About the Role

Head of HR Shared Services

Kingston University is going places. We are passionate about enhancing our students' life and have launch our new university strategy based on design thinking that will prepare our students with the future skills and knowledge needed in the 21st Century's demanding workplace. We recognise that we need to continue the pace of change and to create and sustain an organisational culture that embeds new ways of working.

A high-performing and customer-focused HR function is central to our future and achieving our ambitions as set out in our People Plan, we have achieved much already but are now aiming higher. We are looking for a new Head of HR Shared Services to join us to proactively provide leadership and strategic focus for the delivery of our strong performing Human Resources Shared Services. As a key member of the Senior HR Leadership Team, you will be accountable for the full employment lifecycle for university colleagues and responsible for the strategic design and improvement of all our transactional people process and people analytics. You will also help support delivery of our ambitious People Plan and engaging with stakeholders across the University.

Working closely with the Director of HR and in partnership with the HR Team, you will lead and motivate our well-established Shared Services Team, delivering added valued services in the areas of Recruitment, Employee Lifecycle, Payroll, Pensions, Systems Management, and Management Information.

This will involve collaboration with other functions, working particularly closely with our finance team as you will be managing the development and operation of our integrated HR/Payroll IT systems. With your expertise and highly credible communication skills, you will ensure that HR processes, employee benefits and pensions are effectively communicated across the University, whilst your exacting standards and experience of operating in a high-volume environment will ensure HR related compliance is expertly managed.

You will have extensive work experience including team management in HR Operations and possess recognised professional certification (CIPD and equivalent skills and experience). Successful candidates will have a proven background as a highly credible senior HR professional, though specific experience of Higher Education is not essential, and we would welcome applications from a variety of sector backgrounds. Experience of managing the whole employee lifecycle for a large scale organisation, together with a strong customer service ethic, a keen focus on process improvement and the ability to develop excellent client relationships is also required.

We have a brand new agile working space shared with other professional services staff. You won’t have to be in the office every day, we anticipate the need to be on campus for around two or three days per week. Our campus is buzzing with students and staff and our award winning Town House building means this is an inspiring and inviting place to come to work.

For further information about the post, please see the full job description.

The closing date for applications is Friday 12th May 2023.