Central governmentHybridNo closing date

Head of Service Delivery - HR & Payroll

UK Research and InnovationSwindon, Wiltshire, United Kingdom, North East

Salary
See advert
Contract
See advert
Location
Swindon, Wiltshire, United Kingdom
Closes
Not stated

Overview

This is a central government role with UK Research and Innovation based in Swindon, Wiltshire, United Kingdom. GovJobs has indexed this vacancy from its official source — use the apply button to view the full advert and apply directly.

Facing vetting or financial checks? Know where you stand.Your Equifax, Experian and TransUnion data in one report with Checkmyfile — 30-day free trial.Ad

Job description

Head of Service Delivery – HR & Payroll

Swindon, Newport, or Stockton-on-Tees – flexible and hybrid working options

Band G - £67,383

We are in an exciting period of transformation that will shape the future of shared services across government. Through the introduction of new technology platforms, service lines and clients, we are expanding both the scale and sophistication of what we do. This includes transitioning to a multi-ERP platform organisation, onboarding new government clients and reimagining how we deliver services to provide a seamless and digital-first customer experience. During this period of transformation, the roles will evolve to include the delivery of our service to other clients, both existing and/or new.

We now have an exciting opportunity within Service Delivery for an experienced leader with proven expertise in HR and Payroll operations, coupled with a passion for delivering high-quality services and helping to shape the future of our organisation. Reporting into the Service Delivery Director, you will set the strategic direction for HR & Payroll service lines, ensuring excellent service delivery, continuous improvement and strong client relationships whilst leading teams through a dynamic and evolving service environment.

Duties will include, but not be limited to the following:

  • Set the strategic direction and roadmap for the HR & Payroll service lines, ensuring delivery against Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and cost targets
  • Partner with clients and Global Process Owners to anticipate future needs and support the development of service offerings
  • Manage and report on service performance within a tiered service delivery model, identifying trends and opportunities for enhancement
  • Continuously improve process workflows and coordinate effective hand-offs between internal and external partners
  • Collaborate with Heads of Profession to uphold service standards and ensure effective workforce and capability planning
  • Approve and oversee the implementation and application of policies, managing risks, controls and segregation of duties to ensure compliance and audit readiness
  • Lead service improvement activity, driving efficiency, resilience and a culture of continuous improvement across HR & Payroll operations
  • Support organisational transformation through the introduction of new technologies, processes and clients

To do this role well you will need:

  • Proven expertise in HR and Payroll lifecycle operations
  • Strong understanding of data privacy, pre-employment checks and audit frameworks
  • Working knowledge of ERP system HR business processes and security configuration
  • Proven senior leadership experience with a strong continuous improvement mindset
  • Ability to use management information to manage performance and drive service improvement
  • Experience managing budgets, tracking benefits, driving service efficiency and maintaining operational resilience
  • Experience supporting new client adoption of services would be advantageous
  • Knowledge and experience of Workday and Fusion HR/Payroll is highly desirable

For additional information and a confidential discussion please contact our Recruitment Team on recruiting@uksbs.co.uk.

We are an inclusive and Disability Confident employer and welcome all applications.

Successful candidates may be required to undergo Security Clearance (National Security Vetting) as part of their employment. To meet these standards, applicants must normally have lived in the UK for at least the last five years and be able to satisfy background, identity and criminal record checks.

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn.

We look forward to hearing from you.

We are UKSBS. We are creating a place where people love to work, a culture where we lead, we change, we deliver and we empower our people to be curious, take action and add value.

Applying for this role? Make your CV count.Professionally written CVs from PurpleCV — matched to the job you're going for.Ad

How this role compares

There are 360 central government roles open across the UK on GovJobs right now, 30 of them in North East.

UK Research and Innovation has 30 other vacancies open on GovJobs, with a breakdown of what they pay and the kinds of roles they recruit for.

These figures are calculated from the vacancies GovJobs currently holds, not from official pay statistics. They are a guide to the market, not a valuation of this post.

How to apply

GovJobs does not take applications or send your details to the employer. Use the apply button to open the official Ukri advert, then check the employer's instructions, attachments, person specification and closing time before applying.

This listing was last checked on 28 Aug 2026, 15:14. If the official advert has changed or closed, report it and we will review the listing.

Why this listing is on GovJobs

GovJobs indexes public-sector vacancies from official sources, normalises the title, employer, location, salary and deadline, and links back to the source so you can verify the advert yourself.

The source for this role is Ukri. Applications stay on the official employer or source website, not on GovJobs.

Useful guides

Similar jobs