People Manager

Roles within the Business Support job family are dedicated to optimizing professional, technical and administrative services, which support the work of other job families in making Eden successful.

The HR Manager will provide a professional, proactive, and customer-focused HR service across the organisation. The role will lead on employee relations (ER) matters, support managers in building high-performing teams, and ensure HR policies, procedures, and practices are legally compliant and aligned with organisational values and objectives. This role requires a strong ER specialist with significant experience managing complex casework and advising managers on a wide range of people matters, including disciplinary, grievance, capability, absence management, organisational change, and employment law compliance.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and manage a diverse portfolio of employee relations cases from initial concern through to conclusion, ensuring matters are managed fairly, consistently and in line with employment legislation, organisational policy and best practice.
• Act as the organisation's subject matter expert on Employee Relations, providing commercially focused and legally compliant advice to managers, leaders and stakeholders.
• Provide expert guidance, coaching and support to managers on:
• Disciplinary procedures
• Grievances
• Capability and performance management
• Absence management
• Flexible working requests
• Probation management
• Conduct and behavioural concerns
• Organisational change and restructuring activity
• Conduct and oversee complex workplace investigations, including gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, producing detailed investigation reports and making evidence-based recommendations.
• Support and advise managers through formal hearings and appeals, ensuring robust process management and effective case documentation.
• Manage sensitive, high-risk and complex employee matters, balancing organisational risk, employment law requirements and employee wellbeing considerations.
• Identify emerging employee relations trends, risks and themes, providing recommendations to improve management practice, employee engagement and workplace culture.
• Work proactively with managers to resolve workplace issues at the earliest opportunity, reducing escalation and promoting informal resolution where appropriate.
• Develop managers' confidence and capability in handling people matters through coaching, training and practical guidance.
• Contribute to the review, development and implementation of HR policies, procedures and guidance to reflect legislative changes and best practice.
• Support organisational change, consultation and restructuring activities, providing advice on employee relations implications and ensuring a positive employee experience throughout periods of change.
• Liaise with external bodies where required, including legal advisers, ACAS and occupational health providers.
• Maintain accurate and comprehensive case records, ensuring confidentiality and compliance with GDPR requirements.

HR Management and Business Partnering

• Act as a trusted HR advisor to managers and leaders, building strong relationships based on credibility, expertise and a solutions-focused approach.
• Partner with managers to improve team effectiveness, employee engagement, retention and wellbeing.
• Support workforce planning, organisational design and service improvement initiatives.
• Provide insight and guidance on people-related risks, trends and organisational challenges.
• Contribute to strategic HR projects that enhance employee experience and organisational performance.
• Develop, review and implement HR policies, procedures and guidance that support organisational objectives and legal compliance.
• Champion organisational values, inclusion, wellbeing and positive workplace culture.

Recruitment and Talent

• Oversee end-to-end recruitment activity, ensuring a positive, engaging and inclusive candidate experience that reflects Eden's values and employer brand.
• Partner with hiring managers to identify current and future workforce needs, providing advice and challenge to support effective workforce planning and resource allocation.
• Support managers in developing recruitment strategies that attract diverse, high-calibre candidates with the skills, behaviours and values needed to contribute to Eden's mission.
• Provide guidance and support throughout the recruitment process, including job design, role profiling, advertising, shortlisting, interviewing, selection and offer management.
• Monitor recruitment effectiveness, analysing key recruitment metrics and recommending improvements to attraction, selection and onboarding processes.
• Work collaboratively with managers to identify talent pipelines and succession opportunities, supporting organisational resilience and future capability needs.
• Enable strong onboarding and induction processes to ensure new employees feel welcomed, engaged and equipped to succeed from the outset.
• Support the identification and development of internal talent, encouraging career progression, employee retention and organisational growth.

