Senior Human Resources Manager

Senior HR Manager

Location: Onsite – Wednesbury

Salary: £60,000 – £70,000 + benefits

Sector: Manufacturing

Overview

We are seeking a commercially minded and experienced Senior HR Manager to lead the HR function at our busy manufacturing site in Wednesbury. This is a strategic and hands-on leadership role, responsible for developing and delivering the people strategy, managing a small HR team, and partnering with senior leadership to drive business success through exceptional people management.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic HR Leadership

• Shape and implement the site’s HR strategy in alignment with wider business objectives and workforce plans.
• Serve as a senior business partner to functional heads and site leadership, advising on organisational design, cultural development, and performance improvement.
• Ensure HR practices contribute to operational excellence, employee engagement, and talent retention.

Team Leadership & Capability Building

• Lead, develop, and coach a small HR team to deliver consistent, high-quality support across the employee lifecycle.
• Build a proactive, solution-oriented HR culture that supports line managers and enhances the employee experience.

HR Policy, Compliance & ER

• Oversee the creation, implementation, and communication of HR policies and procedures in line with employment law and industry standards.
• Manage complex employee relations matters including disciplinaries, grievances, and restructures with a pragmatic, legally sound approach.

Talent Strategy & Workforce Planning

• Drive site-wide talent and succession planning in collaboration with department heads.
• Implement development programmes and career pathways to build internal capability and future leadership.
• Lead workforce planning efforts to align headcount, skills, and structure with operational needs.

Recruitment & Employer Branding

• Oversee recruitment activities for skilled and operational roles, ensuring an efficient, inclusive process.
• Position the site as an employer of choice in the manufacturing sector through targeted attraction and retention strategies.

L&D and Organisational Development

• Lead the site’s learning and development agenda, ensuring mandatory, technical, and leadership training is delivered effectively.
• Promote a continuous learning culture and support managers with coaching and capability development.

HR Projects & Transformation

• Deliver key HR projects, including systems upgrades, process improvements, and change initiatives.
• Identify and embed best practices in HR operations and employee engagement.

Reporting & Analytics

• Produce and present key HR metrics and insights to drive data-informed decisions.
• Monitor KPIs across turnover, absence, ER, and engagement to inform business priorities.

Experience & Qualifications

• CIPD Level 7 qualified (or working towards)
• 8–10+ years HR experience, with at least 3–5 years in a leadership role
• Strong track record in a manufacturing, industrial, or unionised environment
• Experienced in leading ER casework, team management, and HR strategy implementation
• Solid understanding of UK employment legislation and its application in practice
• Competence in using HRIS systems and Microsoft Office tools (especially Excel and PowerPoint)

Key Competencies

• Strategic and commercial thinking
• Inspirational leadership and team development
• Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills
• Change management capability
• Resilience, adaptability, and a hands-on attitude
• Analytical and data-driven approach to HR decision-making