People Services and Right to Work Manager

Why this role matters

You’ll be responsible for the effective delivery of Argos People Services operations, ensuring colleagues and leaders receive accurate, timely and consistent support across core people processes. Alongside this broader service focus, you’ll lead Argos compliance with Right to Work legislation, ensuring processes are completed accurately and on time. You will lead a team to manage operational services and complex cases, guide colleagues on the execution of our procedures, and drive continuous improvement across both in-house and BPO (Business process outsourcer) -delivered services. As the subject matter expert for People Services and RTW, you’ll be the primary contact point with the Home Office, keeping up to date with legislative changes and translating them into clear, effective Argos and BPO processes.  

You’ll oversee service performance, customer experience, assurance and audit activity across the BPO and in-house People Services teams, using insight and service measures to identify risks, resolve recurring issues and improve colleague outcomes. You’ll develop and monitor control frameworks, supported by the People Admin, and work closely with the Head of People Transformation & People Services on service governance, operational priorities and the responsible use of colleague data. You’ll attend Data Clinic and advocate good practice in the use and protection of colleague data.

Location: London or Coventry (Hybrid)  

What I am accountable for  

• Lead, manage, motivate and develop the People Services and RTW team  
• Lead the effective end-to-end delivery of People Services operations, ensuring services are accessible, responsive, accurate and consistent for colleagues and leaders  
• Own service performance across in-house and BPO delivery, setting clear standards and using service measures, colleague feedback and operational insight to improve outcomes  
• Partner with People teams, leaders, Technology and service providers to simplify processes, resolve recurring service issues and deliver continuous improvement across the colleague lifecycle  
• Ensure operational priorities, service risks, demand and capacity are understood and managed through effective governance, escalation and planning  
• Attend periodic colleague data clinic, providing guidance and advice as the SME as well as completing relevant actions and follow up  
• Work closely with the Privacy team to support the investigation of colleague data breaches  
• Review and approve colleague data transfer requests  
• Monitor the use and governance of colleague data  
• Prepare colleague data governance reports for DGC  
• Ensure the business are aware of how to use colleague data, linking in with Privacy team  
• Support with educating People team colleagues and the broader business in the importance of good data governance and protection processes  
• Oversight of audit activities, aligning with Head of People Transformation & People Services for review and sign off  
• Act as audit liaison for all fieldwork activities, supported by the HR Assurance Lead and HR Assurance Administrator.  
• Monitor effectiveness of control frameworks, supported by HR Assurance Lead and HR Assurance Administrator  
• Oversight of all monitoring and evidencing of BPO activity  
• Oversight of user access reviews and approving new user access requests  
• Ensure that BPO RTW processes are aligned to current RTW legislation  
• Engage with Tech to develop and manage solutions that support RTW processes  
• Work closely with Ops Admin for review and final sign-off on:  
• Case management of errors and potential fraudulent documents  
• Skilled worker visa applications and reporting  

What I need to know  

• Strong knowledge of People Services operating models and end-to-end colleague lifecycle processes, with experience of leading high-quality operational service delivery  
• Experience of managing service performance, customer experience and continuous improvement using operational data, service measures and feedback  
• Knowledge of Right to Work legislation, and its application in a large organisation  
• Strong understanding of data protection legislation relating to colleague data, in an operational environment  
• Experience of building and monitoring control frameworks and supporting audit activities  
• Good knowledge of HR operational processes and HR systems and the risk profile associated with those activities  
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to communicate complexity simply across a range of stakeholders  
• Good planning skills, with an up to 12-month outlook  
• Analytical problem solving, able to use data to identify issues and find solutions  
• Strong relationship management skills with the ability to influence at senior manager level  
• Desirable experience of working with a BPO or similar outsourced provider in delivering service  

At Argos, we’re a digital-led UK retailer that keeps pushing boundaries to meet every generation with what they want, how and when they want it. As a market leader in general merchandise, serving millions of customers through our website, app, same-day delivery and Click & Collect services, we offer real opportunities to learn, grow and shape your career. With roles spanning Commercial, Buying, Merchandising, Design and Supply Chain, through to Digital, Operations, Customer Experience, Marketing, and People and Transformation, you will work with brilliant colleagues and directly shape how we serve our customers every day. From enabling inspiring choice across our owned brands, including Habitat, Chad Valley and Bush, alongside the world’s biggest brands like Apple, Lego, Xbox and Samsung, to making shopping effortlessly convenient, championing trusted value and accelerating our strategy - Argos is an exciting place to build your future.

We are committed to being a truly inclusive retailer so you’ll be welcomed whoever you are and wherever you work. Around here, there’s always the chance to try something new — whether that’s as part of an evolving team or somewhere else across the business - and we take development seriously and promise to support you. We also recognise and celebrate colleagues when they go the extra mile and, where possible, offer flexible working. When you join our team, we’ll also offer you an amazing range of benefits. Here are some of them:

Starting off with colleague discount, you'll be able to save 10% on your shopping online and instore at Sainsbury's, Argos, TU and Habitat, and we regularly increase the discount to 15% at points during the year. We've also got you covered for your future with our pensions scheme and life cover. You'll also be able to share in our success as you may be eligible for a performance-related bonus of up to 20% of salary, depending on how we perform.

Your wellbeing is important to us too. You'll receive an annual holiday allowance, and you can buy up to an additional week's holiday, and we provide private healthcare. We also offer other benefits that will help your money go further such as season ticket loans, interest free car loan of up to £10k, cycle to work scheme, health cash plans, salary advance (where you can access some of your pay before pay day) as well access to a great range of discounts from hundreds of other retailers. And if you ever need it there is also an Employee Assistance Programme.

Moments that matter are as important to us as they are to you which is why we give up to 26 weeks’ pay for maternity or adoption leave and up to 4 weeks’ pay for paternity leave.

Please see www.sainsburys.jobs for a range of our benefits (note, length of service and eligibility criteria may apply).