People Centre Team Leader

Job summary

This is a great opportunity to combine operational leadership with people management. As a People Centre Team Leader, you will lead a team delivering a professional service, ensuring colleagues across the organisation receive the support they need when they need it.

You will be responsible for the day to day leadership, performance and development of the team, creating an inclusive environment where colleagues feel supported, valued and motivated to do their best work. Working at the heart of People Services, you will play a key role in maintaining high service standards, improving the colleague experience and helping shape how services are delivered in the future.

The Planning Inspectorate has a long and proud history of supporting a fair planning system for England. Our work has a direct impact on people’s lives, the communities they live in and the economy. We are committed to creating a flexible, collaborative workplace and continually looking for new ways to improve how we deliver our services.

For further information on the Planning Inspectorate, please visit our careers page at Civil Service Careers

Job description

As People Centre Team Leader, you will lead the day-to-day operation of the People Centre, ensuring colleagues across the organisation receive a high-quality, responsive and customer focused service.

You will provide effective leadership and line management to the team, creating a positive and inclusive environment enabling colleagues to develop, contribute and perform at their best. Through coaching, regular feedback and clear expectations, you will build capability, confidence and a strong focus on continuous improvement.

You will oversee the management of people and pay related queries and requests, ensuring work is prioritised effectively, service standards are achieved and team resources are used efficiently. Acting as the escalation point for more complex issues, you will work with colleagues and stakeholders to investigate issues, identify solutions and support People Services and pay related administration.

Using performance information, customer insight and feedback, you will identify opportunities to improve processes, strengthen service delivery and enhance the overall colleague experience, helping the People Centre continue to evolve and meet the needs of the organisation.

Salary

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. Internal rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

This role is being advertised at HEO grade which has a salary of £37,579.

Working hours:

Standard working week is 37 hours, Part time at 30 hours or above, flexible working hours policy available.

Office Attendance

This role is contractually based at our office in Bristol, 10-minute walk from Temple Meads train station. We recognise and value the mutual benefits of hybrid working and have a flexible approach to in person attendance, which can vary dependent on the requirements of individual business units - the details of which can be discussed with candidates if invited to attend an interview. Excitingly, we're relocating to a brand new office in December, while maintaining excellent transport links with Bristol Temple Meads station still just a 10 minute walk away.

Person specification

We will assess your application against the Essential Criteria and Experience elements listed:

Essential Criteria

• CIPD Level 5 qualified (or equivalent experience), with a commitment to achieve the qualification within three years if not already held.
  
  
• Experience working in a HR Service Desk, Operations or Shared Services teams delivering high-volume onboarding, contractual changes, absence, leaver and pay administration, using SAP or similar HR systems and Microsoft Office.
  
  
• Demonstrated ability to manage workloads, resources and competing priorities in a busy operational environment, ensuring service standards, performance objectives and deadlines are consistently achieved.
  
  
• Effective people leadership experience, including motivating, developing and managing the performance of individuals or teams, while acting as an escalation point for complex employee and manager queries using sound judgement and problem-solving skills.
  
  
• Demonstrable experience identifying, implementing and embedding continuous process improvements that enhance efficiency, service quality, compliance and the overall customer experience.
  
  
• Experience applying HR policy, employment legislation, UK GDPR and governance requirements to deliver compliant processes, effective controls and accurate record management.

For guidance on how to structure your application please visit: About the application process , Civil Service Careers

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Experience working in a HR Service Desk, Operations or Shared Services teams delivering high-volume onboarding, contractual changes, absence, leaver and pay administration, using SAP or similar HR systems and Microsoft Office.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,579, Planning Inspectorate contributes £10,886 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Flexible working options, including flexi-time, part-time, compressed hours and home working if suitable for the role.

• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity.

• 25 days annual leave increasing by 1 day per year up to 30 days after 5 years, plus 1 privilege day to mark the King’s birthday. In addition to the normal bank holidays.

• Generous family friendly policies.

• Fast and modern IT kit which utilises Windows 11 and Microsoft 365, enabling seamless working from home and collaboration across teams.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

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 and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Application

For guidance on how to structure your application please seeAbout the application process , Civil Service Careers

Complete the online application form on Civil Service Jobs which requires the following information:

• The CV section is an opportunity for you to detail your career history. It should outline the jobs you have done, the length of time you were employed within each role and a brief description of your role, responsibilities and duties which demonstrate relevance to the role you are applying for against the essential criteria. You must type, or ‘copy and paste’ into the text box called ‘Employment History’ within the online application. You cannot attach a copy of your CV.

• A Personal Statement (1000 words max): The personal statement lets you explain why you're a good fit for the job in more detail. Use it to show how you meet the essential criteria and experience listed in our advert.

In the event of a large number of applications, a lead sift may take place. The following point will be used as the lead criteria when shortlisting if this happens, and if you do not meet the minimum standard the rest of your application will not be assessed.

• Experience working in a HR Service Desk, Operations or Shared Services teams delivering high-volume onboarding, contractual changes, absence, leaver and pay administration, using SAP or similar HR systems and Microsoft Office.

All shortlisted candidates will be advised of the outcome shortly afterwards.

Interview

If you are shortlisted, you will:

• Be asked to attend an interview to have a more in-depth discussion about your experience and suitability for the role.
• Interviews will be a blend of behaviour, and experience questions.

Candidates who pass the shortlist stage will receive full assessment details with their interview invitations.

Other Information

Shortlist Date: 10 – 11 September 2026

Interview Date: 24 – 25 September 2026

Interviews will be held in person at The Planning Inspectorate, Bristol, further details will be sent with the invite to interview.

The Planning Inspectorate does not fund travel and subsistence for candidates to attend interviews.

Reserve list

A reserve list may be held for a period of 9 months from which further appointments can be made.

Future Matches

Candidates who demonstrate strong potential and future readiness but score just below the required level at interview may be considered for alternative positions. These roles may be at a lower grade but align with their skills and offer opportunities for growth.

Merit list order

We appoint in merit list order, starting with any permanent appointments followed by any fixed term appointments.

We encourage all candidates to make themselves familiar with the role and what we will be assessing you against which is detailed in the Person Specification.

ID and Documents

If specific qualifications/memberships are essential for the role and you are successful, you will be asked to provide accurate scanned or photographed images of the qualifications/memberships that you listed on your application prior to your start date.

We must check that any successful candidates are allowed to work for the Civil Service before we employ them. If successful, you will be asked to do a right to work check using identity document validation technology (IDVT) through the services of an Identity Service Provider (IDSP), Civil Service Jobs. If we are unable to confirm your right to work and through the IDVT we will need to do a manual right to work check using original documents with you in person.

Visa Sponsorship

The Planning Inspectorate cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates, we do not hold a Visa sponsorship licence.

Disability Confident Interview scheme/Reasonable Adjustments

The Civil Service values diversity and offers equal opportunities. We have a Disability Confident Interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the job's minimum criteria. We will also provide reasonable adjustments to all where possible. For more information please see Reasonable Adjustments , Civil Service Careers.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Sarah Hughes
• Email : pins.recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : pins.recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact in the first instance: The Vacancy Manager via the Talent Acquisition Team (PINS.Recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk).

If you are not satisfied with the response, you receive you should then contact, Chief People Officer, via the Talent Acquisition Team (PINS.Recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk).

If you are still not satisfied with the response you receive from the Planning Inspectorate, you can contact the Office of the Civil Service Commission. https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/recruitme…

Attachments

250318_EVP(Great_Place_To_Work) (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 555kB)