HR Advisor

Pioneering People; Knutsford; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Pioneering People is looking for a full-time HR Advisor to work in Knutsford. The role involves providing HR support to approximately 270 employees, managing recruitment processes, and developing competency frameworks. Ideal candidates will have over 3 years of experience in HR, strong digital skills, and the ability to build trust at all levels. The position offers a competitive salary of £40,000-45,000 plus benefits such as life assurance and a generous leave policy. Come join a supportive team as we strive for continuous improvement in our HR practices.

Benefits

Life Assurance

Employee Assistance Programme

Discretionary Bonus

Annual Leave of 31 Days

Qualifications

• 3+ years in a similar HR role within a manufacturing or engineering environment.
• Proficiency in digital skills, particularly in Office 365 and HR systems.
• Familiarity with competency frameworks and job architecture.
• Experience with early talent initiatives such as apprenticeships and internships (desirable).

Responsibilities

• Deliver comprehensive HR support covering recruitment, onboarding, performance management, employee relations, absence management, and offboarding.
• Lead the development and rollout of competency frameworks, job architecture, and structured job evaluation processes.
• Build clear role definitions and progression pathways to support internal equity, training alignment, and workforce planning.
• Manage early careers programmes including apprenticeships, internships, placements, and work experience.
• Collaborate with managers and stakeholders to embed best HR practices and support business objectives.

Skills

Digital Skills

HR Data Analysis

Communication

Attention to Detail

Proactive Mindset

Tools

Office 365

Excel

SharePoint

HR Systems

Job description

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HR Advisor / Knutsford (Site-Based) / Full Time / Up to £45K / Permanent (Mon-Fri 08:30-17:00)

About our Company

Our Oliver Valve companies, based in Knutsford, are one of the world’s leading manufacturers in high pressure valves for the oil, gas, hydrogen and carbon capture industries. We have won recognized awards for Export, Manufacturing and Growth – as well as the coveted Queens Award and more recently Kings Award for Industry. We're a profitable, privately owned, and fast-moving company looking for talented individuals to join our team and deliver our strategic objectives.

About the HR Advisor role:

The HR Advisor reports to the Global HR Manager and works in close collaboration as part of a small team supporting approximately 270 employees in the UK who are mainly based in Knutsford with a small number situated in Dundee, Scotland.

Key Responsibilities of the HR Advisor:

• Deliver comprehensive HR support covering recruitment, onboarding, performance management, employee relations, absence management, and offboarding.
• Lead the development and rollout of competency frameworks, job architecture, and structured job evaluation processes.
• Build clear role definitions and progression pathways to support internal equity, training alignment, and workforce planning.
• Manage early careers programmes including apprenticeships, internships, placements, and work experience, nurturing a strong talent pipeline aligned to business needs.
• Collaborate with managers and stakeholders to embed best HR practices and support business objectives

Requirements:

• +3 years in a similar role within a manufacturing or engineering environment
• Strong digital skills with proficiency in Office 365
• Familiarity with competency frameworks, job evaluation, or job architecture.
• Exposure to early talent initiatives e.g.: apprenticeships, or internships (desirable)

Candidate Profile:

We’re looking for an experienced and confident HR professional who can provide clear, practical advice across the full employee lifecycle and support day-to-day people matters with care and discretion. You’ll be highly organised and able to juggle competing priorities, delivering accurate and timely support across a busy UK operation. Strong attention to detail, sound judgment, and a proactive, solutions-focused mindset are essential, along with the ability to build trust and communicate effectively with managers and employees at all levels.

You’ll bring solid analytical skills to help interpret HR data and spot trends, contributing to both local improvements and wider people initiatives. Strong IT skills, particularly in Excel, SharePoint, Teams, and HR systems, are a must in this fast-paced, data-driven environment.

Salary & Package:

• Competitive Salary: £40,000-45,000 per annum
• Life Assurance (AKA “Death in Service”
• Employee Assistance Programme which includes access to counselling
• Discretionary bonus
• Annual leave of 31 days (inclusive of bank holidays), increasing with tenure

If you’re ready to take on a varied and impactful HR role within a supportive team, we’d love to hear from you

Sound like you? Apply now or get in touch to learn more.