GGS - Head of People

***This position will start as a 12 month Fixed Term Contract with a view to being made Permanent***

Gatwick Ground Services (GGS) provide airport ground operations at London Gatwick and London City Airports.  As a wholly owned British Airways subsidiary we take great pride in delivering the same impeccable customer service and fully comprehensive training.  We are proud to deliver the highest standard of ground handling to British Airways and our other airline partners.

Gatwick Ground Services was established in 2016, to support the ramp operations of British Airways at Gatwick. Following its success, the company branched into Aircraft Cleaning in 2018.  In 2020, Passenger Services formed the newest department within the GGS business to provide an all-round ground handling option.

Our operations across two stations supports British Airways, Air India, Iberia Express, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Vueling Airlines providing a complete ground handling solution. 

It’s an exciting and fast-paced life when you’re working in some of the world’s most important travel hubs, and you’ll be part of a global gateway connecting with people from all walks of life and helping to make each and every journey original and unique.

Whether you are a welcoming face at check in, have a keen eye for aircraft appearance, or thrive in a detail-oriented fast paced ramp environment, a job at Gatwick Ground Services is yours to make.

When you join the Gatwick Ground Services team, an exceptional travel experience from the ground up starts with you.

The role:

Head of People

This is a hugely exciting opportunity to join the Gatwick Ground Services Leadership Team as Head of People.  Based at London Gatwick but also supporting our operation at London City; the purpose of this role is to provide expert guidance, counsel and challenge to enhance organisational performance, integrity and engagement.  The successful candidate will lead an operational HR team and will aim to set 12-24 month strategic people plans and solutions. 

What you'll do:

• Partner with leadership to develop and deliver a strategic and operational people plan for GGS ​
• Lead industrial relations initiatives and manage complex employee relations cases​
• Act as a trusted advisor, providing coaching and challenge to the Leadership Team and people team ​
• Drive delivery of HR processes including payroll, recruitment, and lifecycle events​
• Use people data to identify trends and inform decision-making​
• Support strategic workforce planning (12–24 months horizon)​
• Champion continuous professional development for self and others

What you'll bring to Gatwick Ground Services:

You'll adopt a flexible approach - working with specific business areas or taking the lead role on key strategic projects that have impact across GGS and beyond.​

A passion for learning - demonstrate curiosity and make the most of opportunities to learn, improve and innovate. Externally referenced, be curious about new approaches to improve and innovate.​

A team player & key trust partner

Qualifications & Experience:

• 6+ years in HR, with 3+ years in a senior HRBP role​
• Experience in airport ground services or similar operational environments​
• Team Management experience ​
• Strong ER/IR experience (essential)​
• CIPD (preferred but not essential)
• Must be able to obtain satisfactory 5 year background referencing in addition to a criminal record check to enable the issue of an airside pass

Skills & Capabilities:

• Industrial Relations Expertise – Demonstrated ability to manage union relationships, lead negotiations, and resolve disputes in a high-volume operational environment.​
• Employee Relations Mastery – Skilled in handling complex ER cases with discretion and compliance, ensuring fair outcomes and minimising risk.​
• Coaching & Facilitation – Strong coaching skills to support leadership development and team effectiveness. Able to facilitate workshops and training sessions that build people capability.​
• Operational HR Acumen – Deep understanding of payroll, recruitment, and the full employee lifecycle. Able to manage cyclical HR activities with precision and consistency.​
• Strategic Workforce Planning – Experience in developing and executing 12–24 month people plans aligned to business needs, including forecasting, succession planning, and talent deployment.​
• Stakeholder Engagement – Ability to build trusted relationships across all levels of the organisation, influencing outcomes and driving collaboration.​
• Compliance & Risk Management – Knowledgeable in employment law and regulatory frameworks, ensuring HR practices are compliant and risk-aware.​
• Resilience & Adaptability – Able to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic airport environment, managing competing priorities and adapting to change

What we offer:

We believe that all the people who work with us should feel valued for the part they play. It’s one of the reasons our rewards go far beyond a competitive salary.

Salary range between £65,000 and £75,000 dependent on experience, as well as eligibility to our Annual Incentive Plan.

Key benefits include:

• Access to discounted flights known as hotline fares, standby tickets and concessions with British Airways and other code share airlines
• Access to a Private Health Care scheme and additional health benefits including free winter flu jab 
• Cycle to work scheme
• Free staff parking
• Discounts on public transport and airport food vendors
• A generous leave allowance (in addition to Bank Holidays) of 23 days, increasing to 24 days after 5 years service 
• Pension scheme

At Gatwick Ground Services you’ll have the chance to take on new challenges and move forward in a way that feels right for you. We encourage all those who work for us to consider opportunities right across our business to help you develop and progress.

We never stand still, and we don’t expect our people to either.

Inclusion & Diversity

At Gatwick Ground Services we all have a part to play in creating an inclusive place to work. Diverse representation among our people is really important to us and we recognise that all our colleagues are uniquely different and bring their own originality, creativity and identity to work.

Inclusion and diversity are a key driver of innovation and we’re committed to creating a culture where everyone feels that they can be themselves. We’re looking for people from all backgrounds and cultures to join us and be a part of our journey as we continue to assist with connecting Britain with the world and the world with Britain.