Head Of Hr

Job Purpose

The Head of HR will provide strategic and operational HR leadership for a busy meat processing site employing approximately 400 people. As a key member of the site leadership team, the role will drive the people strategy, develop organisational capability, improve employee engagement and ensure the effective management of all HR activities within a fast-paced, operationally demanding manufacturing environment.

The successful candidate will combine strong strategic HR leadership with a hands-on, commercially focused approach, supporting the site to achieve its operational, financial, quality, food safety and people objectives.

They will lead and develop a team of four direct reports, ensuring the delivery of a professional, proactive and business-focused HR service across the site. A key priority will be building a positive, inclusive and high-performance culture while maintaining robust employee relations, legal compliance and workforce capability.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic HR Leadership

Develop and implement the site HR strategy in alignment with wider business objectives and operational requirements.

Act as a trusted adviser to the Site Director, senior leadership team and operational managers on all people-related matters.

Translate business priorities into practical HR initiatives that improve productivity, employee engagement, retention and organisational effectiveness.

Lead workforce planning, organisational design, succession planning and talent development.

Use HR data, trends and key performance indicators to identify risks, opportunities and areas for improvement.

Champion continuous improvement and the development of a high-performance culture across the site.

2. Employee Relations and Employment Law

Lead the effective management of complex employee relations cases, including disciplinary, grievance, capability, attendance, conduct and performance matters.

Provide expert advice on UK employment legislation, ACAS guidance, company policies and procedures.

Manage and mitigate employment-related risks, ensuring fair, consistent and legally compliant decision-making.

Oversee consultation and change management processes, including organisational restructures and contractual changes where required.

Build constructive relationships with employee representatives and recognised trade unions, where applicable.

Ensure managers are confident and competent in managing people issues consistently and effectively.

3. Recruitment, Retention and Workforce Planning

Develop recruitment and retention strategies to attract and retain employees in a competitive manufacturing labour market.

Ensure effective recruitment, selection, onboarding and induction processes for both operational and management roles.

Work with operational leaders to anticipate labour requirements, seasonal fluctuations, overtime demands and production planning needs.

Reduce employee turnover, improve retention and address the underlying causes of absence and workforce instability.

Promote the employer brand and develop initiatives to improve the employee experience throughout the employment lifecycle.

4. Operational HR and Employee Engagement

Ensure the delivery of a responsive, visible and effective HR service across all site departments and shifts.

Maintain a strong presence on the factory floor, building relationships with employees and managers at all levels.

Develop initiatives to improve employee engagement, communication, morale, recognition and wellbeing.

Lead the development and implementation of people policies, procedures and management practices.

Support managers in performance management, coaching, team development and the management of underperformance.

Promote equality, diversity, inclusion and respectful workplace behaviours.

Ensure employee feedback is heard and translated into meaningful improvements.

5. Absence Management, Wellbeing and Performance

Lead the site’s absence management strategy, addressing short-term and long-term absence and reducing avoidable absence levels.

Develop consistent processes for return-to-work interviews, occupational health referrals, reasonable adjustments and attendance reviews.

Monitor and report on absence, turnover, vacancies, retention and other workforce metrics.

Work with managers to improve individual and team performance, accountability and productivity.

Promote employee wellbeing while balancing operational requirements and business performance.

6. Learning, Development and Talent Management

Lead the development of training, learning and development strategies to build capability across the workforce.

Identify skills gaps and succession requirements across operational, technical, supervisory and management roles.

Develop management capability in leadership, employee relations, performance management and people development.

Support apprenticeship programmes, vocational training and career progression opportunities where appropriate.

Ensure appropriate training records and competence requirements are maintained in collaboration with operational, technical and quality teams.

7. Compliance, Governance and HR Systems

Ensure HR policies, procedures and practices comply with relevant UK employment legislation and applicable regulatory requirements.

Maintain accurate employee records, ensuring appropriate confidentiality, data protection and GDPR compliance.

Oversee HR systems, reporting, workforce analytics and the accuracy of people data.

Support internal and external audits relating to employment practices, labour standards, training records and workforce compliance.

Work collaboratively with Health & Safety, Technical, Quality and Operations teams to support site standards and a safe, compliant working environment.

Promote ethical employment practices, fair treatment and appropriate standards throughout the workforce.

8. Leadership and Team Development

Lead, coach and develop a team of four direct reports, setting clear objectives, priorities and performance expectations.

Ensure the HR team delivers a consistent, high-quality and commercially focused service.

Establish clear accountability, effective workflows and appropriate delegation across the HR function.

Develop the capability of the HR team through coaching, professional development and succession planning.

Manage the HR budget and resources effectively, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and value.

Foster a collaborative, proactive and solutions-focused approach within the HR function.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The Head of HR will be accountable for monitoring and improving performance against agreed site and business objectives, including:

Employee turnover and retention rates.

Absence levels and associated costs.

Recruitment lead times, vacancy levels and onboarding effectiveness.

Employee engagement and satisfaction.

Employee relations case volumes, resolution times and employment risk.

Training completion, skills development and management capability.

HR service delivery, policy compliance and data accuracy.

Progress against the site people strategy and agreed HR improvement plans.

Specific targets will be agreed with the Site Director in line with business priorities and site performance.

Person Specification

Essential Requirements

CIPD Level 7 qualification in Human Resource Management or an equivalent Level 7 HR qualification.

Significant experience in a senior HR leadership or HR management role within a manufacturing, food production, processing or similarly operationally intensive environment.

Proven experience leading and developing an HR team.

Strong knowledge of UK employment legislation, employee relations and HR best practice.

Demonstrable experience managing complex employee relations cases and advising senior stakeholders.

Experience developing and delivering an HR strategy aligned with operational and commercial objectives.

Strong understanding of workforce planning, recruitment, retention, absence management and employee engagement.

Experience using HR data and KPIs to drive business improvements.

Excellent communication, influencing, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.

A practical, resilient and commercially minded approach, with the ability to balance strategic priorities and day-to-day operational demands.

High levels of integrity, confidentiality and professional judgement.

Desirable Requirements

Previous experience within the meat processing industry or a high-volume food manufacturing environment.

Experience operating in a multi-shift, labour-intensive production environment.

Experience working with recognised trade unions or employee representative bodies.

Knowledge of ethical labour standards, right-to-work compliance and workforce practices relevant to food manufacturing.

Experience supporting organisational change, restructures and continuous improvement initiatives.

Experience working with HR information systems and workforce analytics.

Personal Attributes

Visible and approachable, with the confidence to engage with employees at all levels.

A credible and influential member of the site leadership team.

Resilient and comfortable operating in a fast-paced, demanding environment.

Decisive, pragmatic and solutions-focused.

Able to challenge constructively and hold managers accountable.

Committed to fairness, consistency, inclusion and employee development.

Organised, analytical and capable of managing competing priorities.

Passionate about building a positive culture while delivering measurable business results.

Key Relationships

Internal: Site Director, senior leadership team, Operations, Production, Technical, Quality, Health & Safety, Finance, Payroll, line managers, supervisors and employees.

External: CIPD and other professional networks, recruitment partners, occupational health providers, employment law advisers, relevant regulatory bodies and employee representatives or trade unions, as applicable.

Overall Accountability

The Head of HR is responsible for ensuring the site has the people, leadership capability, organisational structure and employee relations framework required to deliver sustainable business performance.

Success in the role will be demonstrated through a capable and engaged workforce, effective HR service delivery, reduced avoidable turnover and absence, strong employment law compliance, effective management capability and a positive, accountable workplace culture.

Benefits:

Private medical insurance

Work Location: In person