Manager HR & Operations in Paradise

Isabella's Homes is an award-winning specialist supported living provider supporting adults with mental health needs, learning disabilities, autism, acquired brain injuries, and other complex needs across the West Midlands and South East. Following significant growth, we are seeking an experienced and ambitious HR Manager to lead our people function and help drive the next stage of our development. This is not a traditional HR role. We need a confident leader who can manage complex employee relations, maintain regulatory compliance, support operational managers, and ensure the organisation remains inspection-ready at all times.

The Role

You will be responsible for leading and developing the HR function across a workforce of over 130 employees operating across multiple locations.

Key Responsibilities

• Leading the HR department and supporting HR team members.
• Providing expert advice and guidance on employment law and HR best practice.
• Managing disciplinary, grievance, capability, absence management, and performance management processes.
• Leading complex investigations and employee relations cases.
• Ensuring compliance with employment legislation and regulatory requirements.
• Overseeing safer recruitment processes including DBS checks, references, right-to-work checks, and onboarding.
• Managing sponsorship licence compliance and supporting international recruitment.
• Developing, reviewing, and implementing HR policies and procedures.
• Producing HR reports, workforce metrics, and management information.
• Supporting CQC inspections, quality assurance reviews, local authority audits, and commissioner visits.
• Working closely with managers to improve leadership capability and people management practices.
• Supporting service mobilisation, organisational growth, restructures, and TUPE processes where required.
• Leading workforce engagement, wellbeing, and retention initiatives.
• Ensuring training compliance and workforce development plans are maintained.

Essential Requirements

• Minimum 5 years' HR experience.
• Previous experience as an HR Manager, Senior HR Advisor, HR Business Partner, or equivalent senior HR role.
• Strong employee relations experience.
• Experience leading investigations and managing complex casework.
• Excellent knowledge of UK employment law.
• Experience managing HR compliance and audits.
• Strong organisational, leadership, and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and confidently challenge where appropriate.
• Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel.

Desirable Requirements

• CIPD Level 5 or above.
• Experience within adult social care, supported living, domiciliary care, healthcare, housing, or NHS settings.
• Experience supporting CQC inspections or other regulatory audits.
• Experience managing sponsorship licences and overseas recruitment.
• Experience supporting a workforce of 100 employees across multiple sites.
• Experience implementing HR systems and process improvements.

What Success Looks Like

• Maintain inspection-ready HR compliance across all services.
• Strengthen HR governance and workforce compliance.
• Improve recruitment, retention, and employee engagement.
• Develop managers to confidently manage people issues.
• Enhance HR systems, reporting, and workforce planning.
• Support the continued growth and expansion of Isabella's Homes.

Employee Benefits

• Competitive salary of £50,000 per annum.
• Performance-related annual bonus.
• Private Healthcare Scheme.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) providing confidential support and wellbeing services.
• NEST Workplace Pension Scheme.
• Ongoing professional development and leadership training.
• Opportunity to work directly with the Operations Manager and senior leadership team.
• Career progression opportunities within a rapidly growing organisation.
• A supportive and ambitious working environment.
• The opportunity to make a genuine difference to the lives of vulnerable adults.

Additional Information

This is a leadership role across our operational areas. The successful candidate will be expected to build strong relationships with managers, maintain high standards of compliance, and ensure the organisation remains inspection-ready at all times. We are particularly interested in candidates with experience within adult social care, healthcare, supported living, domiciliary care, NHS, housing, or other highly regulated sectors. Candidates without experience managing complex employee relations cases, compliance, audits, and workforce governance within regulated environments may not be shortlisted. If you are passionate about people, compliance, leadership, and making a meaningful impact, we would love to hear from you.