People Operations Manager

Job Title: People Operations Manager

Reports to: Vice President of People & IT

Direct Reports: 3

Location: London

About Us

Kooth is a fast-growing, mission-driven organization transforming access to digital mental health support across the UK and the US. Listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: KOO), our mission is to create welcoming, accessible spaces for personalized mental health care that empower young people to thrive.

Grounded in an early-intervention model, we support young people aged 10–25 to build resilience, access timely care, and lead fulfilling lives. We are more than a digital service—we are part of a movement toward more inclusive, evidence-informed mental health care.

In the UK, Kooth works alongside the NHS and is the country’s largest digital mental health platform for young people, built on more than one million hours of professional support delivered to youth across the country.

In the US, we bring our mission to life through Soluna, California’s first statewide digital behavioral health service for 13–25-year-olds. Soluna removes barriers to care by providing nearly immediate access to one-to-one coaching, Care Navigation, peer support, and self-guided tools that help young people build resilience and find meaningful support when they need it most.

Our culture is rooted in our values: Alongside You, Flexible, Compassionate, Committed, and Safe. These values guide how we support young people, collaborate with one another, and build solutions that meet individuals and communities where they are.

At Kooth, you will be part of something bigger than yourself—meaningful work with measurable impact.

Learn more about Kooth and Soluna.

What We’re Looking For

The People Operations Manager will manage the day-to-day delivery and continuous improvement of People Operations across the UK and US. Working closely with the Vice President of People & IT (US) and Director of People (UK), this role will translate People priorities into consistent, efficient, and compliant processes that create a seamless employee experience.

This is a hands-on leadership role responsible for managing a team of three People Operations Generalists, overseeing core People systems and services, and ensuring our operational foundations support Kooth as it continues to grow.

How You’ll Make an Impact

People Operations Delivery

• Manage the effective day-to-day delivery of People Operations services across the UK and US.
• Translate People priorities into clear processes, workflows, service standards, and team objectives.
• Monitor service delivery, identify areas for improvement, and ensure employees and managers receive timely, accurate, and supportive guidance.
• Partner with People colleagues and business stakeholders to deliver a consistent employee experience across the employee lifecycle.

Systems Management and Continuous Improvement

• Manage the HRIS, Rippling, and other key People systems across the UK and US, serving as the primary operational subject matter expert.
• Maintain accurate system configuration, documentation, permissions, workflows, and data.
• Improve system adoption and the user experience by simplifying workflows, increasing self-service, automating processes, integrating systems, and using AI where it adds value.
• Coordinate relationships with system vendors and implementation partners, monitoring service levels, costs, and delivery.
• Support system implementations, upgrades, testing, and change-management activities.

Payroll and Benefits Administration

• Manage payroll processes across the UK and US, ensuring information is accurate, complete, timely, and compliant.
• Coordinate with Finance, internal stakeholders, and third-party payroll providers to resolve issues and support payroll processing and annual tax documentation.
• Oversee the day-to-day administration of UK and US employee benefits, including enrollments, changes, renewals, and employee queries.
• Support benefits reviews and renewals by coordinating with brokers, vendors, Finance, and People leadership.
• Deliver clear employee communications and education relating to payroll and benefits.
• Partner with Finance and People leadership to support the administration of variable compensation plans.

Team Management and Development

• Manage, coach, and support a team of three People Operations Generalists serving employees across the UK and US.
• Set clear expectations, priorities, and performance objectives for the team.
• Provide regular feedback, coaching, and development opportunities.
• Promote accountability, collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and continuous improvement.
• Manage team capacity and workflows to ensure changing business needs are met and employees receive a high-quality service.

People Data, Governance, and Compliance

• Maintain accurate, well-governed People data through effective controls, documentation, and regular audits.
• Support compliance with UK and US employment legislation, GDPR, US data-privacy requirements, and internal governance standards.
• Maintain People policies, procedures, process documentation, and employee records.
• Produce regular People reports, dashboards, and insights to support workforce planning and business decision-making.
• Respond to reporting requests and help leaders understand and use People data effectively.
• Identify data-quality issues and work with relevant stakeholders to resolve them.

