VACANCY INFORMATION PACK

PEOPLE OPERATIONS

PROGRAMME MANAGER

Closing Date: 11pm on Sunday 1 7th May 2026

Provisional Interview Date: Week Commencing 1 st June 2026

Contents:

About the role

What you bring

How to apply

Support we offer

OUR MISSION AND VALUES:

At the Science Museum Group, we make it our mission to Inspire Futures. Our talented and dedicated colleagues are guided by five values that encapsulate simply what we’re all about:

– we think big , pushing the limits of what’s possible;

– we challenge ourselves to reveal wonder ;

– we use our passion, expertise and creativity to share authentic stories;

– we aim to ignite curiosity in our audiences and our colleagues; and

– we take pride in being open for all

PEOPLE OPERATIONS PROGRAMME MANAGER – FIXEDTERM UNTIL MAR CH 2030

Location: Railway Museum, York	Contract Type: Fixed-term - March 2030
Salary: c.£65,000	Department: People & Culture
Hours: 35 hours pw	Reports to: Head of Talent & People Operations
Hybrid working: Available – 2 days pw onsite	Date: April 2026

ABOUT THE ROLE:

The Science Museum Group is here to inspire futures, and our People and Culture team is committed to creating a workplace where colleagues feel empowered, engaged, and proud to belong.

At the heart of this, the People Operations team delivers the systems, processes, and services that enable a high ‑quality employee experience. It is a time of real momentum and change in the way the People Operations team delivers this vital service. We are progressing a three -year roadmap to ensure we are future - ready for the re - tender and implementation of a new HR Information System. To support this programme, we have already completed a comprehensive business process review and identified a portfolio of strategic projects for delivery.

The People Operations Programme Manager will lead the delivery of these initiatives , managing a portfolio of project s that adopt automation, improve employee experience, streamline people processes, and improve operational efficiency. This role will be key in delivering the procurement and implementation of the new HRIS.

This role is focused on implementation , delivering both short -term enhancements and longer - term strategic initiatives , while ensuring continuity of service . Working closely with stakeholders across People & Culture and the wider organisation , the role will drive engagement, manage change, and ensure improvements are effectively embedded.

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING:

• Own and deliver an existing programme of People Operations improvement initiatives which address risks, provide efficiencies and operating model enhancements.

• Translate recommendations into structured workplans with clear milestones, accountabilities and measurable outcomes, balancing quick wins with longer - term strategic change.

• Track and report progress, risks, dependencies and benefits realisation to senior stakeholders.

• Proactively manage implementation risks, resource constraints and competing priorities across the business.

• Develop and execute a structured change management approach, engaging senior leaders, wider P&C teams and cross - functional stakeholders to drive adoption.

• Manage the People Systems & Analytics team to successfully deliver the system development roadmap and suite of People reporting and dashboards

• Facilitate workshops, working sessions and communications to support transition, address resistance and embed change across business units.

Partner with ICT and Corporate Information teams to optimise HR systems and introduce workflow management tools ensuring technology changes align with process redesign and transformation objectives.

• Strengthen data governance, reporting and analytics capability to support improved insight and decision - making.

• Build department capability to sustain improvements post -transformation, including developing training materials, documentation, operating procedures and continuous improvement frameworks.

Continuously demonstrate inclusive behaviours, valuing everyone’s contribution, and promoting a culture of openness

• As a colleague at SMG, you will learn about our Health and Safety Policies , procedures and risk assessments , allowing you to take care of your own personal safety and that of others.

You may be required to participate in SMG’s incident response and business continuity arrangements, helping us ensure the organisation’s preparedness and resilience.

WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TEAM:

You will have:

• Proven experience in programme or project management within People Operations or HR Shared Services , with ability to demonstrate successful HR programme s of high impact.

• Demonstrable experience of implementing HR systems & ongoing system optimisation

• Strong understanding and operational experience of designing and working to HR processes across the employee lifecycle

• A record of driving change to encourage technology adoption, making processes more efficient and effective, and a familiarity with best practices in change management

• Advanced technical aptitude, with strong systems thinking and a good understanding of HR data standards, system integrations, and data exchange protocols.

• Delivery focus and accountability ; process driven with strong analytical and problem - solving abilities.

• Able to engage and motivate others to work towards a common goal, setting clear direction and able to adapt to changing circumstances.

• Able to establish and develop productive relationships with stakeholders, bringing people together and communicating messages clearly across a range of audiences

• A values -driven approach and passion for contributing to an open and inclusive organisation.

It would be useful if you have:

• A q ualification in project management

Experience of implementing workflow management tool s

Experi ence of working with iTrent

SOME THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW :

• Science Museum Group is legally required to ensure that all prospective employees have the right to work in the UK before their employment starts. If you do not have this, but believe you are eligible for

sponsorship or able to work with us through any other route, please contact us to check before starting an application.

• SMG will request either a basic or enhanced criminal record check for the successful candidate, depending on the requirements of the role. W e will consider every applicant on a case -by-case basis.

• SMG will support any eligible applications to ‘Access to Work’, a government scheme which helps disabled employees meet additional access related costs at work.

Hybrid working is available in this role in line with the current hybrid working policy at SMG. You will be required to work a minimum of 40% of your working hours on - site, with the specific working arrangement to be agreed with the line manager of this ro le.

HOW TO APPLY!

Interested? We welcome your application. You can apply for this position via our Careers site. Please upload an up -to-date version of your anonymised CV* and answer the following question in the Supporting Statement section of the application form.

YOUR SUPPORTING STATEMENT

1. In no more than 600 words, please describe how your skills and experience match the requirements of the role.

*A CV ( curriculum vitae ; otherwise known as Resume) will be required. If you need further guidance about creating and a CV, please visit: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/careers - advice/cv - sections

HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOU:

• We’d love to hear from you. If you have any questions about the role specifically , please contact the Talent Acquisition Team at recruitment@ sciencemuseum.ac.uk

SMG recognises the social model of disability which states that people are disabled by barriers in society, not their impairment or difference. We want you to have the best possible chance at interview, please let us know if there's anything we can do to m ake things more accessible for you.

If you need assistance to complete your application or attend an interview, for example due to a disability, or would like to talk to us about what we can do to support you through this process, please contact us by email or by calling 01904 685 750 (phone line managed 09:00 – 17:00, Monday to Friday only) .

• Find out more about what it’s like to work at Science Museum Group, answers to frequently asked questions and how to find our offices (including when attending interviews) here .

We are working hard to understand our organisation better and to foster a culture that recognises and values different backgrounds, mindsets, skills, experience, knowledge and expertise. By having greater diversity, we believe that we will be a stronger an d better organisation and ultimately will be able to inspire more futures. We therefore welcome applications from those who bring difference.