HR Manager in Carlisle

Looking for a senior HR role where you can genuinely shape the people agenda, while still being close to the day-to-day? This is a rare opportunity to join a well-established professional services business with a strong heritage and brand presence in Cumbria. With circa 50 staff across three sites, this is a hands-on, high-impact role for someone who enjoys being in the thick of it. You’ll work directly with the Managing Director as part of the Senior Leadership Team, balancing the “nuts and bolts” of HR with strategic input, pace, and visibility.

The Role

This position will lead the HR function and the learning and development agenda, ensuring the business has the right people, capability and culture to thrive. You’ll be trusted to take ownership, improve processes, and deliver practical HR support that works in a small, privately owned environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage HR operations, policies and procedures in line with UK employment law and best practice, including proactively updating policies to reflect the new Employment Rights Bill.
• Provide hands-on support across employee relations, including performance, absence, disciplinary and grievance matters — acting as a confidential sounding board and trusted adviser to the Directors and senior leadership.
• Coach and advise managers, building confidence and consistency across the business, and supporting Directors and Shareholders with HR issues as they arise.
• Conduct regular one-to-one sessions to discuss wellbeing, career aspirations, training needs and job satisfaction — feeding insights back to leadership to support retention.
• Oversee recruitment and onboarding across three sites, including active involvement in interviewing candidates for all roles, developing effective interview frameworks and techniques, and managing a structured induction programme for all new starters.
• Develop and manage individual 12-month training plans for every team member, drawing on a dedicated five-day training budget per person and balancing role-specific, skills-based and personal development activity.
• Evaluate learning impact and continuously improve training outcomes across the business.
• Lead on personality and skills profiling to support assessment of team members for role suitability, promotion decisions and future leadership development.
• Support the annual independent salary review process and contribute to people planning at a senior level.
• Manage HR compliance, contracts, HR data and reporting.
• Drive wellbeing, engagement and inclusion initiatives that genuinely fit the culture and scale of the business.
• Play an active role in helping shape the business into a place that is a genuinely great place to work.

About you

You’ll be a confident, credible HR leader who is equally comfortable rolling your sleeves up as you are shaping the bigger picture. You’ll enjoy working at pace, building relationships, and creating practical solutions in a close-knit business.

• Strong working knowledge of UK employment law.
• Proven experience in a senior HR role (professional services experience is beneficial).
• Experience building and delivering learning and development plans.
• Comfortable working site-based and travelling between local sites as required.
• A relevant CIPD qualification at level 5 or above is preferred but not essential.
• A full UK driving licence is required, or you must be able to travel independently between office locations.

Package

• £55,000–£60,000 salary.
• Bonus up to 17%.
• Free Parking.
• Choice of work location - Carlisle, Workington or Kendal.
• Full time or Part time / Flexible hours available.

Please note that this role is fully site based.