Senior HR Operations and Recruitment Manager 2026058

Why JNCC?

We’re small enough (c.300 staff) that your voice is heard by everyone including the CEO, but big enough that we have all the skills, resources and people you’ll need to get the job done. All our staff are passionate about conservation and making a difference to the world we live in. We have a very flexible, inclusive and welcoming organisational culture. Our Executive Management provides employees with the freedom and tools you will need, and our friendly team will assist you in your role.

JNCC is committed to maintaining employee health and wellbeing, whether it is physically, emotionally, financially or socially, and offers a range of benefits to support employees in this. Such benefits include the option to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme, professional and personal development opportunities as well as an exciting job in a unique environment.

Post background:

The Senior HR Operations and Recruitment Manager is responsible for leading the delivery of JNCC's recruitment and operational HR services, ensuring that managers and employees receive a high-quality, efficient and customer-focused service.

Reporting to the Head of HR, the postholder will provide leadership and management across recruitment, HR administration and operational HR processes, driving continuous improvement and ensuring compliance with employment legislation, Civil Service requirements and organisational policies.

The role will manage both the recruitment and HR operations teams and will work closely with HR Business Partners and senior leaders to ensure that operational delivery supports the organisation's strategic workforce objectives.

Post Duties:

Leadership and Management

• Lead, manage and develop the Recruitment and HR Operations teams.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration and excellent customer service.
• Ensure workloads and resources are managed effectively across the operational HR function.
• Coach and support team members to maximise performance and professional development.

Recruitment

• Lead JNCC's end-to-end recruitment service, ensuring recruitment processes are efficient, inclusive and compliant with Civil Service Recruitment Principles.
• Oversee the effective operation and development of the Applicant Tracking System.
• Provide expert advice to managers on attraction strategies, assessment design, job descriptions and person specifications.
• Drive improvements to candidate and hiring manager experience.
• Monitor recruitment performance metrics and identify opportunities for improvement.

HR Operations

• Oversee the delivery of accurate, timely and customer-focused operational HR services across the employee lifecycle, including contractual changes, payroll inputs, family-related leave, onboarding, offboarding and employee records.
• Ensure operational processes are accurate, efficient and compliant with relevant legislation and policy and are clearly documented with consistently applied controls.
• Oversee the administration of pension and employee benefit arrangements, ensuring employees receive accurate information and are enrolled in relevant schemes in accordance with organisational requirements.

Continuous Improvement

• Lead continuous improvement across HR operations and recruitment, identifying and implementing opportunities to simplify processes, improve customer experience and make effective use of technology, automation and best practice.
• Use HR data, management information and service level agreements to monitor service delivery, identify opportunities for improvement and support informed decision-making.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues in Finance and Digital and Data Solutions to maximise the effectiveness of the ERP system and support continuous improvement in HR data, reporting and user experience.

Stakeholder Management

• Build effective relationships with managers and stakeholders across the organisation.
• Work collaboratively with HR Business Partners to ensure seamless support to leaders and employees.
• Act as an escalation point for complex recruitment and operational HR issues.
• Lead relationships with external providers and partners supporting HR services, ensuring effective contract management, service quality and value for money.

Governance and Compliance

• Ensure recruitment and operational HR activities comply with employment legislation, Civil Service requirements, GDPR and organisational policy.
• Support audit and assurance activities.
• Maintain accurate records and reporting.

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.

If we receive a large volume of applications we reserve the right to conduct the sift based on the Lead Behaviour of managing a quality service and then the 2nd behaviour of working together.

If shortlisted for interview, you will be asked to give a presentation. The presentation topic will be communicated prior to the interview.

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