HR Specialist in Reading

Job Description

Role: HR Specialist
Salary: £35-40k plus benefits
Job Status: Full Time/ Fixed Term Contract
Location: Berkshire - Office Based
Vacancy Reference: VR/05467
Role Description:
We are recruiting on behalf of our client, a well-established commercial cleaning business based in Berkshire, for an experienced HR Specialist to join their team on a 12-18 month fixed-term contract. Established over 25 years ago, the business now supports around 400 customers across southern England, including schools, offices, medical centres, and leisure facilities, while maintaining a personal approach and a strong focus on reliable, high-quality service.
The Role:
Working closely with the Senior HR Specialist and HR & Payroll Assistant, you will help deliver a professional, consistent, and practical HR service across the business.
This is a varied generalist role covering the full employee lifecycle, with a strong focus on employee relations, HR advisory support and process improvement. You will work with managers across head office and field-based teams, providing practical guidance and helping ensure HR processes are applied consistently across the business.
This is an office-based role working 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday. You will work 7.5 hours per day, with working hours falling between 7:30am and 6:00pm, with some flexibility depending on business needs.
Key Responsibilities:

• Provide day-to-day HR advice to managers and employees across policies, procedures, TUPE and employment legislation, coaching managers to handle people matters confidently and effectively.
• Manage a varied range of employee relations cases, including absence, disciplinary, grievance, and performance matters, working with senior HR colleagues on more complex cases where required.
• Support the full employee lifecycle, including onboarding, probation, performance management, and offboarding, while maintaining accurate HR records and ensuring processes and documentation remain compliant.
• Coordinate and support TUPE transfers, including due diligence, data gathering, documentation and employee communications, as well as resolving onboarding, DBS, and compliance queries.
• Work closely with operational managers and the wider HR team to provide practical HR solutions, while contributing to policy reviews, engagement initiatives and improvements to HR systems, processes, and employee experience.

About You:
We are looking for an experienced HR professional with strong generalist knowledge and particular confidence in employee relations.
You will ideally have:

• Previous experience in an HR Advisor, HR Specialist or HR Generalist role, with strong employee relations experience.
• Good working knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice.
• Confidence advising managers independently, with the judgement to know when more complex matters should be escalated.
• Strong communication, influencing and relationship-building skills.
• Excellent organisation and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• A proactive, practical and solutions-focused approach.
• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel.
• CIPD Level 5 or equivalent experience would be desirable.
• The ability to work full-time from the Berkshire office.

Benefits:

• Up to 27 days' annual leave depending on length of service, with the option to purchase additional leave.
• NEST pension scheme.
• Ongoing personal development opportunities.
• Company social events.
• Free on-site parking and refreshments.
• Casual Fridays.
• Plus more.

This is a varied opportunity for an experienced HR professional looking to take on a hands-on role with exposure to employee relations, HR projects, and the wider employee lifecycle within an established and supportive business.