Oxford Quantum Circuits (OQC)
Head of People Operations
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At OQC
At OQC, we aren't just theorising about the future; we're building it. Born from a philosophy of bold innovation, we've successfully transitioned quantum computing from an academic dream into a commercial reality. The most exciting thing is that we're just getting started and we've recently closed our £260 million Series C funding round - the largest fundraise ever completed by a quantum computing company in Europe.
The Purpose
As Head of People Operations, you'll build and lead the operational foundations that enable OQC to scale in the UK and internationally. You'll create a high-performing, technology-enabled People Operations function that combines operational excellence, robust governance and compliance with an exceptional employee experience. This is a senior leadership role for someone who can think strategically, build for scale and still roll up their sleeves to make things happen.
The Role
Reporting to the Chief People Officer, you'll lead OQC's People Operations function and own the operational employee lifecycle, HR systems, payroll, benefits, reward operations, people data and governance. You'll lead and develop the People Operations team while partnering closely with HR Business Partners, Finance, Legal and business leaders. As OQC continues to grow internationally, you'll play a critical role in establishing scalable employment operations in new markets, introducing smarter technology and automation, and ensuring our People infrastructure keeps pace with the business.
This is a hybrid role requiring a 2 to 3 days per week in our Reading office, with some flexibility to work across international time zones when required.
What You'll Be Working On
- Lead OQC's People Operations strategy and develop a high-performing team capable of supporting rapid UK and international growth.
- Own and continuously improve the end-to-end employee lifecycle, from onboarding and contractual changes through to international moves and offboarding.
- Lead the implementation, optimisation and evolution of our HR technology, creating scalable, automated workflows and ensuring exceptional data quality and governance.
- Oversee payroll, benefits, reward operations and employee equity administration, ensuring accurate, timely and compliant delivery.
- Build scalable People policies, processes, controls and governance frameworks that balance operational efficiency, employee experience and compliance.
- Enable international expansion by partnering with Finance, Legal and external providers to establish and manage employment operations across new jurisdictions.
- Turn People Operations into a source of insight and operational excellence through stronger reporting, workforce data, risk management, vendor performance and continuous improvement.
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What We're Looking For
- Significant experience leading a People Operations or HR Operations function within a fast-paced, scaling organisation.
- Proven experience building scalable People Operations processes, policies, controls and governance frameworks.
- Strong HR technology expertise, including implementing or significantly optimising an HRIS.
- Experience supporting UK and international employment operations, including establishing employment arrangements in new countries.
- Strong operational experience across the employee lifecycle, payroll governance, benefits and reward administration.
- Experience leading, coaching and developing People Operations or HR teams.
- Strong understanding of employment legislation, compliance, people data governance and operational risk.
- A track record of driving process improvement, automation and operational change within a People function.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, with experience partnering with Finance, Legal, senior leaders and external vendors.
- Strong project, vendor and budget management capabilities, with the judgement to balance commercial needs, employee experience and compliance.
- Experience working within a complex technology, engineering, scientific or similarly fast-growth commercial environment.
- A degree in Human Resources, Business Management, Business Administration or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
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The 'Nice-to-Haves'
- CIPD qualification or equivalent.
- Hands-on experience administering and optimising HiBob.
- Experience administering employee equity or share option plans.
- Experience supporting expansion into markets such as Spain, the United States, Japan or other international locations.
- Previous experience within a high-growth scale-up.
- Experience using AI-enabled workflow automation or leading digital transformation within People Operations.
- Strong HR analytics, workflow optimisation and multi-jurisdiction employment compliance experience.
Why Join OQC
You will join a world-class team at the forefront of the next computational era. We offer a culture of bold innovation, the chance to work with unique lab infrastructure, and the opportunity to see your work redefine the limits of computation.
Learn more about our benefits and positive work culture here: https://oqc.tech/company/careers-at-oqc/
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