HR Manager

About CCST: CCST is a UK manufacturer of carbon-ceramic brake discs, supplying performance and motorsport markets.

The role: We are looking for an HR Manager, responsible for leading and delivering all people-related activities across the business. Operating as a standalone HR professional within a manufacturing SME, the role provides both strategic and operational HR support, ensuring compliance with employment legislation, promoting employee engagement, and supporting the business in attracting, developing, and retaining talent. The HR Manager acts as a trusted advisor to managers and employees, managing the full employee lifecycle while supporting the achievement of business objectives through effective people management practices.

Key Responsibilities:

• Employee Relations: Provide day-to-day HR advice and guidance to managers and employees. Manage employee relations matters including disciplinary, grievance, performance management, absence management, and investigations. Attend and support formal HR meetings, ensuring compliance with company policies and employment legislation. Support managers with difficult conversations and people-related decisions. Maintain accurate records and documentation relating to employee relations cases.
• Recruitment and Onboarding: Manage end-to-end recruitment processes including advertising, shortlisting, interviewing, and offer management. Work with hiring managers to identify workforce requirements. Coordinate onboarding and induction programmes for new employees. Ensure right-to-work and pre-employment checks are completed. Develop and maintain relationships with recruitment agencies and local employment providers.
• HR Administration: Maintain employee files and HR systems, ensuring data accuracy and GDPR compliance. Prepare employment contracts, offer letters, amendments, and other HR documentation. Manage probation reviews and employment changes. Produce regular HR reports and metrics for management. Support payroll processes by ensuring employee data is accurate and up to date.
• Attendance and Wellbeing: Monitor absence levels and trends. Manage sickness absence cases, including return-to-work interviews and occupational health referrals. Promote employee wellbeing initiatives and support employee assistance programmes where applicable. Monitor and support compliance with company attendance procedures.
• Performance Management: Coordinate the performance review process. Support managers in setting objectives and managing employee performance. Develop performance improvement plans where required. Identify talent development opportunities within the business.
• Learning and Development: Identify training needs across the business. Coordinate internal and external training programmes. Maintain training records and compliance matrices. Support the development of succession and workforce planning activities. Assist managers in developing employee skills and competencies.
• Policy Development and Compliance: Develop, review, and implement HR policies and procedures. Ensure compliance with UK employment legislation and best practice. Provide guidance on employment law matters and organisational policy. Support business compliance with audits and accreditation requirements where applicable.
• Workforce Planning and Organisational Support: Support workforce planning aligned with production and operational requirements. Provide HR input into organisational change initiatives. Support restructures, consultation processes, and redundancy programmes where required. Advise managers on organisational design and workforce capability.
• Employee Engagement and Culture: Promote positive employee relations and engagement across the workforce. Support communication initiatives and employee forums. Conduct employee surveys and analyse feedback. Drive initiatives that support company values and culture.
• Manufacturing-Specific Responsibilities: Support managers in managing shift-based and operational workforces. Work closely with production and operational teams to address staffing requirements. Monitor labour turnover, absence, and productivity-related people metrics. Support health, safety, and wellbeing initiatives in partnership with operational managers. Ensure workforce capability meets business and customer requirements.
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Employee turnover rates. Absence levels. Recruitment time-to-fill. Training completion rates. Employee engagement results. Employee relations case resolution times. HR compliance and audit outcomes.

Person Specification:

• Essential Experience: Proven HR generalist experience, ideally within a manufacturing, engineering, or industrial environment. Experience managing the full employee lifecycle. Experience handling complex employee relations issues. Experience working independently in a standalone HR role or small HR team.
• Qualifications: CIPD Level 5 qualification (minimum desirable). CIPD Level 7 qualification (advantageous).
• Knowledge: Strong understanding of UK employment law. Knowledge of HR best practice and employee relations. Understanding of manufacturing workforce challenges and operational environments. Knowledge of payroll principles and HR systems.
• Skills and Competencies: Excellent communication and influencing skills. Strong problem-solving and decision-making ability. Ability to build effective relationships at all levels. Strong organisational and time-management skills. High attention to detail and confidentiality. Resilient and able to manage multiple priorities. Commercial awareness and pragmatic approach to HR.
• Key Relationships: Internal: CEO & COO, Production Managers, Department Managers and Supervisors, Finance Team, All Employees. External: Recruitment Agencies, Training Providers, Occupational Health Providers, Employment Law Advisors, Regulatory and Professional Bodies.

This role is ideal for an experienced HR professional who enjoys balancing strategic HR initiatives with hands-on operational delivery and being the sole HR expert within a growing manufacturing business. We are accepting applicants on either a full-time (40 hours) or a part-time (30 hours) basis, based on a Monday - Friday working pattern.