Head of HR

New Yesterday

Shape the future of people, culture and craftsmanship at a British manufacturing icon
We are a long-established British manufacturer with a proud heritage, skilled workforce and a reputation built on quality, integrity and craftsmanship. As we look to the future, we are seeking an experienced Head of HR to play a pivotal role in shaping how our people experience work and how our culture supports sustainable performance.
This is a senior, stand-alone role, reporting directly to the Managing Director and working closely with the Board and Directors. You will be the lead HR professional for the business, trusted to balance strategic leadership with hands-on delivery across a multi-site, unionised environment spanning both manufacturing and office-based teams.
This role is about rebuilding trust, strengthening leadership capability and ensuring HR practices are modern, compliant, commercial and genuinely people-centred.
The Role:
As Head of HR, you will own the full employee lifecycle and lead all people-related matters across the organisation. You will act as a trusted adviser to senior leaders, bring clarity to complex employee relations issues, and play a central role in organisational effectiveness and cultural transformation.
This is a highly visible, predominantly on-site role, with an expectation of being present in the business four days per week. Building trust, credibility and strong relationships across manufacturing and office-based teams will be central to your success.
You will attend Board meetings as a standing attendee and provide pragmatic, grounded advice on all HR and people decisions combining professional credibility with warmth, courage and integrity.
What Youll Do
HR Strategy & Leadership
Own and deliver the HR strategy aligned to business objectives and long-term sustainability
Partner closely with the Managing Director, Directors and Board as a trusted HR adviser
Lead organisational design, workforce planning, succession planning and critical role identification
Employee Lifecycle & Employee Relations
Manage the full employee lifecycle, from recruitment and onboarding through to development, reward and exit
Lead complex employee relations cases with confidence and fairness
Build and maintain effective relationships with trade unions, leading consultation and negotiation activity
Chair and lead the Works Council / Employee Representatives Forum
Culture, Capability & Development
Lead cultural change, embedding values-led behaviours and rebuilding trust across the organisation
Design and deliver learning, training and development frameworks at all levels
Act as an internal coach to Directors, Managers and Team Leaders
Upskill managers in people leadership, performance conversations and engagement
Engagement, Wellbeing & Communications
Own internal communications, ensuring messaging is clear, consistent and engaging
Lead company-wide communications including business updates, wellbeing initiatives and leadership messages
Co-lead and present at quarterly company update meetings
Own and drive the wellbeing strategy
Chair the in-house Social Club, supporting engagement and community-building initiatives
Governance, Compliance & Operations
Ensure compliance with employment law, GDPR and data protection requirements
Oversee payroll, HR administration and Health & Safety through coaching and assurance
Chair Health & Safety meetings in partnership with the H&S Officer
Use HR data, insight and technology to inform decisions and modernise HR practices
Who were looking for
Youll be a senior HR professional who is equally comfortable operating at Board level and being visible on the shop floor. Youll bring gravitas without ego, warmth without losing boundaries, and the confidence to challenge constructively when needed.
Youll bring:
Deep, up-to-date HR expertise across all disciplines
Strong experience working in a unionised environment
A commercial mindset with a pragmatic, people-first approach
Confidence influencing at Board, Director and operational level
High levels of resilience, organisation and personal credibility
A forward-thinking, tech-savvy approach to HR and people data
Experience & Qualifications
CIPD Level 5 minimum (Level 7 desirable)
Significant experience in a senior HR leadership role
Background in manufacturing or a mixed blue- and white-collar environment
Proven experience partnering at Executive and Board level
Strong employee relations and union engagement background
Experience leading culture change and organisational transformation
Comfortable operating as a stand-alone HR leader with small specialist support
Why Join Us
Join a globally recognised British heritage brand
Take on a pivotal leadership role within a respected British manufacturing business
Influence culture, capability and long-term organisational success
Work closely with the Managing Director and Board
Make a visible, meaningful impact on people and performance
Competitive salary + benefits package

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Location:
Matlock
Salary:
£45,000
Job Type:
FullTime
Category:
Human Resources

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