HR Officer

£30,000 – £35,000 | Permanent or Interim | Full-time | On-site

An established and growing SME is looking to appoint an HR Officer to join its small, hands-on people team.

This is a varied generalist HR position offering the opportunity to take ownership of a broad range of people activities while working closely with managers across the business. It would suit an experienced HR professional who enjoys being close to the operation, as well as an HR Administrator or Coordinator looking to take the next step with the right support.

The business is open to both permanent and interim applicants, so if you are immediately available or looking for a short-term opportunity, you are encouraged to apply.

The Role

You will be involved across the employee lifecycle, from attracting and appointing new employees through to onboarding, employee relations, development and leavers.

Key areas of responsibility will include:

• Providing practical HR support and guidance to managers and employees.
• Coordinating recruitment activity from initial vacancy discussions through to appointment and onboarding.
• Preparing job adverts, supporting candidate searches and arranging interviews.
• Managing pre-employment processes, including right-to-work and reference checks.
• Preparing contracts, offer documentation and other employee paperwork.
• Coordinating starters, leavers and induction activities.
• Supporting managers with employee relations matters, including absence, performance, conduct and grievances.
• Maintaining accurate employee records and ensuring HR information is handled appropriately.
• Monitoring absence and other people data, producing reports and highlighting trends.
• Supporting the review and improvement of HR policies, procedures and processes.
• Assisting with learning and development initiatives, including potential involvement in manager training.
• Contributing to projects designed to improve recruitment, onboarding and the wider employee experience.
• Keeping up to date with UK employment legislation and helping ensure HR practices remain compliant.

About You

We're looking for someone who can combine strong HR knowledge with a practical, approachable style.

You may already be working as an HR Officer, HR Advisor, HR Coordinator or experienced HR Administrator, and should ideally have some generalist HR experience.

You'll bring:

• Experience working across a broad range of HR activities.
• A sound understanding of UK employment legislation.
• Confidence supporting recruitment and the employee lifecycle.
• Experience with right-to-work processes; knowledge of DBS checks would be advantageous.
• Strong organisation and administration skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and the ability to handle confidential information.
• The confidence to communicate with people at different levels of an organisation.
• A proactive approach and willingness to get involved rather than simply provide administrative support.
• The ability to manage competing priorities in a busy environment.
• Good IT skills and experience using HR systems and standard office software.
• Ideally, CIPD Level 5 or equivalent experience/qualification.

Previous experience within manufacturing, engineering or another operational SME environment would be useful, but is not essential.

Why Consider the Role?

This is a genuine opportunity to join a business where HR has plenty of scope to make a difference. You'll have exposure to the full breadth of generalist HR rather than being restricted to one area.

There is also considerable opportunity to become involved in improving existing people processes, particularly around recruitment, onboarding, training and manager support.

The role would be particularly well suited to someone who wants variety, responsibility and the chance to develop their HR career within a close-knit organisation.

Package & Working Pattern

• Salary: £30,000 – £35,000 depending on experience
• Employment: Permanent, although interim applicants will also be considered
• Hours: 37 hours per week

The position is currently office/site based, so applicants should be comfortable working on-site.

If you're an HR professional looking for a varied role where you can genuinely get involved and make an impact, we'd be keen to hear from you.