Human Resources Manager

Cape Consulting (HR) Ltd; England; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Cape Consulting in the UK is seeking an experienced HR Manager to deliver practical, commercial human-first support for a portfolio of SME clients. You’ll advise on employee relations, policies, and onboarding with clarity and pragmatism.

You’ll coach founders and leaders, help with workforce planning, and align culture with growth plans, navigating UK employment law and ensuring compliant, business-friendly outcomes for diverse organisations.

Qualifications

• Solid HR management background with SME experience.
• Experience advising multiple SMEs, growing companies or third-sector organisations.

Responsibilities

• Navigating employee relations: handle ER cases, disciplinaries, grievances, restructures, TUPE, and workplace conflict.
• Building people foundations: design and implement contracts, policies, performance frameworks, and onboarding.
• Coaching leaders: guide founders, executives, and line managers through difficult conversations and team dynamics.
• Driving people strategy: align workforce planning, recruitment, and culture with growth ambitions.

Skills

Commercial Mindset

Strong Communication

CIPD Accreditation

Autonomy & Agility

Education

CIPD Level 5/7 or equivalent

Job description

Cape Consulting provides practical, commercial, and human-first HR support to growing SMEs, founder-led businesses, and charities across the UK. We are continuously building our talent bench with sharp, pragmatic HR Managers for client retainers, project-based work, and fractional roles.

About the Role

Delivering Client Support: Serve as a trusted HR partner for a portfolio of clients, delivering clear, practical advice without corporate jargon or rigid box-ticking.

Responsibilities

• Navigating Employee Relations: Confidently handle complex ER cases, disciplinaries, grievances, restructures, TUPE transfers, and workplace conflict.


• Building People Foundations: Design and implement compliant employment contracts, policies, performance frameworks, and onboarding processes tailored to each client's unique culture.


• Coaching Leaders: Guide founders, executives, and line managers through difficult conversations, manager capability development, and team dynamics.


• Driving People Strategy: Help clients align workforce planning, recruitment strategies, and culture with long-term growth ambitions.

Qualifications

• Relevant Experience: Solid HR management background, ideally with experience advising multiple SMEs, growing companies, or third-sector organisations.

Required Skills

• Commercial Mindset: Ability to balance UK employment law compliance with practical business realities - focusing on sensible outcomes over textbook processes.


• Strong Communication: Talent for building fast rapport with business leaders, explaining complex employment issues simply, and de-escalating workplace friction.


• CIPD Accreditation: Level 5 or 7 qualification preferred, or equivalent hands-on experience navigating UK employment law.


• Autonomy & Agility: Comfortable jumping into diverse business environments, diagnosing key people issues rapidly, and driving momentum.