Senior People Operations Specialist

THE ROLE

This is an opportunity for an experienced People Operations specialist to work directly with the Head of People Operations & Analytics on high-impact transformation initiatives on a 9-month FTC.

The role is focused on reshaping how People Operations operates at scale - through the rollout of a shared services operating model, the harmonisation of outsourced payroll delivery, and the strengthening of systems, data, and governance foundations.

This is a delivery-focused transformation position for someone who enjoys complex operational change, controlled environments, and turning strategic intent into practical, embedded ways of working.

In addition, the role offers hands-on exposure to the design and early implementation of agentic AI use cases within People Operations, helping automate workstreams, improve service delivery, and shape the future People Ops operating model alongside the Head of People Ops.

THE BUSINESS

NextEnergy Group is a leading global renewables group focused primarily on the solar+ infrastructure sector comprising NextEnergy Capital (investment management), WiseEnergy (asset management), Starlight (asset development), NextSTEP (VC sustainability accelerator) and NextEnergy Foundation (international charity).

Our Group companies operate independently as specialists within their sub-sectors of the renewable energy market, covering all stages of the solar value chain, from project development to operational asset management and decommissioning, united by our values of innovation, leadership, building trust, responsibility and ‘bringing alpha’.

These values reflect our quest to deliver exceptional performance. Collaboration and mutually beneficial partnerships among our Group companies support the pursuit of the Group mission.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Payroll Transformation & Outsourced Payroll Management

• Support payroll transformation initiatives across multiple countries, working with outsourced payroll providers
• Act as the People Operations point of accountability for payroll change projects, ensuring continuity, accuracy, and compliance throughout transitions
• Support payroll harmonisation efforts, including provider evaluation, transition planning, testing, and stabilization

Shared Services Design & Implementation

• Support the rollout of a People Operations shared services model, including intake, triage, and resolution workflows (e.g. ShareWorks or equivalent)
• Define clear service ownership, SLAs, escalation paths, and boundaries between regional People Ops teams and central services

HR Systems, Data & Enablement

• Partner with the Head of People Ops and the People Ops team to support HRIS data clean-up, standardisation, and data governance improvements
• Ensure system and data changes align with shared services and payroll harmonisation objectives

Project Delivery & Stakeholder Management

• Own delivery plans, milestones, risks, and dependencies across assigned transformation initiatives
• Provide clear, structured progress updates, risks, and recommendations to senior stakeholders

SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

To be successful in this role, you will demonstrate:

• Time management & prioritization skills- things can get a little hectic, so the ability to effectively manage yourself and your workload is critical
• Excellent communication skills (in English or/and other European languages) - you must be able to organize your thoughts in a way that others find clear and compelling. You will be expected to together well-written, grammatically correct emails and other communications. When communicating verbally – whether over the phone, on video calls, in person or meetings – you will need to be articulate, warm and engaging.
• Flexibility- being an effective team player means being flexible in your approach and open to getting involved with new things, even if they are not spelt out in your job description.
• Intellectual Curiosity – we are looking for someone who is truly interested in our profession and has the intellectual curiosity to delve deep into topics and bring fresh ideas to the team.
• IT Literacy - you should have an interest in technology, including AI and show the aptitude to bring this into your role and the projects you are accountable for delivering. You do not need to be a technologist yourself but you must be technically literate and curious about the possibilities that technology
• Delivery focus – it may sound obvious, but the ability to proactively churn through work at pace and deliver quality outputs matters
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Passion for our mission ‘to generate a more sustainable future by leading the transition to clean energy
• Our values: be a leader, build trust, be responsible, be innovative and ‘bring your alpha’.

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience working with Workday
• Proven experience managing outsourced, multi-country payrolls
• Experience working in controlled, audit-heavy, or regulated environments
• Hands-on experience working within a shared services model
• Experience working across multiple countries and complex stakeholder groups
• The right to live and work in the UK

WHAT WE OFFER

• A busy role in a supportive team, with plenty of opportunities to learn
• International scope – we operate in over 8 countries
• Hybrid working – we will need you in our office at least twice a week, but you will normally be able to work remotely for the remainder of the week
• Annual discretionary bonus.

HOW TO APPLY

If you are interested in this opportunity, please follow the link to apply or send your application to careers@nextenergygroup.com. If you have been shortlisted for the next stage, we will be in contact within 14 days. 

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DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Our approach to diversity and inclusion is a natural extension of our values. Our entrepreneurial culture inspires us to try new things, be open to different viewpoints and be bold. Our Group is committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of connectedness that values difference and gives space for individual expression. The collective sum of our individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, innovation, self-expression, and talent and hard work form the bedrock of who we are and who we aspire to be.

We are committed to equal employment and advancement opportunity irrespective of race, color, ancestry, social background, religion, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability and gender identity.