Human Resources Manager

Oliver Brookes; Thatcham; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading organisation in the UK is seeking an experienced People Manager to provide HR leadership in a complex operational environment. The role focuses on ensuring compliance with employment legislation, managing workforce planning, and driving HR initiatives. Ideal candidates will have solid HR backgrounds in manufacturing or unionized environments, alongside strong data literacy and stakeholder engagement capabilities. This position offers a competitive salary and excellent benefits, available onsite in Thatcham.

Benefits

Bonus opportunities

Excellent benefits

Qualifications

• Experienced HR professional in an operationally focused role, ideally in manufacturing.
• Sound knowledge of employment law and employee relations capability.
• Ability to influence and partner with senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Partner with site leadership for compliant people processes.
• Lead workforce planning for headcount, budgets, and training.
• Provide timely people data and ensure robust HR reporting.
• Drive implementation of HR initiatives and support change.
• Manage compensation, benefits, and oversee recruitment.
• Ensure compliance with employment legislation.

Skills

Employee relations

HR systems experience

Data literacy

Stakeholder engagement

Proactive problem-solving

Education

Relevant degree or CIPD qualification

Job description

Overview

People Manager, Thatcham, Permanent, £48,000 plus bonus and excellent benefits. Onsite.

Our client is a well-established organisation operating within a complex, operational environment, with a strong focus on people, performance and compliance. This role has been created to strengthen on-site people leadership and ensure the business continues to attract, develop and retain colleagues while operating in line with group standards, legislation and best practice.

Reporting into the Site Manager, this role will partner closely with site leadership to deliver legally compliant and effective people processes aligned to group policies and procedures. You will lead workforce planning across headcount, budgets, training, payroll and annual review cycles, provide accurate and timely people data, and ensure robust HR reporting. The role will also drive the implementation of group HR initiatives, support organisational change, manage compensation and benefits, oversee recruitment and selection activity, and ensure full compliance with employment legislation and ethical audit requirements.

Responsibilities

• Partner with site leadership to deliver legally compliant and effective people processes aligned to group policies and procedures.
• Lead workforce planning across headcount, budgets, training, payroll and annual review cycles.
• Provide accurate and timely people data and ensure robust HR reporting.
• Drive the implementation of group HR initiatives and support organisational change.
• Manage compensation and benefits and oversee recruitment and selection activity.
• Ensure full compliance with employment legislation and ethical audit requirements.

Qualifications

• Experienced HR professional with a strong background in a similar, operationally focused role, ideally within a manufacturing or unionised environment.
• Sound knowledge of employment law and confident employee relations capability across both unionised and non-unionised settings.
• Ability to influence and partner with senior stakeholders.
• Proactive and pragmatic approach, strong data literacy, and experience working with HR systems.
• A relevant degree and/or CIPD qualification is desirable.

This is a varied and hands-on role offering the opportunity to make a tangible impact within a busy site environment, while also contributing to wider UK people initiatives and projects. It would suit someone who enjoys balancing strategic input with operational delivery and is motivated by building strong, engaged and high-performing teams.