Health and Safety

• Coordinate health and safety activities across the UK and US, supporting compliance with relevant legislation and internal requirements.
• Maintain health and safety records, policies, training, risk assessments, and reporting processes.
• Partner with relevant stakeholders to identify and address workplace health and safety risks.
• Coordinate the reporting, investigation, and resolution of health and safety incidents, escalating significant matters when appropriate.
• Support initiatives that promote a safe, healthy, and inclusive working environment.

Requirements

What You’ll Bring

• Proven experience managing People Operations services and supporting the development of a high-performing team.
• Experience supporting employees and managers across both the UK and US, with the ability to collaborate effectively across teams and time zones.
• Hands-on experience managing HR systems, including supporting HRIS implementations, automation, system administration, and continuous process improvement.
• Working knowledge of UK and US employment law, regulatory requirements, data governance, and payroll processes.
• Experience using automation and AI to simplify workflows, improve efficiency, and reduce manual administration.
• Strong People data and reporting skills, with experience identifying and communicating trends across areas such as attrition, absence, performance, and engagement.
• Experience administering or supporting employee benefits and reward programmes, including renewals and market reviews.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate complex information into clear, practical guidance for employees and managers.
• Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Strong project management, problem-solving, and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage competing operational demands.
• A proactive, adaptable, and resilient approach, with strong attention to detail and a commitment to delivering an excellent employee experience.
• CIPD or SHRM accreditation is required.
• Experience working with Rippling is highly preferred.

Benefits

What You’ll Get:

Compensation: The base salary for this role is up to £65,000 per annum. We are committed to transparency and value our candidates’ time, which is why we include salary information in all our job postings. Final compensation will be based on a range of factors, including your experience, qualifications, skills, and overall alignment with the role.

Kooth offers a competitive base salary and comprehensive benefits including:

• Generous Annual Leave: Enjoy 28 days of annual leave, in addition to public holidays, providing you ample time to recharge and spend quality moments with your loved ones.
• Professional Development: Benefit from our yearly professional training programmes, tailored to your career aspirations and designed to enhance your skills and knowledge.
• Financial Security: Secure your financial future with our pension contributions and annual company share option awards, giving you a stake in the success of the company.
• Health and Well-being: Prioritize your health and well-being with our comprehensive AXA Health Insurance and access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). The EAP offers 24/7 telephone mental health support and access to GP consultations, ensuring your mental and physical health are taken care of.
• Life Assurance: Gain peace of mind knowing that you're covered with life assurance, providing up to four times your annual salary to your loved ones in the unfortunate event of your passing.
• Flexible Working: Embrace the flexibility of remote working, allowing you to create a work-life balance that suits your needs and maximizes your productivity.
• Lifestyle Benefits: Participate in the Cycle to Work Scheme, promoting a healthy and eco-friendly lifestyle, and take advantage of our Incapacity Income Protection to safeguard your financial stability in case of unforeseen circumstances.

At Kooth, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace that values and embraces the unique contributions of every individual. We believe in equal opportunities for all, regardless of race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression or sexual orientation.

Our dedication to creating a fair and unbiased environment is reflected in all aspects of our recruitment, hiring, and employment practices. We strive to provide a work environment that is free from discrimination, where every employee is treated with respect and dignity.

Request for Reasonable Adjustments:

We are dedicated to providing reasonable adjustments to applicants and employees with disabilities or individuals who require accommodations to participate in the application process, interviews, or job-related tasks. If you require any reasonable adjustments to ensure your equal participation in our recruitment process, please inform our Human Resources team.

Your openness will allow us to work together to provide appropriate accommodations and ensure a fair and accessible application and employment experience for everyone.

Kooth plc is committed to our responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults . We are committed to recruiting candidates who share this commitment to safeguarding, and therefore we apply robust recruitment and selection procedures to ensure that the people selected are right for the job, and that all candidates are appropriately screened prior to appointment. This will include a DBS check.