Junior HR Business Partner (Hybrid / UK – Plant-focused) - Now Hiring!

Henkel; Hemel Hempstead; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A global consumer goods company seeks a Junior HR Business Partner in Hemel Hempstead. In this role, you will support employee relations casework, provide HR operations, and ensure compliance with UK employment law. The ideal candidate has experience in managing ER cases and possesses strong communication and HR data skills. Perks include a flexible work scheme, performance bonuses, and comprehensive benefits. Join us to make a meaningful impact across a diverse workforce.

Benefits

Flexible work scheme

Diverse national and international growth opportunities

Global wellbeing standards

Gender‑neutral parental leave

Employee Share Plan

Performance bonus / incentives

Competitive Pension & Life Assurance

Annual Leave: 27 days plus 8 Bank Holidays

Celebration vouchers

Qualifications

• Experience managing employee relations cases with a sound understanding of UK employment law.
• Strong HR operations capability and attention to detail.
• Confidence working with HR data and translating insight into action.
• Credible, pragmatic communicator able to build trust with managers and employees.

Responsibilities

• Support and manage employee relations casework for blue‑collar employees.
• Provide early‑stage ER guidance and prepare case summaries for white‑collar ER matters.
• Coach managers on policy application to reduce escalation.
• Deliver core HR operations including onboarding and offboarding.
• Analyse HR and workforce data to provide insight on trends.

Skills

Managing employee relations cases

Understanding of UK employment law

HR operations capability

Working with HR data

Pragmatic communication

Job description

About this Position

Are you an HR professional ready to step into a role with meaningful impact — where your employee relations expertise, operational strength and people insight make a real difference?

We are recruiting a Junior HR Business Partner to support the Henkel Adhesives business in the UK (c.500+ employees). This role provides hands‑on HR support across the employee lifecycle, with responsibility for supporting and managing employee relations casework for the blue‑collar population (a subset of the overall workforce), working under the guidance of the HR Business Partner.

The role requires regular on‑site presence at the Winsford and St Neots manufacturing plants to support managers and employees directly. You will also support preparatory and triage work on white‑collar ER matters and may occasionally be exposed to ER activity in other UK business units, including Henkel Consumer Brands, as part of development and workload balancing.

What you´ll do

• Support and manage employee relations casework for blue‑collar employees, ensuring timely, fair and legally compliant outcomes
• Provide early‑stage ER guidance and prepare investigation materials, evidence packs and case summaries for white‑collar ER matters
• Coach managers on policy application and early intervention to reduce escalation and repeat issues
• Deliver core HR operations including onboarding, offboarding and contract changes, ensuring accuracy and compliance
• Support annual people processes including performance management, salary review, promotion and succession planning
• Analyse HR and workforce data to provide insight on trends, risks and capability gaps
• Support HR due‑diligence, change and integration activity, including preparation of documentation and stakeholder materials
• Work closely with the HR Business Partner, Centres of Expertise and HR Operations teams to deliver consistent, high‑quality HR support

What makes you a good fit

• Experience managing employee relations cases with a sound understanding of UK employment law
• Strong HR operations capability and attention to detail
• Confidence working with HR data and translating insight into action
• Credible, pragmatic communicator able to build trust with managers and employees
• Comfortable working independently within defined frameworks, with appropriate escalation
• Experience supporting organisational change or M&A activity (desirable)

Some perks of joining Henkel

• Flexible work scheme with flexible hours, hybrid work model, and work from anywhere policy for up to 30 days per year
• Diverse national and international growth opportunities
• Global wellbeing standards with health and preventive care programs
• Gender‑neutral parental leave for a minimum of 8 weeks
• Employee Share Plan with voluntary investment and Henkel matching shares
• Performance bonus / incentives
• Competitive Pension & Life Assurance – Company contributes up to 10% of basic salary
• Annual Leave: 27 days plus 8 Bank Holidays
• Celebration vouchers

At Henkel, we come from a broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences. We believe the uniqueness of all our employees is the power in us. Become part of the team and bring your uniqueness to us! We welcome all applications across different genders, origins, cultures, religions, sexual orientations, disabilities, and generations.