Head of People Operations

Overview

Simprints is seeking a hands-on Head of People Operations to sharpen and consistently run the company's existing HR systems, policies and core processes across every country it operates in. The role is remote-first, close to day-to-day work, and leads a team of 3 direct reports.

What you'll do

• Protect and live the company culture and values, hold others to them, run engagement surveys and turn results into specific, followed-through actions.
• Act as the go-to person for managers and staff on grievances, disciplinary matters, performance concerns, absences and exits, handling cases fairly, documenting them and knowing when to bring in local counsel.
• Ensure contracts, handbooks and policies comply with employment law in each country of hire, whether through own entities or an Employer of Record, tracking legal changes and flagging risk early.
• Classify people correctly (permanent, fixed-term, project-funded, consultant or contractor) as projects start and end, with the right contracts, notice terms and exit processes.
• Audit existing people processes (onboarding, offboarding, probation, performance reviews, leave, contract changes) to identify gaps and tighten them.
• Find practical ways to use AI across the people function and roll these out safely with clear data-privacy guidance.
• Own the accuracy of the HRIS and people data, support payroll and benefits administration across countries, and produce reliable reporting for leadership.
• Lead the annual company offsite end-to-end, including agenda, venue, travel, visas, budget, logistics and hosting sessions.
• Coach managers through the people side of their roles and provide simple tools, templates and training.
• Communicate clearly, explain policy in plain language and handle difficult conversations with empathy and directness.

What you'll need

• 7+ years in HR, with at least 2 years leading the people function or a significant part of it, including managing a small team.
• A wide range of employee relations cases handled from first conversation to final outcome, staying calm and fair under pressure.
• Experience with employment law in the UK and in more than one other jurisdiction, including how contracts, notice periods, leave and termination rules differ, and knowledge of Employer of Record models.
• Experience in a project-based or grant-funded business, understanding permanent, fixed-term, project-funded and contractor roles and managing renewals and endings as funding changes.
• Ability to turn messy or inconsistent processes into simple, reliable ones, with strong attention to detail.
• Confidence with an HRIS and with AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude or Copilot, with examples of use to show.
• Experience planning and running in-person events, ideally a company offsite or retreat for 50+ people, including agenda design, logistics, budget and facilitation.
• Clear, warm communication, plain-language policy explanation and handling difficult conversations with empathy and directness.
• Willingness to travel occasionally to company sites in Africa.

Nice to have

• Experience working in or employing people in African countries such as Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria or Ethiopia, including local labour law, payroll and cultural context.
• Experience in a mission-driven organisation, global health or NGO background.
• CIPD Level 5 or above, or an equivalent HR qualification.

Details

• Location: Remote in the United Kingdom; open to candidates within GMT +/- 3 hours if they have UK HR experience.
• Compensation: 60,000-70,000 GBP, adjusted to a local benchmark for candidates based outside the UK.
• Contract: Permanent.
• Reports to the Chief Operating Officer; grade M7 (Head of).
• Occasional travel to sites in Africa.