People Operations Manager - UK

People Operations Manager

Salary – c. £50-55k+ dependent on experience +bonus + benefits

Glasgow, UK (Hybrid – 3 days in office)

Macs Adventure is scaling—and how our People operations work needs to scale with it.

We’re looking for a People Operations Manager to run the day-to-day people operations for UK and Germany, and build the systems, processes and operational backbone that enable our teams to perform at their best—using automation and AI as a core part of how work gets done.

This isn’t a traditional HR role. It’s about taking how things work today and making them simpler, more efficient, and ready for the next stage of growth. Reporting into Alison Lapping, People Director, you’ll focus delivering operational excellence, and redesigning processes that are increasingly self-serve, setting us up for scale.

This role is hands-on. You’ll be comfortable getting into the detail, running all aspects of people operations for UK and Germany day-to-day, while constantly asking “how can this work better?”—using systems, automation and AI to remove friction and improve how we operate.

If you’re motivated by fixing what’s messy, building what’s missing, and using technology to create smarter, more scalable ways of working—this is a role where you can make a tangible impact quickly.

About Macs Adventure

We’re a scaling adventure tour operator on a mission to be the leading global brand in self-guided, active travel.

Welcoming over 40,000 customers on walking and cycling trips to destinations around the world, we employ over 150 people across the UK, US and Germany who share our purpose to create #macsmoments by leading, advocating & enabling self-guided, active travel as a positive force for people and planet.

In November 2024, we proudly achieved B Corp certification, marking a significant milestone in our journey toward sustainable, values-driven growth.

Our Culture

We’re an ambitious, forward-thinking business with a bold vision for the future, and our culture reflects these ambitions. We’re an action-oriented, fast-paced organisation and we like to have fun along the way. We’re looking for people who can grow with Macs on our journey to be the leading active travel brand. It’s not the easy route and we’re looking for people who enjoy challenges, love learning, want to make an impact and align with our core values:

• Love the journey: A Macs trip is all about the journey, not the destination. We are all believers in Macs’ unique brand of self-guided, active travel and shout about it. As more travellers convert to the Macs Way, we accept our business will grow and change. We welcome new connections and embrace to new opportunities. Carpe diem!

• Take a different path: We’re not different for different’s sake; but we won’t succeed if we’re just the same as everyone else. We devise creative solutions to problems, find new ways of doing things, and trust colleagues who are doing so too. We are brave and feel empowered to take the initiative. We ask ourselves: is what I’m doing authentically Macs?

• Tread thoughtfully: We are considerate, empathetic and try to put ourselves in our customers’, suppliers’ and each other’s shoes. We support local and find ways of having less negative impact on the planet. We find ways of having positive impact on people and communities. We are fair, and we do the right thing.

• Go the extra mile: We know that creating a perfect #MacsMoment involves going that bit further. We imagine the best feedback we can get and set out to earn it. We take ownership and accountability – it’s yours, not someone else’s, problem. We step up and help our teammates when they need us.

What you’ll do;

• Run all aspects of the day-to-day people operations for the UK and Germany

• Own people policies and ensure compliance is embedded into processes across the UK and Germany, working with external advisors where needed

• Optimise People systems, using automation and AI as a default to reduce manual work and improve how we operate

• Build the operational backbone for People data—ensuring data is structured, owned and captured correctly at source

• Partner with People Business Partners to translate business needs into practical, scalable processes that work in reality

• Work in close partnership with our US People Ops Manager—designing how processes work globally, while they lead day-to-day execution in the US

• Continuously improve core People processes (onboarding, contracts, lifecycle changes etc), making them simple, scalable and increasingly self-serve

What you’ll bring;

• Experience in a People Operations/HR Management/HRBP role or similar in a fast-paced and/or scaling environment

• Solid understanding of UK employment law and experience applying policies in a practical, operational ways

• A hand-on approach—you’re as comfortable in admin as you are running processes, while improving and simplifying them over time

• Strong systems mindset—you think in workflows, not tasks, and look for ways to automate and scale

• A track record of improving processes or reducing manual work through better system design, automation or tooling

• Confidence using data and tools (including AI) to improve efficiency and decision-making

• Degree level education

Not essential, it would be a bonus if you have;

• Working knowledge of German employment law

• CIPD level 5 (or equivalent)

The knowledge and skills we’ve listed represent “the perfect candidate”. No one’s perfect and we know the ‘confidence gap’ can stop brilliant people applying. If you love the sound of this opportunity please apply, we’d love to hear from you.

You could belong here;

To deliver adventures for more than 40,000 customers we need to build a company that’s reflective of their diversity. We’re building an inclusive workplace that promotes and values difference, where everyone, from any background, can do their best work and be proud to belong.

What we’ll offer

As well as your salary;

• ANNUAL LEAVE: We want you to be able to take holidays that matter to you, so 8 public holidays are included in your annual leave allowance of 33 days, which increases to 35 days after 5 years’ service.

• BIRTHDAY BOOSTER: An extra day off on your birthday!

• PENSION: We offer a contributory pension scheme.

• DISCOUNTS: You are eligible for great discounts on Macs Adventure trips!

• TRAVEL INSURANCE: We provide you and your spouse/partner/children with annual worldwide travel insurance.

• FLEXIBLE WORKING: A flexible work culture - you’ll be able to work from home as well as coming into our hub office in Glasgow 3 days per week to collaborate with colleagues.

• GETTING TOGETHER: Regular team, management and leadership meetings and retreats.

• CULTURE: An innovative, fast growth, international and solution focused culture, where we work hard to embed our values across the business.

• L&D: We support your self-guided learning journey to make the most of your strengths.

• WELLBEING. We'll support you in looking after your health and wellbeing so you can do your best work.

• TRAVEL: Occasional international travel may be required.

• IMPACT: The opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives and the planet.