Location: Flexible/Hybrid – Ideally Manchester based, minimum bi-weekly travel to our Manchester office
Working pattern: Full-time | 4 days per week may be considered for the right candidate
About Applica
Applica is a specialist workforce solutions company supporting projects and organisations that are leading the charge in the energy transition. Based in Manchester, we partner with clients and contractors across the UK, Europe and North America.
What sets us apart is our people and our competency, enabling us to deliver not just manpower, but outcomes. This combination of scale, specialisation and service has earned us industry recognition and awards for excellence in delivery.
By combining long-term relationship building with in-depth technical knowledge of the energy industry, we deliver tailored workforce solutions that support the full lifecycle of our clients’ projects.
The Opportunity
As Applica continues its growth across the UK, Europe and North America, we are looking for an experienced Head of People & Culture to lead and develop our people agenda.
This is a broad and influential role, working closely with senior leadership to shape our people strategy while remaining hands-on across the full employee lifecycle.
You will take ownership of key areas including employee engagement, performance management, learning & development, talent development, succession planning, organisational effectiveness and HR compliance, supporting both our permanent employees and PAYE worker population.
A key focus will be ensuring our people practices continue to evolve as the business grows internationally, creating a consistent employee experience while recognising the requirements of different locations and workforces.
We are looking for a proactive, commercially minded HR professional who is comfortable balancing strategic thinking with operational delivery. You may have developed your experience within a growing SME, recruitment or staffing business, workforce solutions organisation, or professional services environment where you have operated across a broad HR remit.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the people agenda across the business, partnering with senior leadership to ensure people initiatives support Applica's wider growth strategy.
- Manage and continuously improve the full employee lifecycle, including onboarding, performance management, employee relations, development and retention.
- Develop and implement initiatives around talent development, career progression and succession planning.
- Design and deliver effective learning and development programmes that build capability across the organisation.
- Drive employee engagement, wellbeing, organisational effectiveness and a positive, high-performing culture.
- Provide trusted HR guidance and coaching to managers and senior stakeholders across the business.
- Ensure HR policies, processes and practices remain compliant, effective and aligned with business objectives and relevant employment legislation.
- Support compliance and governance requirements relating to permanent employees, PAYE workers and contractor populations.
- Support recruitment, workforce planning and organisational development as the business continues to scale.
- Drive continuous improvement across HR systems, reporting, processes and the overall employee experience.
- Support the development of consistent and effective people practices across Applica's growing international footprint.
About You
We are looking for someone who can bring both strong HR expertise and a practical, commercial approach to the role.
Ideally, you will have:
- CIPD qualification and a minimum of 5 years' experience within a broad HR Generalist, HR Management or People leadership role.
- Strong knowledge of UK employment legislation, employee relations, performance management and HR best practice.
- Demonstrable experience developing and delivering learning and development programmes.
- Experience implementing initiatives relating to employee engagement, wellbeing, talent development, succession planning and organisational growth.
- Experience working within a growing SME or fast-paced organisation, ideally within recruitment, staffing, workforce solutions or professional services.
- Experience supporting compliance requirements relating to employees, contingent workers, contractors or PAYE-equivalent workforces.
- Strong stakeholder management, communication and influencing skills, with the confidence to build credibility at all levels, including senior leadership.
- A proactive and commercially minded approach, with the ability to operate autonomously in a growing organisation.
- A degree or equivalent professional experience.
Experience within an international HR environment or multi-country organisation would be highly advantageous, particularly exposure to workforces across the UK, Europe and/or North America.
Experience within recruitment, staffing, workforce solutions, engineering, energy or professional services would also be beneficial.
Why Join Applica?
This is an opportunity to take a leading role in shaping the people agenda of an ambitious and growing international business.
You will have the autonomy to influence how we develop our people, strengthen our culture and evolve our people practices as Applica continues to grow across multiple regions.
If you are an experienced People & Culture professional looking for a broad, hands-on leadership role where you can make a tangible impact, we would love to hear from you.
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Head of People and Culture in Manchester employer: Applica
At Applica, we pride ourselves on fostering a dynamic and inclusive work culture that empowers our employees to thrive. As a Strategic Management Accountant in our Manchester office, you will benefit from hybrid working arrangements, ongoing professional development opportunities, and the chance to collaborate with senior finance leaders on impactful projects. Join us to be part of a team that values innovation and supports your career growth in a vibrant city.
