HR Manager

FirstPort; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical insurance

Pension contributions

Life assurance

Job summary

FirstPort, the UK’s leading property management company, is seeking an HR Manager to lead HR Advisory and HR Services across the organisation. You will report to the Head of HR Operations and drive compliant, efficient employee lifecycle support with a focus on actioning HR policy, employee relations and performance improvement.

You will manage the HR Advisors, coach teams, ensure SLAs are met and collaborate with payroll to deliver excellent customer service while minimising risk.

Qualifications

• Experience leading HR operational teams within a complex organisation.
• Strong expertise in employee relations, UK employment legislation and HR operations.
• Experience managing complex employee relations cases and mitigating tribunal risk.
• Experience managing operational performance through KPIs, SLAs and quality measures.
• Strong analytical skills with ability to interpret HR data and provide insights.
• Proven ability to lead, coach and develop high-performing teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead operational delivery of HR Advisory and HR Services.
• Ensure effective workforce planning, workload management and resource allocation.
• Ensure policies and service standards are applied consistently.
• Translate HR operations strategy into delivery.
• Oversee HR Services, data quality and compliance.
• Drive continuous improvement and governance across HR operations.

Skills

HR operations leadership

Employee relations

Stakeholder management

Data analysis

Coaching & development

Tools

HR systems

Job description

Salary: Competitive Salary, Company Car Allowance and Benefits

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Monday to Friday – 9am to 5pm (35 hours per week)

Why FirstPort?

FirstPort is the UK’s leading property management company, caring for our customers’ homes across England, Wales and Scotland. With over four decades of experience and around 3,000 employees, FirstPort works with developers, investors, freeholders and over 1,700 Resident Management Companies. It is one of the Division ’ s that ’ s sits under Emeria UK.

By joining us as an HR Manager, you will play a pivotal role in achieving our vision:

• Impactful Work: You will directly support FirstPort’s mission to elevate industry standards and provide an exceptional service to our customers.
• Professional Growth: With access to accredited training and development programmes, you will be empowered to reach your potential.
• Supportive Environment: We foster a culture where collaboration and innovation thrive, ensuring you feel valued and supported every step of the way.
• A Future of Opportunity: Be part of a forward-thinking organisation that is shaping the future of residential property management in the UK.

At the core of everything we do are our principles:

• Collaborative: We build strong, trusted relationships, deliver excellent service, and work together to achieve and celebrate shared success.
• Consistent: We stay resilient, uphold high standards, act with professionalism, embrace continuous learning, and deliver reliably.
• Simple: We follow clear, structured processes that reduce complexity, create consistency, and make work efficient and easy to follow.
• Clear: We communicate what is expected, simplify the complex, and ensure ourselves and others stay focused, accountable, and equipped to deliver.

Your Role, Your Impact

As the HR Manager, you will lead the operational delivery of HR Advisory and HR Services across the organisation, ensuring consistent, efficient and compliant support through the employee lifecycle. Reporting to the Head of HR Operations, this role will be responsible for leading operational teams, embedding organisational frameworks and service standards and delivering high‑quality HR services that enhance employee experience, minimise organisational risk and support business performance.

You will work closely with the Head of HR Operations, HR Business Partners and wider HR team (including Emeria payroll). The role will ensure the consistent application of HR policies, employment relations practices and operational processes, while driving service performance, team capability and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities:

HR Operations Delivery

• Lead operational delivery of HR Advisory and HR Services, providing coaching and development to build a high-performance, customer-focused culture that supports business priorities
• Ensure effective workforce planning, workload management and resource allocation across the teams
• Ensure organisational frameworks, policies and service standards are consistently applied
• Translate the HR operations strategy into effective operational delivery
• Ensure agreed service level agreements (SLAs) and operational performance measures are consistently achieved
• Deputise for the Head of HR Operations, providing operational leadership and decision‑making as required

Employee Relations

• Lead the HR Advisor team, ensuring consistent, high‑quality employee relations advice and case management
• Oversee case allocation, quality assurance and operational risk
• Personally manage or support complex and high‑risk employee relations cases where appropriate
• Coach and develop HR Advisors to build capability and confidence
• Identify emerging employee relations trends and recommend interventions to reduce organisational and employment tribunal risks
• Ensure consistent application of employment legislation and organisational policy
• Support the development of manager capability through effective coaching and support

HR Services

• Lead the HR Services team, ensuring efficient delivery of employee lifecycle administration, HR systems and compliance processes
• Ensure high standards of data quality, operational accuracy and customer service
• Monitor operational performance against agreed service standards and SLAs

Operational Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor operational performance and team productivity through KPIs, SLAs service measures
• Analyse HR operational data to identify trends, risks and opportunities for improvement
• Produce meaningful operational reporting, insight and recommendations for the Head of HR Operations
• Drive continuous improvement, process standardisation and operational efficiency
• Use customer feedback, operational metrics and case data to improve service quality and employee experience

Risk, Compliance & Governance

• Ensure compliance with employment legislation, organisational policy and governance requirements
• Monitor employment tribunal exposure and emerging organisational risks, escalating significant issues appropriately
• Ensure robust operational controls, accurate recording keeping and GDPR compliance

Key Accountabilities:

• Effective operational delivery of HR Advisory and HR Services
• Achievement of operational KPIs, SLAs and customer service standards
• High-quality employee relations case management, including oversight of complex cases and reduction of employment tribunal risk
• Delivery of HR Services across the employee lifecycle
• Identification and analysis of operational trends, risks and opportunities through HR data and management information
• Team capability, engagement and operational performance
• Data quality, integrity, compliance and governance
• Continuous improvement and operational efficiency
• Positive stakeholder, manager and employee experience

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Experience leading HR operational teams within a complex organisation
• Strong expertise in employee relations, UK employment legislation and HR operations
• Experience managing complex employee relations cases and mitigating employment tribunal risk
• Experience managing operational performance through KPIs, SLAs and quality measures
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret HR data, identify trends and provide meaningful operational insight
• Proven ability to lead, coach and develop high‑performing teams
• Collaborative team player with strong stakeholder management, influencing and coaching skills
• Understanding of HR systems, operational processes and continuous improvement methodologies
• Excellent organisational, analytical and problem‑solving skills

Desirable Skills and Qualifications:

• Experience leading HR Advisor and/or HR Services functions

What’s in it for you?

Our customers deserve the best and the same applies to our people. We will provide you with the technology, training and support that you need to do your job well. We offer competitive salaries and a range of benefit packages depending on the grade of your role, such as private medical insurance, pension contributions and life assurance. In addition, we also offer a range of exclusive discounts on extra benefits to help you, and your family make the most of your money, safeguard your future and look after your health, including discounted gym membership for all colleagues.

Diversity

We’re committed to promoting diversity at FirstPort and recruit on merit. We will ensure we make any adjustments that we can to support both through the recruitment and on‑boarding process.

All applicants must be eligible to live and work in the UK without restrictions, and documented evidence of eligibility will be required.

Join us at FirstPort, where we not only manage properties but strive to lead and transform the industry. Together, we can make a difference – for our customers, our colleagues, and the future of residential property management in the UK.

Competitive Salary, Company Car Allowance and Benefits

Competitive salary, plus a car allowance of £4,500 plus benefits

Competitive Salary, company car allowance plus benefits

All Locations

Birmingham

All Departments: Operations

All Locations

Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire

All Departments: Operations

All Locations

London

All Departments: Operations