Learning and Development

• Identify management capability gaps arising from employee relations cases, employee feedback and organisational priorities.
• Design, deliver or commission management development programmes focused on people management, difficult conversations, performance management, employment law and workplace investigations.
• Support the development of a coaching culture that empowers managers to effectively lead and engage their teams.
• Promote continuous learning and professional development across the organisation.

HR Operations and Compliance

• Maintain accurate, secure and up-to-date employee records, ensuring compliance with GDPR, employment legislation and organisational policies.
• Manage and continuously improve HR administration processes to ensure an efficient, responsive and customer-focused HR service.
• Produce regular and ad hoc HR reports, dashboards and workforce metrics to support operational and strategic decision-making.
• Analyse workforce data and trends, including absence, turnover, recruitment, employee relations activity and diversity metrics, identifying risks, opportunities and areas for improvement.
• Provide insightful people reporting and recommendations to senior leaders, enabling informed workforce planning and organisational decision-making.
• Monitor compliance with employment legislation, internal policies and best practice, recommending and implementing improvements where required.
• Support organisational audits, governance requirements and regulatory reporting, ensuring accurate and timely submission of information.
• Maintain oversight of HR systems, ensuring data integrity, accurate reporting and effective utilisation of people data across the organisation.
• Develop and maintain HR procedures, templates and guidance materials that promote consistency, efficiency and compliance.
• Ensure the highest standards of confidentiality and professionalism when handling sensitive employee and organisational information.

Demands of the role

Education & qualifications

• CIPD Level 5 qualification in Human Resource Management (or equivalent experience).
• Educated to A-Level standard or equivalent professional experience.
• Evidence of continuing professional development and commitment to staying current with employment legislation and HR best practice.

Knowledge & skills

• Comprehensive knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice.
• Significant Employee Relations experience, including managing complex disciplinary, grievance, capability, absence, performance management, and organisational change cases.
• Ability to interpret and apply HR policies, procedures, and legislation consistently and pragmatically.
• Strong investigation, report-writing, and case management skills.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficient in HR systems and Microsoft Office applications, experience utilising Dayforce is a bonus.
• Ability to produce and interpret HR metrics and management information.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.

Decision-making

• Ability to make sound, evidence-based decisions on complex employee relations matters.
• Exercises professional judgement while balancing organisational risk, legal requirements, and employee wellbeing.
• Works autonomously, escalating only highly sensitive or high-risk matters as appropriate.
• Capable of making recommendations that influence management decisions and organisational outcomes.

Resourcefulness

• Takes a proactive and solution-focused approach to resolving people issues.
• Able to identify root causes of workplace challenges and implement practical solutions.
• Uses initiative to improve processes, policies, and ways of working.
• Effectively manages a varied workload with minimal supervision.
• Adaptable and resilient when managing sensitive or complex situations.

People & asset management

• Ability to build productive relationships with managers, employees, and stakeholders across all levels of the organisation.
• Coaches and develops managers to improve people management capability.
• Demonstrates fairness, integrity, and professionalism when managing sensitive situations.
• Responsible for maintaining accurate employee records and ensuring compliance with data protection requirements.

Communication & visitor experience

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain complex HR matters clearly and confidently.
• Strong influencing, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to handle difficult conversations professionally and sensitively.
• Skilled in delivering presentations, training, and briefings to managers and employees.
• Demonstrates a customer-focused approach, providing a positive and professional experience for employees, managers, volunteers, and external stakeholders.

Operational environment

• Experience working in a fast-paced environment where priorities may change frequently.
• Ability to manage confidential and sensitive information with discretion.
• Comfortable working independently and collaboratively across departments.
• Commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion, and organisational values.
• Willingness to support organisational change and continuous improvement activities.

Additional features

• Demonstrates professionalism, integrity, and sound judgement.
• Commitment to promoting employee wellbeing and a positive workplace culture.
• Flexible approach to work and willingness to attend occasional meetings outside normal working hours if required.
• Eligibility to work in the UK.
• Satisfactory references and pre-employment checks.