Senior People Partner - Product Engineering and Operations

We are Vitesse - the treasury and payment partner of choice for insurance.

Formed in 2014 by a team of proven FinTech entrepreneurs, we are an FCA-regulated business providing global claim funds management and payment solutions. Operating one of the largest banking and payment settlement networks in the world, we give our customers direct access to 200 countries and currencies. Through a single integration, insurers can use this network to pay claims in as fast as 45 seconds and deliver a superior claimant experience. Our market-leading treasury proposition provides insurers with transparency and control over their claim funds, even when delegated to third-parties, allowing them to have their money in the right place, at the right time, to make that all-important payment when customers need it most.

With over 175 employees across our London headquarters, Europe, and the US, $93m Series C funding secured, and exceeding £10bn in processed transactions, we are only just getting started.

We are collaborative, customer centric and work with integrity, whilst partnering with some of the biggest insurance leaders including Lloyd's of London and Many Pets. We take huge pride in our company culture, ensuring that everyone has a part to play, an opportunity to be heard, be involved, and the ability to make a real difference. As we continue to scale up, we want like-minded humans to join us on this exciting journey. Are you ready?

YOUR MISSION

As Senior People Partner supporting Product Engineering and Operations at Vitesse, you will operate as a strategic advisor to senior leaders, shaping and delivering a high-impact People strategy that drives performance, engagement, and scalable growth.

This role goes beyond operational HR support you will influence leadership capability, organisational design, talent strategy, and culture in a fast-moving fintech environment. You will balance commercial acumen with people expertise to ensure our teams can perform at their best while building a sustainable, inclusive and high-performing culture.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic People Partnership

• Partner with senior leaders to translate business objectives into actionable People strategies.

• Act as a trusted advisor and coach to leaders, driving accountability and high performance.

Talent Strategy & Workforce Planning

• Drive and take ownership of the workforce planning and support the Talent Acquisition team to shape hiring plans aligned to business growth and skills needs.

• You will play an active role in supporting recruitment through coaching hiring managers to elevate hiring standards and ensure consistent, high-quality selection processes.

• Proactively identify capability gaps and future talent risks within Product Engineering and Operations.

Performance & High-Performance Culture

• Lead performance management cycles, ensuring robust goal setting, feedback, calibration, and development planning is in operation and meeting our standards.

• Enable managers to confidently manage both high and low performance.

• Embed a culture of continuous feedback, accountability, and growth.

Leadership & Capability Development

• Diagnose development needs across teams and implement targeted learning initiatives.

• Coach managers to strengthen leadership capability, employee engagement, and team effectiveness.

• Support succession planning and internal mobility strategies.

Employee Relations & Risk Management

• Serve as a trusted advisor and manager all employee relations matters within your functions and support others when and where appropriate.

• Provide balanced, commercially sound guidance that mitigates risk while maintaining trust.

• Ensure People practices align with employment law and regulatory requirements whilst staying in line with our people centric approach.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

• Embed inclusive leadership practices across Product Engineering and Operations.

• Partner with leaders to drive equitable talent outcomes across hiring, performance, and progression.

• Use data insights to identify and address systemic gaps.

Engagement & Culture

• Translate engagement data into actionable insights and support with driving measurable improvements.

• Lead retention strategies for critical talent populations.

• Strengthen cross-functional collaboration and cultural alignment.

People Analytics & Insight

• Leverage People data to inform decision-making and influence leadership conversations.

• Track and report on key metrics including attrition, performance distribution, hiring effectiveness, and engagement trends.

• Use insights to proactively identify organisational risks and opportunities.

Change & Transformation

• Lead the People aspects of organisational change, including restructures, team evolution, and process transformation.

• Ensure thoughtful communication, impact assessment, and change adoption strategies.

• Significant experience as a Senior HR Business Partner or Senior People Partner in a fast-paced, scaling environment ideally fintech or technology.

• Demonstrated experience partnering with Product, Engineering, or Technical teams.

• Strong commercial acumen and ability to link People strategy to business performance.

• Deep understanding of employment law, regulatory frameworks, and People best practices.

• Proven capability managing complex employee relations and organisational change.

• A strong work ethic with high levels of ownership and accountability.

• The confidence and credibility to operate independently, while also collaborating effectively as part of a wider People and leadership team.

• Strong coaching and influencing skills, with the confidence to challenge senior stakeholders constructively.

• Analytical mindset with the ability to translate People data into strategic insights.

• A genuine passion for HR and driving our business forward as well as passion for enabling Product and Technology teams to do their best work.

• 25 days Holiday per year (increase by 1 day per year to 30 days max) + Bank Holidays

• Hybrid working arrangements

• Contributory pension scheme

• Enhanced Parental leave

• Cycle to Work Scheme

• Private Medical Insurance through Vitality

• Access to Oliva our Mental Health Therapy partners

• Discounted Gym membership

• Financial Coaching with Octopus Wealth

• 2 days of volunteering leave per year

• Sabbatical after 5 years' service

• Life Assurance - MetLife (UK employees only).

• Ongoing Learning and Development to support you reach your career goals

We understand that everyone has their own work rhythm, and we believe in a flexible working schedule that supports a healthy work/life balance. We offer a hybrid work approach with 2 days in the office in our London St Paul's office.

WE ARE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

We are committed to creating an inclusive environment that enables everyone to perform at their best, where we recognise the rights of all individuals to mutual respect and where there is an unbiased acceptance of others. Our policies and practices aim to promote an environment that is free from all forms of Unfair discrimination and values the diversity of all people. At the heart of our policy, we seek to treat people fairly and with dignity and respect. If you need any reasonable interview adjustments please let us know by contacting our head of talent on clara.moretti-parker@vitesse.io