People & Culture Manager

The People & Culture Manager is a strategic business partner to senior leaders, enabling the delivery of commercial outcomes through high‑performing, engaged, and scalable teams.

This role balances hands-on operational leadership with forward-looking people strategy, ensuring People & Culture initiatives directly support business growth, productivity, capability building, and organisational effectiveness. The role acts as the trusted advisor to leaders, translating business strategy into actionable people plans.

Key Duties & Responsibilities:

Strategic Accountabilities

• Act as a trusted strategic partner to senior leaders and functional heads, advising on organisational design, workforce planning, leadership effectiveness, and team performance.
• Influence leaders to adopt commercial, evidence‑based people decisions aligned to growth, profitability, and sustainability.

1) Strategic Business Partnering

• Partner with leaders to deliver workforce and capability plans aligned to business strategy and financial forecasts.
• Advise on organisational design, role clarity, spans and layers, and succession planning to support growth and efficiency.
• Use people data and insights to challenge assumptions, diagnose issues, and improve decision‑making.
• Coach leaders on performance management, leadership behaviours, engagement, and change leadership.
• Support M&A, restructures, TUPE, or transformation programmes as required

2) Performance, Talent & Capability

• Lead delivery of performance management frameworks, ensuring clear goal alignment, accountability, and continuous feedback.
• Support talent reviews, succession planning, and leadership development for critical roles.
• Drive capability building through learning strategies aligned to future skills and commercial priorities.
• Embed a culture of ownership, high standards, and continuous improvement.

3) Employee Relations & Risk Management

• Lead and manage complex and high‑risk ER matters (disciplinary, grievance, performance, absence, restructuring).
• Ensure consistent, fair, and legally compliant people practices.
• Provide pragmatic, commercial advice to leaders while mitigating risk and protecting company values.
• Partner with legal advisors where required.

4) People Operations & Governance

• Ensure best‑in‑class delivery of core People processes (employee lifecycle, policy adherence, governance).
• Ensure compliance with employment legislation, data protection, and internal controls.
• Support audit requirements and reporting at Group level.

5) Change, Engagement & Culture

• Lead people aspects of change initiatives, ensuring colleague engagement, clarity, and adoption.
• Shape and embed the People Promise / Culture Framework across the business.
• Use engagement data and feedback to drive targeted action plans and measurable improvement.
• Act as a role model for company values and inclusive leadership

6) Leadership of the People & Culture Function

• Contribute to Group‑wide People strategy, sharing best practice and driving consistency.
• Champion continuous improvement of People processes, tools, and ways of working.

Key Relationships

• Internal: Executive team, senior leaders, Finance, Legal, Payroll, People Ops, wider Workforce
• External: Legal advisors, benefits providers, learning partners, consultants

Essential Skills:

• Proven experience in a People Manager / HR Business Partner role within a fast‑paced, commercial environment.
• Demonstrable experience of strategic business partnering at senior leadership level.
• Strong grounding in UK employment law and employee relations.
• Experience influencing leaders, managing complexity, and delivering change
• Data‑driven mindset with ability to link people metrics to business outcome
• Confident communicator with credibility at Board and leadership level.

 Desirable Skills:

• Experience in multi‑site, scaling, or matrix organisations.
• Exposure to international or multi‑country workforces.
• CIPD Level 5 or 7 (or equivalent experience).
• Experience supporting transformation, M&A, or organisational redesign

Benefits:

• Competitive salary
• Private Medical Insurance
• Healthcare scheme
• Excellent contributory pension scheme
• Life Cover
• Online retail discounts
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Full training programme with continuing professional development

The role is a mix of 2 home working days and 3 office-based days, candidates should therefore have a reasonable commute to our Ealing office. Working hours 9.00am – 5.30pm Monday to Friday.

Our Commitment to Inclusion:

At QBS, we believe diversity isn’t just a box to tick, it’s the engine that drives innovation, creativity, and growth. We’re building a culture where everyone belongs, every voice is heard, and every perspective is valued.

We welcome people of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities, because we know that different ways of thinking make us stronger. Whether you’re starting your career or bringing decades of experience, what matters most is your passion, potential, and willingness to make an impact.