Head of HR in Matlock

Shape the future of people, culture and craftsmanship at a British manufacturing icon. We are a long-established British manufacturer with a proud heritage, skilled workforce and a reputation built on quality, integrity and craftsmanship. As we look to the future, we are seeking an experienced Head of HR to play a pivotal role in shaping how our people experience work and how our culture supports sustainable performance.

This is a senior, stand-alone role, reporting directly to the Managing Director and working closely with the Board and Directors. You will be the lead HR professional for the business, trusted to balance strategic leadership with hands-on delivery across a multi-site, unionised environment spanning both manufacturing and office-based teams.

This role is about rebuilding trust, strengthening leadership capability and ensuring HR practices are modern, compliant, commercial and genuinely people-centred.

The Role:

As Head of HR, you will own the full employee lifecycle and lead all people-related matters across the organisation. You will act as a trusted adviser to senior leaders, bring clarity to complex employee relations issues, and play a central role in organisational effectiveness and cultural transformation. This is a highly visible, predominantly on-site role, with an expectation of being present in the business four days per week. Building trust, credibility and strong relationships across manufacturing and office-based teams will be central to your success. You will attend Board meetings as a standing attendee and provide pragmatic, grounded advice on all HR and people decisions combining professional credibility with warmth, courage and integrity.

What You’ll Do

• HR Strategy & Leadership
  • Own and deliver the HR strategy aligned to business objectives and long-term sustainability.
  • Partner closely with the Managing Director, Directors and Board as a trusted HR adviser.
  • Lead organisational design, workforce planning, succession planning and critical role identification.
• Employee Lifecycle & Employee Relations
  • Manage the full employee lifecycle, from recruitment and onboarding through to development, reward and exit.
  • Lead complex employee relations cases with confidence and fairness.
  • Build and maintain effective relationships with trade unions, leading consultation and negotiation activity.
  • Chair and lead the Works Council / Employee Representatives Forum.
• Culture, Capability & Development
  • Lead cultural change, embedding values-led behaviours and rebuilding trust across the organisation.
  • Design and deliver learning, training and development frameworks at all levels.
  • Act as an internal coach to Directors, Managers and Team Leaders.
  • Upskill managers in people leadership, performance conversations and engagement.
• Engagement, Wellbeing & Communications
  • Own internal communications, ensuring messaging is clear, consistent and engaging.
  • Lead company-wide communications including business updates, wellbeing initiatives and leadership messages.
  • Co-lead and present at quarterly company update meetings.
  • Own and drive the wellbeing strategy.
  • Chair the in-house Social Club, supporting engagement and community-building initiatives.
• Governance, Compliance & Operations
  • Ensure compliance with employment law, GDPR and data protection requirements.
  • Oversee payroll, HR administration and Health & Safety through coaching and assurance.
  • Chair Health & Safety meetings in partnership with the H&S Officer.
  • Use HR data, insight and technology to inform decisions and modernise HR practices.

Who we’re looking for

You’ll be a senior HR professional who is equally comfortable operating at Board level and being visible on the shop floor. You’ll bring gravitas without ego, warmth without losing boundaries, and the confidence to challenge constructively when needed.

You’ll bring:

• Deep, up-to-date HR expertise across all disciplines.
• Strong experience working in a unionised environment.
• A commercial mindset with a pragmatic, people-first approach.
• Confidence influencing at Board, Director and operational level.
• High levels of resilience, organisation and personal credibility.
• A forward-thinking, tech-savvy approach to HR and people data.

Experience & Qualifications

• CIPD Level 5 minimum (Level 7 desirable).
• Significant experience in a senior HR leadership role.
• Background in manufacturing or a mixed blue- and white-collar environment.
• Proven experience partnering at Executive and Board level.
• Strong employee relations and union engagement background.
• Experience leading culture change and organisational transformation.
• Comfortable operating as a stand-alone HR leader with small specialist support.

Why Join Us

• Join a globally recognised British heritage brand.
• Take on a pivotal leadership role within a respected British manufacturing business.
• Influence culture, capability and long-term organisational success.
• Work closely with the Managing Director and Board.
• Make a visible, meaningful impact on people and performance.
• Competitive salary + benefits package.