People Services Helpdesk Manager

Job Title:
People Services Helpdesk Manager

Location:
Hybrid working from the Bolton Head Office

Contract Type: Permanent, Full Time

Hours:
37.5 hours per week

Salary:
£35,000 - £40,000 dependent on experience

About National Fostering Group
Its official, we have been rated as a Great Place to Work 2025

83% of employees at National Fostering Group say it is a great place to work, compared to 54% of employees at a typical UK based company

With over 20 years experience, National Fostering Group is the largest independent children's fostering group in the UK with a community of over 2,500 foster carers.

As a Group, we work with Local Authorities to provide the highest quality of care for children and young people. All of our fostering agencies are officially recognised by Ofsted, Welsh and Scottish regulators as either 'Outstanding' or 'Good' which we are extremely proud of.

We also offer a 4 day working week - this means 80% of the hours for 100% pay This will be given following a successful 6 month probationary period and is a performance based benefit.

The role

We're looking for a People Services Helpdesk Manager to lead our HR support function. In this role, you'll manage a team of People Assistants, ensuring an efficient, high-quality service for our employees and stakeholders across the Group. You'll take ownership of day-to-day HR administration, making sure our HR systems are accurately maintained and that all regulatory and policy requirements are consistently met.

Acting as the first point of contact for employee lifecycle queries and low-level employee relations advice, you'll ensure requests are handled in line with best practice. You'll coordinate administrative support for ER casework, while continuously improving service delivery standards. The role also includes management of our People Assistants including conducting regular 1:1s and identifying training or support needs to help the team thrive.

Please find a full list of responsibilities on the job description attached.

Who we are looking for

We're looking for a detail-focused HR professional with experience managing the full employee lifecycle in a busy, multi-site or large organisation. You'll have a track record of leading a small team in delivering efficient, customer-focused HR services. You will work confidently with data and reports on key workforce metrics like absence, turnover and headcount.

Our People Services Helpdesk Manager will need solid generalist HR knowledge, up-to-date employment law expertise and experience resolving low-level employee relations issues. Strong communication skills, a professional and pragmatic approach and the ability to handle sensitive matters with discretion are essential. You will also be qualified to CIPD Level 5 (or equivalent experience) along with having confidence using HRIS systems and Microsoft Office tools.

Please find a full list of criteria on the person specification attached.

But what else is in it for you? Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you'll get an exceptional reward package including:

• Up to 39 days annual leave each year (25 base entitlement + 1 One moment in time + 8 bank holidays + ability to buy up to 5 extra days)
• Life Assurance
• Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
• "Your Wellbeing Matters" - access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks

And a market-leading benefit offering through our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, enables you to choose the package that's right for you, including:

• A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
• 100's of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
• Cycle to Work Schemes
• Electric Car Purchase Scheme
• Critical illness cover

And that's not all, we place the outcomes of the children and vulnerable young adults in our services at the heart of everything we do, so you'll wake every day in the knowledge that your role will have a significant positive impact on the lives of others.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and we expect all employees to share this commitment and undertake appropriate checks.

We are an Equal Opportunities Employer