Human Resources Manager

Quest Employment; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 48,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary £48k-£55k per year

30 days annual leave + bank holidays

Birthday half-day leave

Sick pay + pension

Employee discounts

Free on-site parking

Company social events

Job summary

Quest Employment Ltd. is seeking an experienced HR Manager in Milton Keynes to own the HR function and support around 55 permanent staff. The role emphasizes hands-on recruitment and shaping the employee experience in a fast-paced, office-based environment.

You’ll partner with the Managing Director, drive policy compliance, payroll support, and HR reporting while fostering an inclusive culture with strong employee engagement. Suitable for Senior HR Advisor or HRBP ready to advance.

Qualifications

• Strong generalist HR experience, ideally at Senior HR Advisor, HRBP or HR Manager level.
• Proven hands-on recruitment experience - this is essential.
• CIPD Level 5 or above, alongside relevant professional experience.
• Excellent knowledge of UK employment law and employee relations.
• The confidence to advise senior management and handle challenging conversations.

Responsibilities

• Managing the full employee lifecycle, from recruitment and onboarding through to employee relations and leavers.
• Leading direct recruitment, attracting talent and working closely with hiring managers.
• Providing practical HR advice on disciplinary, grievance, absence and performance matters.
• Ensuring policies, procedures and practices remain compliant with UK employment law.
• Supporting payroll administration, HR reporting and accurate employee records.
• Driving employee engagement, retention and workplace improvements.
• Building relationships across the business and supporting an inclusive, positive working culture.

Skills

HR generalist

Recruitment

UK employment law

Advising senior mgmt

Employee relations

Commercial awareness

Education

CIPD Level 5+

Job description

£48,000 - £55,000 per annum | Monday to Friday, 8am-4.30pm | Permanent | Office-Based

Are you an experienced HR professional who enjoys making a difference, rather than just keeping things ticking along?

We're recruiting an HR Manager for a growing, fast-paced business in Milton Keynes that genuinely cares about its people.

This isn't a role where you'll be sitting behind a desk waiting for someone to tell you what needs doing. We're looking for someone who brings ideas, takes ownership and knows how to balance the needs of employees with the realities of running a business.

You don't necessarily need to be an HR Manager already. If you're a strong Senior HR Advisor or HR Business Partner ready to take that next step, we'd love to hear from you.

The Role

You’ll take ownership of the HR function, working closely with the Managing Director and supporting a diverse workforce of approximately 55 permanent employees.

Recruitment is a big part of this role. The business wants to strengthen its direct hiring capability, so you’ll need to be confident managing recruitment from start to finish.

You’ll also have the opportunity to shape the employee experience, improve existing processes and bring fresh thinking to a business that is genuinely open to new ideas.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Managing the full employee lifecycle, from recruitment and onboarding through to employee relations and leavers.
• Leading direct recruitment, attracting talent and working closely with hiring managers.
• Providing practical HR advice on disciplinary, grievance, absence and performance matters.
• Ensuring policies, procedures and practices remain compliant with UK employment law.
• Supporting payroll administration, HR reporting and accurate employee records.
• Driving employee engagement, retention and workplace improvements.
• Building relationships across the business and supporting an inclusive, positive working culture.

What You’ll Need

• Strong generalist HR experience, ideally at Senior HR Advisor, HRBP or HR Manager level.
• Proven hands-on recruitment experience - this is essential.
• CIPD Level 5 or above, alongside relevant professional experience.
• Excellent knowledge of UK employment law and employee relations.
• The confidence to advise senior management and handle challenging conversations.
• A proactive, approachable personality and the ability to communicate with people at every level.
• Commercial awareness, initiative and a genuine interest in making things better.

Experience within warehousing or logistics would be useful, but it's certainly not essential.

What You’ll Get

• £50,000 salary, depending on experience.
• 30 days' annual leave, including bank holidays, increasing with service.
• An additional half-day's paid leave for your birthday.
• Contractual sick pay scheme and company pension.
• Employee discounts and free on-site parking.
• Company-funded social events and employee celebrations.
• The opportunity to make a genuine impact and develop your career.

What You Might Not Like

This is a fully office-based role, five days a week. It's also hands‑on, and you'll be expected to take initiative rather than wait for direction.

If you're looking for a predominantly strategic role with a large HR team around you, this probably won't be the right fit.

But if you enjoy being involved, building relationships and seeing the difference your work makes, there's a lot to like here.

Please note this role is NOT offering Visa Sponsorship or Relocation. Candidates must be based locally to Milton Keynes.

This role is being managed by BEA UKAYE at our PETERBOROUGH BRANCH