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- Tasks: Lead HR initiatives, support recruitment, and enhance employee relations in a collaborative environment.
- Company: Growing professional services organisation with a supportive culture and strong client relationships.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, 25 days leave, flexible hours, and generous wellbeing allowance.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on people's careers in a warm, family-like atmosphere.
- Qualifications: Strong HR experience, knowledge of UK employment law, and CIPD qualification preferred.
- Other info: Enjoy regular social events and clear development opportunities in a dynamic workplace.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Your new role
Hays is proud to be partnering with a growing professional services organisation in the Essex/Greater London area. With a strong reputation, trusted client relationships, and a genuinely supportive culture, they blend longstanding credibility with an ambitious, modern outlook. People truly sit at the heart of the organisation, and employees thrive in a collaborative environment where ideas are welcomed, development is encouraged, and career journeys genuinely matter.
In this broad and hands-on People Manager role, you’ll lead a varied portfolio of activity, from shaping recruitment and supporting early-career talent, to coaching managers, advising on employee relations matters, and driving improvements across HR processes and systems. Supported by an HR Officer, the role offers genuine ownership and strong visibility across the business.
Person Specification
You’ll bring strong generalist HR experience from a professional services environment and a solid working knowledge of UK employment law. CIPD qualified (or working towards), you’ll feel comfortable managing a blend of recruitment, ER, performance, and HR operations while using data to inform decision-making. To thrive, you’ll be proactive, people-centred, commercially minded, and confident in building relationships quickly. A curious, improvement-focused mindset will also be key to success in this role.
Benefits
They offer a compelling package designed to support wellbeing, reward contribution, and recognise loyalty. You’ll be based onsite for the first six months, after which you can work from home one day a week. With core hours of 10:00–16:00, you’ll have the flexibility to shape the rest of your day, working a total of 36 hours across the week.
Benefits include a competitive salary, 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (increasing with service), birthday leave, life assurance, onsite parking, and enhanced pension contributions. Employees also enjoy a generous wellbeing allowance and regular social events. Combined with clear development opportunities and a genuinely welcoming culture, the firm offers a warm, ‘cosy family feel’ environment where people feel valued, supported, and excited about their future.
Please contact Louisa London, Business Director - Senior HR, Essex & East Anglia for more information.
People (HR) Manager in Southend-on-Sea employer: Hays
Contact Detail:
Hays Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land People (HR) Manager in Southend-on-Sea
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the HR field. Attend industry events, join online forums, or even hit up LinkedIn. The more connections we make, the better our chances of landing that dream job.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research the company culture and values, especially since this role is all about people. We should be ready to discuss how our experience aligns with their needs and how we can contribute to their supportive environment.
✨Tip Number 3
Show off our skills! Bring examples of our past work to interviews, especially around recruitment and employee relations. We want to demonstrate our proactive, people-centred approach and how we've driven improvements in previous roles.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up! After an interview, shoot a quick thank-you email to express our appreciation. It’s a great way to keep us on their radar and show that we’re genuinely interested in the role.
We think you need these skills to ace People (HR) Manager in Southend-on-Sea
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the People Manager role. Highlight your HR generalist experience and any specific achievements in recruitment or employee relations that showcase your fit for the position.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you’re passionate about HR and how your proactive, people-centred approach can contribute to our supportive culture. Share specific examples of how you've driven improvements in HR processes in the past.
Showcase Your CIPD Journey: If you're CIPD qualified or working towards it, make sure to mention this prominently. We love seeing candidates who are committed to their professional development, so share any relevant coursework or projects that demonstrate your knowledge of UK employment law.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website for a smoother application process. This way, we can ensure your application gets the attention it deserves and you can easily track your progress!
How to prepare for a job interview at Hays
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your generalist HR knowledge, especially around UK employment law. Familiarise yourself with the company's values and how they align with your own experience in professional services.
✨Showcase Your People Skills
This role is all about people, so be ready to discuss how you've built relationships in previous roles. Prepare examples of how you've coached managers or supported early-career talent to demonstrate your people-centred approach.
✨Be Data-Driven
Since the role involves using data for decision-making, think of instances where you've used metrics to drive improvements in HR processes. Be prepared to discuss how you can leverage data to enhance recruitment and employee relations.
✨Embrace Curiosity and Improvement
The company values a curious mindset, so come armed with questions about their current HR processes. Show that you're not just looking to fill a role but are genuinely interested in how you can contribute to their ongoing development.