HR Advisor

WR Engineering; Knutsford; On-site; GBP 41,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

WR Engineering is seeking an HR Advisor to provide practical day-to-day HR support across a UK workforce of around 270 employees. This is a varied generalist role working closely with managers and staff across the full employee lifecycle, while also contributing to HR improvement projects.

The role involves advising on day-to-day HR issues, maintaining records, liaising with payroll, and supporting early talent programmes.

Qualifications

• CIPD Level 5 or a relevant degree.
• Strong generalist HR experience, ideally within a manufacturing or engineering environment.
• Excellent communication and organisational skills.
• A practical, solutions-focused approach to HR.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to handle confidential information professionally.
• Good analytical skills, with ability to interpret HR data and identify trends.

Responsibilities

• Managing the full employee lifecycle, from recruitment and onboarding through to employee relations, absence, performance and offboarding.
• Providing practical advice and support to managers on day-to-day HR issues.
• Maintaining accurate and compliant employee records and HR data.
• Working closely with payroll on starters, leavers and pay-related changes.
• Monitoring HR metrics and using data to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
• Coordinating early talent programmes including apprenticeships, placements, internships and work experience.
• Supporting the development of job architecture, competency frameworks and career progression pathways.
• Helping to review and implement HR policies and procedures.
• Supporting wider HR, digitalisation and continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Generalist HR experience

Manufacturing/engineering experience

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Confidential information handling

Education

CIPD Level 5 or relevant degree

Tools

HRIS

SharePoint

Teams

Excel

Job description

to 45k On-site Full Time 40 hours per week

Are you an experienced HR professional looking for a hands‑on role where you can make a real impact?

I am working with a global manufacturer in their search for a HR Advisor to provide practical, day‑to‑day HR support across a UK workforce of around 270 employees. This is a varied generalist role where you'll work closely with managers and employees across the full employee lifecycle, while also getting involved in wider people initiatives and HR improvement projects.

The Role

As HR Advisor, you'll be a trusted point of contact for managers and employees, providing clear and pragmatic advice across a broad range of HR matters.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Managing the full employee lifecycle, from recruitment and onboarding through to employee relations, absence, performance and offboarding.
• Providing practical advice and support to managers on day‑to‑day HR issues.
• Maintaining accurate and compliant employee records and HR data.
• Working closely with payroll on starters, leavers and pay‑related changes.
• Monitoring HR metrics and using data to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
• Maintaining competency and training matrices across the site.
• Coordinating early talent programmes including apprenticeships, placements, internships and work experience.
• Supporting the development of job architecture, competency frameworks and career progression pathways.
• Helping to review and implement HR policies and procedures.
• Supporting wider HR, digitalisation and continuous improvement initiatives.

About You

We're looking for someone who is confident operating in a generalist HR environment and enjoys working closely with people at all levels of an organisation.

You’ll ideally have:

• CIPD Level 5 or a relevant degree.
• Strong generalist HR experience, ideally gained within a manufacturing or engineering environment.
• Excellent communication and organisational skills.
• A practical, solutions‑focused approach to HR.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to handle confidential information professionally.
• Good analytical skills, with the ability to interpret HR data and identify trends.
• Strong Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel, with experience using systems such as HRIS, SharePoint and Teams.
• Experience with competency frameworks, job evaluation or job architecture would be advantageous.
• Exposure to apprenticeships, placements or other early talent programmes would also be beneficial.