Head of content and communities jobs

Job description:

People and Culture Manager

Salary: £40,000 - £42,000

Location: Onsite/Hybrid (minimum Tues-Thurs in the office based in High Wycombe Buckinghamshire)

Reports to: Head of People and Culture

Line management: HR Coordinator

About CSSC;

With a heritage of 100 years, our patron is the Duchess of Gloucester, we are a membership-owned organisation for all civil service and public sector employees in the UK, supported by 1,200 volunteers. We provide opportunities for over 100,000 members, that inspires wellbeing, builds community, and fosters a genuine sense of belonging, earning lifelong loyalty through trust and meaningful connection. We are currently undergoing our 3 year transformation agenda and it’s an exciting time to be part of building our next chapter. About the role

We’re looking for an experienced, hands-on People and Culture Manager to oversee day-to-day HR operations and provide trusted support to managers across the organisation. You’ll have overall responsibility for recruitment, employee relations, payroll oversight and HR policy, while leading and developing a People Coordinator who will support with administration, data and first-line queries.

Key responsibilities

Leadership & HR operations

· Take overall responsibility for the delivery of day-to-day HR services across the organisation.

· Line manage, coach and develop the People Coordinator.

· Ensure HR processes are efficient, consistent and compliant.

Employee relations

· Act as the escalation point for ER matters including performance, absence, grievance and disciplinary cases.

· Support and coach managers on people issues, ensuring fair and consistent practice.

· Oversee the People Coordinator handling first-line queries and low‑risk ER tasks.

Recruitment & onboarding

· Lead end‑to‑end recruitment for vacancies across the business.

· Partner with hiring managers to define roles, adverts and interview processes.

· Oversee onboarding to ensure a positive new starter experience, supported by the People Coordinator.

Payroll & benefits

· Oversee monthly payroll and pension processes ensuring accuracy and deadlines are met.

· Work closely with Finance and the HR Coordinator on submissions and changes.

· Support review and administration of benefits.

Policies, systems & compliance

· Maintain and update HR policies in line with employment legislation.

· Ensure GDPR and confidentiality standards are met.

· Oversee HR data quality and reporting (with delivery handled by the HR Coordinator).

Culture, engagement & development

· Support initiatives that build engagement, wellbeing and retention.

· Coordinate learning and development priorities with managers.

· Contribute to workforce planning and organisational change projects.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

· Lead and coordinate the organisation’s approach to EDI (equity, diversity and inclusion)

· Ensure HR policies and practices support fair, inclusive and non-discriminatory outcomes

· Work with leaders and managers to promote inclusive behaviours and challenge bias

· Monitor EDI data and trends and report insights

Skills & experience

· Strong HR generalist background, ideally in a similar role.

· Confident managing ER cases and coaching managers.

· Experience leading or mentoring others

· Good understanding of UK employment law

· Comfortable balancing hands‑on work with strategic input.

· Excellent interpersonal, organisational and problem‑solving skills.

· CIPD Level 5 or equivalent experience.

CSSC is an Equal Opportunities Employer

The above is intended to describe the general content of the role, and the requirements for satisfactory performance in this position. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of the duties, responsibilities, or role requirements. We value diversity at CSSC, and do not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, religion, race, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability status.

Interviews at CSSC take place in person and virtually as part of our recruitment process. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. If you are selected to move forward in our application process and you have a medical condition or an individual need for adjustment to our process, and you believe it may affect your ability to be at your best, please let the recruitment partner know, so we can consider how best we can support you and make any adjustments that may reasonably be needed.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Willingness to travel:

• 100% (preferred)

Work Location: In person

We are looking for a Foster Scheme Coordinator to coordinate Battersea’s London Foster Scheme, working in conjunction with Operations and Clinic in sourcing suitable temporary homes for those dogs in our London site requiring foster and supporting both foster carers and dogs during their time away from Battersea.
The Foster Scheme Coordinator will maximise further growth impact and development of the Foster Scheme and the engagement and retention of our Foster Carers through the implementation of the Volunteering and Fostering strategy for Battersea.
They will provide guidance and support to existing and potential Foster Carers including managing their expectations.
Finally, they will ensure that all the behavioural and medical needs of foster dogs are met whilst on foster, sometimes dealing with contentious issues in a professional and sensitive manner.

What we can offer you:
In return for your commitment to our cause and to recognise the value of our employees, Battersea offers a range of benefits to support the wellbeing of our employees. These include:

• 36 days of annual leave (inclusive of 8 days Bank Holiday leave allowance) per year for full time employees (pro-rated for part-time employees).
• Discounted gym memberships and cycle to work schemes.
• Employee Assistance Programme and access to Wellbeing Resources.
• Generous pension contributions - up to 10% employer contribution.
• Free healthcare cash plan, where you can claim for a range of treatment including dental, optical, physiotherapy, chiropody and acupuncture every year.

We are also committed to providing learning and development to our employees. During your time with us, we provide support for your professional and career development, including access to digital and in-person training programmes, leadership and management training, mentoring and much more.

Working with our animals:
Working with our rescues is a very rewarding experience. Your work plays a vital role in giving our dogs and cats a chance at finding their forever home. Everyday will be different and will come with its own unique challenges. We are looking for people with the resilience and adaptability to handle all aspects of this role. It is important to note that the role does involve a lot of physical tasks which are required to provide the exceptional standards of care to our animals.

Diversity and inclusion:
We are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive experience for all staff, volunteers and trustees and those hoping to join us. We operate an anonymised shortlisting process and actively seek to ensure our process is fair and equitable for all.

We understand the value of diverse voices, perspectives, and experiences to help us deliver even more for our dogs and cats, and we welcome applicants from all sections of the community.

As a Disability Confident Committed Employer we will ask about any adjustments you may need at application and/or interview stage, and if you are offered a role with us, we’ll talk to you about any workplace adjustments you may need to help you perform at your best. If you would like to talk more about this, please contact us. Greyscale copies of the recruitment pack are also available on request.

More about us:
At Battersea, we aim to never turn away a dog or cat in need of help. We give each one lots of love, expert care and get to know their characters and quirks so we can find them a new home that’s just right for them. Join us and help us be here for every dog and cat, wherever they are, for as long as they need us.

Acceptable use of AI:
At Battersea, we value expertise. We recognise each candidate that applies to us will have a range of expertise they can offer us, so we want to hear about this in your own words. We understand the support that generative artificial intelligence (AI) software can offer but it can also lead to numerous applications presenting as generic and impersonal. This makes it difficult to gain understanding of your unique experience.

To best showcase yourself, we encourage you to write your responses without the assistance of AI. If you require the use of AI software to aid in completing your application, we ask you use the generative responses as a prompt for writing your answers and avoid copying and pasting. You must also ensure the information presented in your application accurately reflects your experience.

If you are successful to the interview stage of the recruitment process, we ask that you follow the below guidelines on the use of AI at interview stages:

Acceptable use:
• Researching sector trends, company information, or general interview tips.
• Practicing interview questions with AI tools to improve communication skills.
• Using AI to support with structuring your responses.

Please do not:
• Submit AI-generated responses as your own during the interview.
• Use AI to impersonate or misrepresent your experience or skills.
• Use AI tools during real-time interviews.

Closing date: 8th February 2026
All applications must be submitted before the closing date advertised. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications is received.

Interview date: 16th and 17th February 2026 (in person)

For full details on the role, please download the recruitment pack.