People & Talent Manager in Newcastle upon Tyne

Location: Freight Island Newcastle - 4 days on site, 1 from home. This role will require travel to other Freight venues, including Manchester & Brixton. Working week: 40 hours, typically Monday–Friday. Weekend and evening work required during peak season (TOIL provided).

Freight Island is one of the most exciting, forward‑thinking and disruptive food markets in the world, it’s a game changer and most importantly, it has a soul. Blurring the lines between a food hall and a festival, Freight’s unique set up reflects the times. An urban oasis where guests can enjoy delicious food, great drinks and live entertainment. We specialise in curating an evolving calendar of residencies and menus that span emerging local talent and nationally recognised names, keeping the experience fresh and engaging.

The Role: We are looking for a People & Talent Manager to play a pivotal role within the People team. You must have 3–5 years’ experience within the hospitality and/or events sector, in a similar HR generalist role. Reporting into the Head of People, this role will initially focus on all elements of a new venue launch, including the delivery of end-to-end recruitment, onboarding and training for our Freight Newcastle site, which is expected to launch in May 2026. Once Newcastle is open and settled, you will diversify across all locations and act as a trusted HR partner. This role is suited to someone adaptable, enthusiastic and confident taking ownership, who thrives in fast‑paced, ever‑changing environments. You’ll be pragmatic, resilient and solutions‑focused, able to balance operational delivery with sound judgement and empathy. You’ll bring a calm, approachable presence, build trust quickly with managers and teams on the ground, and have the confidence to challenge constructively, influence decision‑making and uphold the company culture and people standards. Strong emotional intelligence, discretion and the ability to navigate sensitive situations with care are essential, as is a hands‑on mindset and a genuine passion for hospitality and events.

Key Responsibilities:

• Developing and maintaining strong relationships with managers and teams, providing expert People / HR advice.
• Managing the full employee lifecycle, from recruitment through to exit.
• End-to-end recruitment for casual and salaried roles, including interviews and offer management.
• Leading recruitment activity across venues and festivals, including volume hiring.
• Managing onboarding processes: offer letters, RTW checks, contracts, policies and documentation.
• Ensuring new starters are correctly set up on HR systems, rotas, timesheets and pay grades.
• Processing leavers accurately and liaising with Payroll on changes.
• Managing shared inboxes and responding to queries in a timely, accurate and approachable manner.
• Maintaining accurate employee data within the HR system.
• Supporting and advising managers on employee relations matters, including disciplinary investigations and hearings, grievances, performance management, and absence management.
• Supporting the Group Head of People with People initiatives and strategy, including performance management, talent & succession planning, employee engagement & retention, and equality, diversity & inclusion.
• Supporting and delivering training, particularly within bar and/or restaurant environments, where required.
• Ensuring HR policies, procedures and documentation remain legally compliant and up to date.
• General HR administration.

You’ll Need:

• 3–5 years’ experience in a HR generalist role within hospitality and/or events (essential).
• Strong recruitment background, including high‑volume and project‑based hiring.
• Proven experience delivering or supporting training within bar, restaurant or hospitality environments.
• Extensive employee relations experience, including managing disciplinaries, grievances and complex people issues.
• Experience across the full employee lifecycle.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Confidence engaging with stakeholders at all levels, from bartenders to senior leaders.
• Familiarity with HRIS, ATS, Microsoft Office and GSuite.
• Strong attention to detail and confidence issuing contracts and policies.
• Ability to prioritise, multitask and work to tight deadlines.
• Experience handling confidential and sensitive information with discretion and integrity.

You Should Be:

• Warm, collaborative and approachable.
• Passionate about hospitality and events.
• Proactive, organised and detail‑oriented.
• Comfortable working independently and using initiative.
• Flexible and willing to work unsociable hours when required.
• Willing to travel as the business demands.

Seniority level: Mid‑Senior level. Employment type: Full‑time. Job function: Human Resources. Industries: Entertainment Providers.