Interim HR Manager - 6-8 weeks contract (Inside IR35)

Ashdown Group; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 37,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Ashdown Group is recruiting a People & Culture Manager to provide cover for a 6-week temporary contract within a charity environment. You will partner with senior leadership to advise on employee relations, safer recruitment and safeguarding practices.

Based in Croydon, this hybrid role requires three days in the office and two days remote. You will lead on ER cases, support DEI initiatives, and help strengthen HR policies, processes and reporting during a key absence.

Qualifications

• CIPD Level 5 qualification required or equivalent.
• N/A
• ER experience in HR, with a focus on staff relations and safeguarding.

Responsibilities

• Provide HR partnering support across the organisation.
• Advise managers on employee relations matters with fairness and inclusion at the core.
• Embed safer recruitment and safeguarding-conscious practices.
• Lead on engagement, culture, DEI and organisational development initiatives.
• Improve HR policies, processes and performance frameworks to reflect best practice.
• Manage reporting and people analytics, including diversity data where appropriate.
• Contribute to recruitment, onboarding and learning & development with a strong focus on safeguarding checks and DBS processes.
• Liaise with stakeholders at all levels, including union representatives and staff networks.

Skills

CIPD Level 5

People manager or partner experience

Employee relations

Safer recruitment

DEI / diversity and inclusion

Change management

Stakeholder management

HR reporting & analytics

HR systems (e.g. Breathe HR)

Education

CIPD Level 5

Tools

Breathe HR

Job description

Ou client, a respected charity, is seeking a People & Culture Manager to provide cover for a period of absence, on an initial 6-week temporary contract. This is a fantastic opportunity for an HR professional with a strong background in the charity, not-for-profit, or safer recruitment sector to support a purpose-driven organisation during a key period.

Working closely with the Director of People & Culture and with the support of a People Administrator you'll provide HR partnering support across the organisation, advising managers on employee relations matters, embedding safer recruitment and safeguarding-conscious practices. This is a hybrid role based at the charity’s offices in the Croydon area for 3 days a week and remote working 2 days a week.

Key Responsibilities

Partner with managers on HR advice and coaching. Lead on ER cases with fairness and inclusion at the core. Support and champion engagement, culture, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and organisational development initiatives. Improve HR policies, processes and performance frameworks, ensuring they reflect best-practice safer recruitment and inclusive employment standards. Reporting and people analytics, including monitoring diversity data where appropriate. Contribute to recruitment, onboarding and learning & development, with a strong focus on safer recruitment practices (safeguarding checks, DBS processes, robust vetting). Liaise with stakeholders at all levels, including with union representatives and staff networks

You’ll ideally have:

• Hold CIPD qualification at Level 5
• Experience within a People Manager or Partner role, ideally within a charity, not-for-profit or safer recruitment organisation
• Strong ER experience, handled with sensitivity, fairness and inclusion
• Demonstrable understanding of, or experience with, safer recruitment practices (e.g. safeguarding, DBS/vetting processes)
• A genuine commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, with experience embedding DEI principles into HR policy and practice
• Experience supporting change and developing managers
• Excellent communication and stakeholder skills
• HR systems and reporting experience (Breathe HR desirable)

This is a 6-8 week contract role (Inside IR35) with a daily rate of between £200-£225 depending on experience. Candidates need to be available from 11th October.