Lead, HR Service Excellence

Prudential’s purpose is to be partners for every life and protectors for every future. Our purpose encourages everything we do by creating a culture in which diversity is celebrated and inclusion assured, for our people, customers, and partners. We provide a platform for our people to do their best work and make an impact to the business, and we support our people’s career ambitions. We pledge to make Prudential a place where you can Connect, Grow, and Succeed.

Job Description: Lead, HR Service Excellence

Driving End‑to‑End HR Operations, Payroll, Governance & Audit Excellence

Position Overview

The Lead, HR Service Excellence is responsible for overseeing the delivery of comprehensive HR services across the employee lifecycle. The role ensures seamless end‑to‑end HR operations, robust payroll management, strong HR governance, and effective HR audit management to support organisational goals, regulatory compliance, and employee experience.

Key Responsibilities

• End‑to‑End HR Operations:
  • Lead and manage the HR operations team to deliver high‑quality, consistent, and timely HR services across onboarding, employee records, benefits administration, and offboarding.
  • Continuously review and optimise HR processes to enhance efficiency and employee experience.
  • Implement and monitor service level agreements (SLAs) and key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Payroll Management:
  • Oversee payroll operations, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with local regulations.
  • Partner with Finance and Audit teams to resolve discrepancies and ensure data integrity.
  • Drive continuous improvements in payroll processes and reporting.
• HR Governance & Audit:
  • Establish and maintain HR policies, procedures, and internal controls aligned with organisational and statutory requirements.
  • Ensure compliance with employment legislation, data protection, and internal audit standards.
  • Lead HR audits (internal, external, and regulatory), including audit planning, documentation, issue remediation, and closure.
  • Partner with Internal Audit, Risk, Compliance, and external auditors to ensure effective audit outcomes.
  • Monitor audit findings, risk issues, and management action plans to ensure sustainable resolution.
  • Build HR audit readiness and governance capability through training and clear communications.
• Stakeholder Management:
  • Act as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert on HR operations, governance, payroll, and audit matters.
  • Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support effective HR service delivery.
• Continuous Improvement:
  • Lead HR service excellence initiatives, leveraging technology, automation, and data analytics.
  • Identify opportunities for digitalisation and process optimisation across HR operations.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related discipline
• Minimum 8 years of progressive HR experience with strong exposure to HR operations, payroll, governance, and HR audits.
• Proven experience managing HR audits, regulatory reviews, or compliance assessments.

Core Competencies

• Strategic thinking and operational excellence
• Strong governance, risk, and audit mindset
• High attention to detail and compliance orientation
• Customer‑centric service delivery
• Ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment
• Strong people leadership, stakeholder management, and problem‑solving skills.

Prudential is an equal opportunity employer. We provide equality of opportunity of benefits for all who apply and who perform work for our organisation irrespective of sex, race, age, ethnic origin, educational, social and cultural background, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, disability or part-time / fixed-term work, or any other status protected by applicable law. We encourage the same standards from our recruitment and third-party suppliers taking into account the context of grade, job and location. We also allow for reasonable adjustments to support people with individual physical or mental health requirements.