People Generalist / HR Officer

Universal Works; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

28 days holiday

Clothing allowance

Employee discount

Job summary

Universal Works is a respected independent British clothing brand with a close-knit team across our head office, warehouse and stores. This is your chance to join a evolving People function and help shape how we work.

As our HR professional, you will own day-to-day people operations, onboarding and employee relations, coordinating engagement initiatives and payroll support. You will report to the HR Manager and play a central role in keeping the People function running smoothly.

Qualifications

• CIPD Level 3 qualification or equivalent hands-on experience in a generalist HR role
• Solid working knowledge of UK employment law
• Experience managing employee lifecycle admin, ER support and GDPR-compliant data handling
• Comfort with Microsoft 365 tools (Word, Excel, Outlook, SharePoint)

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end employee lifecycle admin including starter, changes, leave, absences and leavers
• Answer people queries clearly and consistently about policy
• Support employee relations cases and prepare letters and meeting packs
• Coordinate recruitment and onboarding, posting adverts and scheduling onboarding
• Maintain accurate and secure employee records
• Support benefits administration, health and safety coordination, and training tracking
• Help shape People Operations by suggesting improvements to processes

Skills

People operations

HR generalist

UK employment law

Microsoft 365

Education

CIPD Level 3 qualification

Generalist HR experience

Tools

BrightHR

Job description

Hours: Monday to Thursday 09:00 - 17:30, Friday 09:00 - 15:00

Reporting to: HR Manager

Why Universal Works?

Universal Works began with a simple idea: to make good, honest clothes that people want to wear for years. We've grown into a respected independent British clothing brand with a loyal following, while remaining a close-knit team across our head office, warehouse and stores, where every contribution matters.

This is an opportunity to join a developing People function, with the chance to shape how we work and enjoy real variety in your role.

If you value doing things well, want to work somewhere with character, and would like to make a real difference, we'd love to hear from you.

About the role

Are you a proactive, customer-focused People professional looking to take ownership of day-to-day people operations? Working closely with our HR Manager, you will serve as the reliable first point of contact for managers and employees across the organisation. From onboarding new team members to supporting employee relations and coordinating engagement initiatives, you will play a central role in keeping our People function running smoothly

What you'll be doing

• Own end-to-end employee lifecycle admin: including new starters, contract changes, family leave, absences, and leavers.
• Answering people queries clearly and consistently: explaining policy and escalating when appropriate
• Supporting employee relations cases: preparing letters and meeting packs, and taking notes at hearings
• Recruitment and onboarding: coordinating recruitment - posting adverts, shortlisting support, scheduling and supporting managers to deliver a welcoming onboarding experience
• Maintaining our people records: accurate and secure record keeping
• Culture and engagement: support with benefits administration, health and safety coordination, training tracking and company events
• Help shape People Operations: spotting what could work better, and helping us improve people processes

What we're looking for

Qualifications & Knowledge: CIPD Level 3 qualified (or equivalent hands-on experience in a generalist HR role) with a solid working knowledge of UK employment law

Practical Experience: Proven track record managing employee lifecycle admin, supporting ER casework, and handling confidential or sensitive information in compliance with GDPR

Accuracy & Workload Management: High attention to detail and accuracy with data and written work, paired with ability to prioritise workload effectively around fixed deadlines

Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication, with the ability to explain HR policies clearly and tactfully

Tech & Systems: Confident using Microsoft 365 (Word , Excel, Outlook, SharePoint)

It would also be a bonus if you have experience with recruitment, payroll input, BrightHR or a similar HR system, health and safety administration, or supporting teams across multiple sites. A background in fashion, apparel, retail or consumer goods would also be an advantage.

What's in it for you

• A real say in how our People function is run
• 28 days of holiday increasing after your first year with us
• Generous employee discount and clothing allowance
• Access to discounts platform and employee assistant programme

Shortlisting will commence from 6th October 2026.