Senior Human Resources Manager

Career Legal; Dublin; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Competitive package

Job summary

Career Legal is seeking a Senior HR Manager to lead the people strategy across the Irish operations, partnering with Partners and senior leaders to deliver strategic HR support within a growing legal environment based in Dublin.

This role blends high-level advisory with hands-on delivery, leading employee relations, talent management, workforce planning, and succession planning, while collaborating with a wider international HR function in a hybrid working model.

Qualifications

• Significant experience operating at HR Business Partner or Senior HR Manager level.
• Experience in a law firm or professional services is preferred.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Proven track record in change management and workforce planning.

Responsibilities

• Act as senior HR lead for Ireland, partnering with Partners and senior leaders to define and deliver the people strategy.
• Provide commercially focused HR advice balancing business requirements and employment law.
• Lead key HR initiatives and manage complex employee relations matters.
• Drive talent management, succession planning, and workforce planning.
• Support budgeting, headcount planning, and cross-border mobility.
• Collaborate with Talent Acquisition to deliver hiring plans.
• Ensure HR practices comply with legislation and best practice.

Skills

HR leadership

Stakeholder management

Organisational change

Talent management

Succession planning

HR analytics

Communication

Job description

My client, a leading Real Estate law firm with a strong presence across both the UK and internationally, is looking to hire a Senior HR Manager to join their wider HR team, based in Dublin.

This is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced HR professional to take ownership of the people agenda across the firm's Irish operations, partnering closely with senior leaders and Partners to deliver strategic and operational HR support within a highly successful and growing legal environment.

The successful candidate will act as the senior HR lead for Ireland, working closely with leadership teams to drive business performance through effective people strategies, talent management initiatives, organisational development, and employee engagement.

As Senior HR Manager, you will serve as a trusted advisor to Partners and senior stakeholders, ensuring that people strategies support both immediate business requirements and long-term organisational objectives. You will be responsible for leading key HR initiatives, managing complex employee relations matters, and ensuring the successful delivery of the full employee lifecycle.

Working as part of a wider international HR function, you will collaborate with specialist centres of expertise across Reward, Talent Acquisition, Learning & Development, Employee Relations, Diversity & Inclusion, and HR Operations.

This role offers a unique blend of strategic partnering and operational delivery, making it ideal for an HR professional who enjoys influencing at senior level whilst remaining closely connected to the day-to-day needs of the business.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the lead HR contact for the Irish business, partnering with Partners and senior leaders to define and deliver the people strategy.
• Provide commercially focused HR advice that balances business requirements, employment legislation, and organisational objectives.
• Build strong relationships across leadership teams, acting as a trusted advisor on people and business matters.
• Support the delivery of firm-wide people initiatives whilst ensuring local business needs are reflected.
• Drive employee engagement, organisational effectiveness, and workforce planning initiatives.
• Lead change management and organisational design projects across both legal and business services functions.
• Review organisational structures and provide recommendations to improve effectiveness and performance.
• Support business growth through the implementation of scalable people solutions.
• Drive the adoption of HR policies, programmes, and processes across the Irish offices.
• Partner with leaders to identify, develop, and retain high-potential talent.
• Lead performance and talent review processes.
• Develop succession planning strategies to strengthen future leadership pipelines.
• Support learning and development initiatives aligned to business and career development objectives.
• Monitor key people metrics and provide insight into organisational risks and opportunities.
• Contribute to budgeting and headcount planning activities.
• Partner with Talent Acquisition teams to deliver hiring plans across legal and business services functions.
• Support senior-level hiring and strategic recruitment projects.
• Provide expert guidance on complex and sensitive employee relations matters.
• Support leaders on performance management, conduct issues, grievances, absence management, and organisational change.
• Ensure HR practices remain compliant with employment legislation and best practice.
• Support international secondments and mobility initiatives.
• Advise stakeholders on cross-border employee movement and associated HR processes.
• Work collaboratively with internal teams to ensure a seamless employee experience.

The successful candidate will possess:

• Significant experience operating at HR Business Partner or Senior HR Manager level.
• Ideally, previous experience within a law firm, professional services, partnership, or similarly complex environment.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to build credibility quickly with senior leaders and Partners.
• Proven experience leading organisational change, workforce planning, talent management, and succession planning initiatives.
• Commercially focused with the ability to align people strategies to wider business objectives.
• Strong employee relations expertise, including the management of complex and sensitive cases.
• Experience using HR data and analytics to support business decision-making.
• Excellent communication, coaching, and relationship-building skills.
• The ability to balance strategic priorities with operational delivery in a fast-paced environment.
• A proactive, resilient, and solutions-focused approach.

Why apply?

• A highly visible and impactful HR leadership role.
• The opportunity to work closely with senior leadership and Partners.
• Exposure to both UK and international stakeholders.
• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements.
• Ongoing professional development and career progression opportunities.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• The chance to play a key role in shaping the people strategy of a market-leading law firm.

This is an outstanding opportunity for an experienced HR professional seeking a strategic role within a respected legal environment, where they can make a meaningful contribution to both business success and employee experience.