Senior Human Resources Manager

We Do Group; Addlestone; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Senior HR Manager for Onboarding to spearhead the development of a new team supporting EMEA operations. This pivotal role involves leading onboarding processes for a complex global business, ensuring compliance with maritime regulations, and driving operational efficiency. The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience in onboarding, exceptional leadership skills, and a passion for delivering outstanding service in a fast-paced environment. Join a company that values innovation and collaboration, and help shape the future of their workforce.

Benefits

Pension

Healthcare

Free Holidays

Discounted Travel Opportunities

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in onboarding or staff operations.
• Proven track record in leading global teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic direction for ops staff onboarding.
• Oversee end-to-end onboarding process for operational crew.

Skills

Onboarding Experience

Leadership Skills

Problem-solving Skills

Analytical Skills

Stakeholder Management

Compliance Knowledge

Job description

Senior HR Manager - Onboarding

Addlestone - Hybrid

£80,000-£90,000 + bonus & excellent benefits

Are you an experienced HR professional looking for a role where you can contribute to the build out of a brand new team for EMEA which will support the rapid growth of an internationally recognised transportation group ?

We Do Group are delighted to be supporting one of the worlds largest transportation businesses as they build out new EMEA operations teams based from their UK HQ near Addlestone.

This is a brand new role which will lead operational staff onboarding teams across EMEA and APAC for a complex global business.

Wish List

• 10+ years of experience in onboarding, or staff operations, preferably within the transportation industry
• Proven track record in leading global teams and managing complex, high-volume onboarding operations
• Exceptional problem-solving, analytical, and decision-making skills, with a focus on improving operational efficiency and compliance
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across land-based and shipboard teams
• Ability to manage high-pressure, time-sensitive situations, such as last-minute crew changes, medical emergencies, or compliance escalations

The Role

The successful Senior HR Manager - Onboarding will be responsible for the following:

• Develop and lead the strategic direction for ops staff onboarding whilst ensuring alignment with the operational KPIs.
• Lead and develop a team of staff onboarding specialists and documentation coordinators, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee the end-to-end onboarding process for operational crew, including documentation verification, medical clearances, visa/work permit processing, and compliance checks, ensuring alignment with international maritime regulations (e.g., MLC,STCW).
• Ensure that all required crew documentation is processed accurately, efficiently, and in accordance with company policies, port state requirements, and flag state regulations.
• Collaborate closely with Operations, Scheduling, Compliance, and HR teams to align on crew movement, workforce planning, and operational needs for ship deployments.
• Drive improvements in onboarding efficiency through data-driven insights, process optimisation, and technology enhancements to streamline crew hiring and mobilisation.
• Manage escalated cases requiring complex decision-making related to visa issues, medical evaluations, background verifications, and last-minute crew changes to support uninterrupted ship operations.
• Ensure that all onboarding policies and procedures are standardised across the fleet and aligned with regulatory and corporate compliance requirements.
• Serve as a key liaison with flag states, port authorities, recruitment partners, and regulatory agencies to address compliance issues and industry best practices in onboarding.

Your Profile

We are looking for an experienced, manager level, HR operations professional who is a highly credible leader with high energy and EQ.

You'll need to be passionate about delivering exceptional service to colleagues and stakeholders in a fast moving, high compliance environment.

Experience working within the transportation industry would be highly advantageous but experience from similar fast paced people critical industries subject to high levels of certification/compliance such as oil & gas, aviation, hospitality, logistics or distribution would also be relevant

Salary & Benefits

£80,000 - £90,000 per annum plus bonus and excellent benefits including pension, healthcare, free holidays and heavily discounted travel opportunities.

This role is in office 4 days per week initially. The office is easily commutable by public transport and offers onsite parking.