their skills and offer opportunities for growth.

Merit list order

We appoint in merit list order, starting with any permanent appointments followed by any fixed term appointments.

We encourage all candidates to make themselves familiar with the role and what we will be assessing you against which is detailed in the Person Specification.

ID and Documents

If specific qualifications/memberships are essential for the role and you are successful, you will be asked to provide accurate scanned or photographed images of the qualifications/memberships that you listed on your application prior to your start date.

We must check that any successful candidates are allowed to work for the Civil Service before we employ them. If successful, you will be asked to do a right to work check using identity document validation technology (IDVT) through the services of an Identity Service Provider (IDSP), Civil Service Jobs. If we are unable to confirm your right to work and through the IDVT we will need to do a manual right to work check using original documents with you in person.

Visa Sponsorship

The Planning Inspectorate cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates, we do not hold a Visa sponsorship licence.

Disability Confident Interview scheme/Reasonable Adjustments

The Civil Service values diversity and offers equal opportunities. We have a Disability Confident Interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the job's minimum criteria. We will also provide reasonable adjustments to all where possible. For more information please see Reasonable Adjustments , Civil Service Careers.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.