HR Generalist

MET Recruitment; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 34,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment firm in the UK is seeking an experienced HR Generalist to support the HR Manager in daily operations. Responsibilities include managing the recruitment lifecycle, advising on employee relations, and organizing training. The ideal candidate has strong HR experience, is CIPD qualified, and possesses excellent communication skills. This full-time role offers a competitive salary and is located on-site in Wednesbury.

Qualifications

• CIPD Level 3 or equivalent required; Level 5 desirable but not essential.
• Strong generalist HR experience, with a background in manufacturing preferred.
• Experience in employee relations, training, and engagement is essential.

Responsibilities

• Manage the full recruitment lifecycle and coordinate onboarding.
• Advise managers on employee relations procedures ensuring compliance.
• Assist in performance appraisal cycles and development plans.
• Identify training needs and organise internal and external training.
• Produce HR reports and ensure compliance with GDPR and internal policies.

Skills

Excellent communication

Organisational skills

Proficiency in MS Office

HRIS systems

Knowledge of UK employment law

Data reporting ability

Education

CIPD Level 3 or equivalent

Job description

Job Title: HR Generalist

Location: Wednesbury

Salary: £34,000 per annum (with potential salary review after successful completion of temp period)

Contract Type: Temp to Perm

Hours: Full-time, with slight flexible working hours

Start Date: ASAP!

Overview

We are seeking an experienced and proactive HR Generalist to support the HR Manager in delivering day-to-day HR operations and wider people initiatives. This role owns key HR processes across recruitment, employee relations, training, engagement, wellbeing, data management, and compliance. The ideal candidate will be confident working independently, highly organised, and skilled in building strong working relationships across the business.

Key Responsibilities

Recruitment & Onboarding

• Manage the full recruitment lifecycle, supporting diversity hiring and ensuring a positive candidate experience.
• Review job descriptions to ensure accuracy, clarity, and compliance before advertising.
• Write and post job adverts, screen applicants, conduct interviews, and provide timely feedback using competency-based assessment.
• Coordinate onboarding programmes to ensure smooth and effective new starter integration.

Employee Relations & Engagement

• Advise managers through formal ER procedures (disciplinary, grievance, and appeal), ensuring outcomes are fair, defensible, and compliant with UK employment law.
• Resolve employee queries and support informal ER cases in a timely manner.
• Coordinate engagement surveys and support the delivery of action plans.

Performance & Development

• Assist in administering appraisal cycles and performance improvement plans.
• Provide consistent guidance to managers on performance-related matters and documentation.

Training & Development

• Work with the HR Manager and line managers to identify training needs and translate data into effective development plans.
• Organise internal and external training, track attendance, and maintain accurate training records.
• Regularly review training matrices to ensure all mandatory, compliance, and professional development requirements are met.

Absence Management & Occupational Health

• Advise managers on absence cases, including long-term sickness, reasonable adjustments (Equality Act 2010), and ill-health capability procedures.
• Act as the main contact for Occupational Health, managing referrals, interpreting reports, and supporting implementation of recommendations.
• Support wellbeing initiatives and collaborate with Health & Safety where required.

HR Data & Compliance

• Produce HR reports and workforce metrics to support informed decision-making.
• Ensure compliance with GDPR and internal policies.
• Maintain strong and up-to‑date knowledge of UK employment law.
• Oversee and audit the HRIS (managed daily by the HR Assistant) to ensure accuracy of all employee data.
• Support HR projects and continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills, Experience & Qualifications

Qualifications

• CIPD Level 3 or equivalent (Level 5 desirable but not essential).

Experience

• Strong generalist HR experience; background in manufacturing is desirable.
• Proven experience in employee relations, training, and engagement is essential.

Skills & Attributes

• Excellent communication and organisational skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office and HRIS systems, with strong data reporting ability.
• Solid knowledge of UK employment law.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and maintain confidentiality.