HR Manager - Maternity Cover

Role purpose

Maternity cover fixed term contract until May 2027

The Interim HR Manager will lead the day-to-day delivery of the Group's people agenda, ensuring a professional, compliant and commercially focused HR service across all business entities. The role is designed to provide continuity during maternity leave and will operate at a level below the Human Resources Director role.

The role will oversee HR operations, employee relations, recruitment, payroll coordination, learning and development, employee engagement, people reporting and acquisition integration. The post holder will manage the People Advisor and Recruitment Lead. The role does not include management responsibility for the Operations and Fleet team.

Working closely with the Chief Financial Officer, senior leaders and managers across the Group, the Interim HR Manager will provide practical advice and hands-on support while ensuring that people processes remain consistent, scaleable and appropriate for a growing, multi-site and acquisitive business.

HR leadership and service delivery

• Lead the day-to-day delivery of the Group HR, recruitment and payroll support functions.
• Manage, support and develop the People Advisor and Recruitment Lead, setting clear priorities and service standards.
• Provide a practical, responsive and commercially focused HR service to managers and colleagues across the Group.
• Ensure HR activities are prioritised effectively during the maternity cover period and that key projects continue to progress.
• Maintain effective relationships with senior leaders, managers and external advisers.

Employee relations and employment practice

• Provide advice and hands-on support on disciplinary, grievance, capability, absence, performance and other employee relations matters.
• Coach managers to handle people matters confidently, fairly and consistently.
• Ensure HR policies and procedures are applied consistently and remain aligned with UK employment legislation and good practice.
• Support consultation, organisational change and restructuring activity where required.
• Oversee complex cases and engage external employment law support when appropriate.

Talent Acquisition and workforce planning

• Oversee the Talent Acquisition Lead and the delivery of recruitment activity across the Group.
• Monitor recruitment activity, time to hire, vacancies and agency use, providing clear management information.
• Support workforce and succession planning with senior leaders and managers.

Employee life cycle, on-boarding and HR operations

• Oversee effective on-boarding, contract changes, family leave, benefits administration and off boarding processes.
• Ensure employment records, right-to-work documentation and HR system data are accurate and maintained appropriately.
• Support the consistent on-boarding of senior hires and colleagues joining through acquisitions.
• Review and improve HR processes, templates and controls to support a growing Group.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality and data protection standards across all people activities.

Payroll, pensions and benefits

• Oversee the accurate and timely provision of HR information for payroll processing.
• Work closely with Finance, payroll providers and internal stakeholders to resolve payroll queries and improve controls.
• Support pension administration, auto-enrolment and employee benefit processes.
• Review payroll and people data for accuracy and ensure changes are appropriately authorised.
• Support annual benefit reviews and employee communications.

Acquisition integration and organisational change

• Support the people workstream for acquisitions, including due diligence, TUPE, consultation, onboarding and post-acquisition integration.
• Coordinate the transfer and validation of employee data, contracts, benefits and HR records.
• Work with leaders to align acquired businesses with Group people policies, systems and processes.
• Track integration actions, risks and dependencies and provide clear updates to relevant stakeholders.
• Support employees and managers through change with clear, timely and practical communication.

Learning, development and employee engagement

• Support the delivery of the Group people plan, learning and development priorities and employee engagement activity.
• Work with managers to identify development requirements and practical training solutions.
• Oversee HR compliance training and learning management system activity.
• Support performance review, objective-setting and talent development processes.
• Promote a positive, inclusive and consistent employee experience across all locations.

HR reporting, governance and compliance

• Produce regular people reports covering headcount, turnover, absence, recruitment, employee relations and other key measures.
• Provide concise updates to the Chief Financial Officer and senior leadership team on priorities, risks and progress.
• Ensure people-related risks and compliance requirements are identified, recorded and addressed.
• Support internal and external audit requirements and maintain appropriate evidence and documentation.
• Monitor changes in employment legislation and recommend practical updates to policies and processes.

Essential skills and experience

• CIPD Level 5 qualified or equivalent demonstrable experience.
• Strong generalist HR experience, including managing complex employee relations matters.
• Experience operating in a multi-site, multi-entity or similarly complex organisation.
• Sound and current knowledge of UK employment legislation and HR good practice.
• A practical, hands-on and commercially aware approach.
• Strong organisation, judgement, communication and stakeholder management skills.

Desirable skills and experience

• Experience within a growing SME or medium-sized business.
• Experience supporting acquisition integration, TUPE and organisational change.
• Experience using HR, recruitment and learning management systems.
• Experience producing meaningful people reporting and management information.