Talent Manager jobs in United Kingdom

People & Talent Manager

Type : Full-time

Full time On site - Sidcup, London

House of Willow Alexander is scaling – fast. We’re seeking a commercially minded, emotionally intelligent People & Talent Manager to take the reins on hiring and retaining top-tier trade professionals across our service categories : gardening, electrics, handyman, window cleaning, and domestic cleaning.

This person won’t just “do HR”. They’ll build a people system that attracts reliable, conscientious tradespeople who can embody the brand, keep clients happy, and operate like a well-oiled team. They’ll set standards, spot red flags before they burn cash, and create an internal structure where excellence is the baseline.

• Design and run hiring campaigns across trade roles – think job boards, local networks, and trade schools.
• Create trade-specific interview scorecards to identify skill, attitude, and cultural fit (no drama, no flakes).
• Own and streamline the onboarding journey : compliance, brand alignment, customer service polish.

• Build an Employee Success Framework that includes :
• Performance metrics (punctuality, job quality, client feedback)
• Progression tracks (e.g., Operative → Team Lead)
• Behavioural standards and de-escalation protocols
• Build regular pulse-checks for morale, retention, and early warning signs.

• Develop modular training flows for each trade vertical (gardening, electrics, handyman, cleaning, etc.).
• Be in charge of our entire Trainual system ensuring cohesion across departments
• Ensure every team member is brand-trained on customer interaction, appearance, and service standard.
• Collaborate with Ops to embed training into real workflows, not just theoretical manuals.

• Partner with the Ops Lead to forecast hiring needs by season, vertical, and geography.
• Identify contractor vs employee blend strategies to optimise flexibility and cost.

• 3–5 years in a People Ops, Talent, or HRBP role within a high-volume, service-led environment
• Proven success hiring for trade, field, or shift-based roles
• Experience designing training or onboarding programmes (doesn’t need to be L&D pro level)
• Ideally has worked in businesses scaling from ~30 to ~50+ employees

• Sharp talent instincts : can read between the lines of a CV and spot flakiness from a mile away
• System thinker : builds repeatable frameworks that save time and reduce chaos
• Conflict diffuser : has a playbook for managing drama and redirecting energy positively
• High empathy, low ego : understands the working realities of tradespeople without romanticising them
• Gets your brand : understands that service quality is as much about people behaviour as skills