People Services Manager

The People Services Manager will lead the delivery of high-quality first-line People services across onboarding, benefits administration, employee changes, and offboarding. You will manage and develop a growing team, currently two People Officers and a temporary role, to provide a responsive, accurate and values-led employee experience. Within this role you will also ensure that People policies and processes are applied consistently, with a strong focus on service standards, compliance, data quality and continuous improvement.

The People Operations team provides a network-wide service covering Ark network teams, Ark and Ark UK Programmes, Ark Start nurseries and 48 schools. Within this wider team you will lead the Service Desk for the Ark network, Ark entities and a defined group of centrally paid employees working in schools.

The People Services Manager will work collaboratively with colleagues across the People Directorate to improve service delivery, strengthen processes and ensure People Operations works effectively with specialist internal stakeholders.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the People Operations team at Ark as we roll out our new HR and Payroll system, iTrent, across the Ark network and entities. The People Services Manager will help shape improved ways of working and strengthen the employee experience delivered through People Services.

The People Services Manager will report into Head of People Operations. This role is currently operating hybrid working in our West London Office on a permanent/fixed basis working full time.

1st round interviews will be taking place virtually w/c 28th September 2026 with 2nd round interviews taking place in person w/c 5th October 2026.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and develop the People Service Desk to deliver comprehensive services, including the line management and development of People Officers, currently two plus a temporary position within the team
• Manage and improve key people processes, such as onboarding, benefits administration, monthly payroll, pensions, contractual changes, and offboarding of leavers
• Ensure compliance by working with the People Governance Lead on employment law, company policies, GDPR and other regulatory requirements, updating procedures and practices as needed taking accountability for compliant processing of employment activity
• Manage the ticketing system, developing its use to meet service level agreements, improve employee experience, and identify opportunities for process improvement and automation
• Collaborate with People leaders and other departments to align HR services with overall strategy and business goals
• Utilise HR metrics and data analysis to inform decision-making, improve HR services and data quality, and manage HR system operations
• Drive initiatives that contribute to long-term operational excellence, including process reviews and changes

Key Requirements:

• Right to work in the UK
• CIPD Level 5 or equivalent experience
• Proven experience improving HR processes and systems, both directly and through managing others
• Experience managing, coaching, and developing a team in a high-volume service environment, with the ability to set standards, support delivery and build capability
• Strong record of accomplishment of working in a fast-paced demanding HR function
• Have led/managed a customer experience related service
• Excellent written, and verbal communication skills
• Strong commitment to customer service and utilising problem-solving skills
• Strong understanding and practical application of payroll and pensions processes
• Strong commitment to customer service and utilising problem-solving skills
• Strong understanding and practical application of payroll and pensions processes
• Experience of applying data protection principles and GDPR requirements, ensuring compliance in management of employee data
• Ability to build and maintain strong working relationships across stakeholder groups
• High attention to detail to improve and develop HR processes and procedures

• Our flexible working model offers the best of both worlds, balancing in person collaboration, either in our state of the art West London office or through visits to our schools, with the flexibility of remote working.
• In addition to flexible working arrangements, employees can request to work fully remotely for up to 10 working days a year, whether this be in the UK or abroad.
• Our flexitime policy allows you to work your hours around our core hours of 10.00 - 16.00, helping you prioritise your work-life balance and personal commitments.
• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising with each year of service up to 30 days after 3-years’ service. This entitlement is pro rata for part time employees. This entitlement excludes bank holidays.
• Full office closure between Christmas and New Year.
• As an Ark employee, you will have the opportunity to be part of the TPT (The Pension Trust) scheme, our workplace pension scheme where we make an 11% contribution; you are not required to contribute towards this scheme unless you choose to. Depending on your role you may also be entitled to LGPS which is a defined benefit scheme where you contribute a percentage based on how much you earn (as do we) in exchange for a guaranteed amount in your pension pot every year.
• Access to high-quality professional learning throughout your career, offering both face-to-face sessions and a bespoke online learning platform.
• Access to Ark Rewards scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers, interest-free loans available for season tickets or a bike, gym discounts offering up to 40% off your local gym and free eye tests.

Ark is an education charity that exists to make sure that all children, regardless of their background, have access to a great education and real choices in life. Our network of 39 schools reaches traditionally underserved communities in Birmingham, Hastings, London and Portsmouth. We educate 30,000 pupils and have nearly 3,000 teaching staff across our network. We also incubate and scale innovative ventures, which we roll out beyond our network of schools for the benefit of teachers, pupils and the education system as a whole. Current Ventures include Ark Curriculum Plus, which equips teachers with the subject expertise needed to ensure students succeed, and Ark Start, a growing chain of nurseries offering affordable, high-quality early years education.

Recently, Ark moved to new offices at EdCity – a unique not-for-profit development in West London, in partnership with Hammersmith & Fulham council. EdCity is designed to bring mission-aligned organisations together to focus on improving the lives of children, especially through education. It offers leased offices, a range of venues for training and events, and an innovation hub for the education sector to connect, collaborate and learn together.