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

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

Job summary

A global consumer goods company in Hemel Hempstead seeks a Junior HR Business Partner to manage employee relations casework primarily for blue-collar employees. The role requires a strong understanding of UK employment law and HR operations. Responsibilities include supporting individual processes such as onboarding and performance management, as well as analysing HR data for insights. The company offers hybrid work flexibility, competitive benefits, and a culture that values unique backgrounds and perspectives.

Benefits

Flexible work scheme

Health and preventive care programs

Gender-neutral parental leave

Employee Share Plan

Performance bonus

Competitive pension and life assurance

Annual leave: 27 days plus 8 Bank Holidays

Celebration vouchers

Qualifications

• Experience managing employee relations cases with a strong grasp of UK employment law.
• Proficient in delivering core HR operations including onboarding and offboarding.
• Ability to analyze HR data for insights on workforce trends.

Responsibilities

• Manage employee relations casework for blue-collar employees, ensuring compliance.
• Support performance management and salary reviews.
• Work with HR Business Partner to deliver HR support.

Skills

Employee relations case management

Understanding of UK employment law

HR operations capability

Analytical skills

Effective 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.