Job Title:  People Operations Manager

Package:  Competitive Salary + Benefits

Role ID:     SF20151

Are you ready to be part of the future? At QinetiQ, we’re not just imagining tomorrow we are creating it. From cutting-edge defence technology to ground-breaking innovations our mission is to empower and protect lives. Join us as a People Operations Manager at our Farnborough site, where you will have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology in partnership with some of the most brilliant minds.

The Role
As a People Operations Manager, you will play a pivotal role in bringing structure, alignment, and momentum to a fast-paced People function, ensuring it operates as a cohesive and high-performing unit aligned to business priorities.

Day-to-day, you’ll act as the central point of coordination across the People function—managing governance, driving planning cycles, and producing high-quality reporting and insight to support senior decision-making. You’ll work closely with the Chief People Officer and senior stakeholders, picking up priority initiatives, leading on project delivery, and bringing clarity and structure to complex or fast-moving activity. You’ll also support cross-functional alignment, ensure consistent delivery across multiple workstreams, and drive continuous improvement in how the People function operates.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Acting as the central point of coordination across the People function, ensuring alignment across priorities and workstreams
• Leading governance activity, including planning cycles, reporting, and executive-level insights
• Managing and delivering key projects and initiatives that support the People strategy
• Producing high-quality, accurate reporting and analysis to support senior decision-making
• Partnering closely with the Chief People Officer and senior stakeholders on priority activities
• Bringing structure and continuous improvement to a fast-paced, evolving operational environment

Essential experience of the People Operations Manager: 

• Strong operational and project management experience with the ability to drive delivery across multiple workstreams
• Experience working with or alongside HR / People functions in a complex organisational environment
• Proven ability to influence and engage senior stakeholders, including executive-level leaders
• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to produce high-quality, accurate outputs at pace
• Strong analytical and reporting skills, with confidence using data to support decision-making
• Ability to work autonomously in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment, prioritising effectively and taking ownership

Essential qualifications for the People Operations Manager:

• Demonstrable project management experience or recognised project management qualification (e.g. PRINCE2, Agile, PMP)
• Evidence of working with highly sensitive or confidential information in a professional environment

We value difference and we don’t have a fixed idea when it comes to background or education, provided you can show the required level of experience and willingness to learn then we would like to hear from you. 

This role is 37 hours per week based at our Farnborough site with a minimum average site attendance of three days per week.

Farnborough

At our Farnborough site exciting work takes place at our state-of-the-art facility, with high-energy laser technologies, our 5m pressurised wind tunnel which has a simulation capability that is unique in the UK and our large research and development projects is a real hub of creativity, research and innovation. Join our talented teams of Engineers, IT & Cyber Specialists, Project Managers, Group Functions Teams and many more to provide future defences in the UK.

Why Join QinetiQ?

As we continue to grow into new markets around the world, there’s never been a more exciting time to join QinetiQ. The formula for success is our appetite for innovation and having the courage to take on a wide variety of complex challenges.

As a QinetiQ employee, you’ll experience a unique working environment where teams from different backgrounds, disciplines and experiences enjoy collaborating widely and openly as we undertake this exciting and rewarding journey. Through effective teamwork, and pulling together, you’ll get to experience what happens when we all share different perspectives, blend disciplines, and link technologies; constantly discovering new ways of solving complex problems in a diverse and inclusive environment where you can be authentic, feel valued and realise your full potential. Visit our website to read more about our diverse and inclusive workplace culture. www.qinetiq.com/en/careers/life-at-qinetiq

Our Benefits

• Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
• Generous holiday allowance, with the option to purchase additional days
• Options to join Health Cash Plan, Private Medical Insurance and Dental Insurance
• Employee discount portal: Personal Accident Insurance, Travel Insurance, Restaurants, Cinema Tickets and much more
• We are proud to support the Armed Forces community by honouring the Armed Forces Covenant and maintaining our Gold Award standard in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme
• Volunteering Opportunities - helping charities and local community

Our Recruitment Process:

We want to make sure that our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible and we aspire to bring out the best in our candidates by creating an environment where everyone feels valued, heard and supported.  If you have a disability or health condition that may affect your performance in certain assessment types, please speak to your Recruiter about potential reasonable adjustments.

Many roles in QinetiQ are subject to national security vetting being completed, applicants who already hold the appropriate level of vetting may be able to transfer it upon appointment. A number of roles are also subject to additional restrictions, which means factors such as nationality or previous nationalities may affect the roles that you can be employed in.

Please note that all applicants for this role must be eligible for SC clearance, as a minimum.

UKSV National Security Vetting Solution: guidance for applicants - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

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