People Manager in Wokingham

This is a part-time, fixed-term People Manager role based in Winnersh, Wokingham, covering a 10-month maternity leave. Working 16 hours per week, with flexible patterns available, the post sits within a turnkey factory fit-out specialist serving food, drink and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Responsibilities span the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, employee relations, policy development and HR administration. The successful candidate will be organised, commercially aware and comfortable managing varied HR duties autonomously. CIPD qualification or equivalent experience is advantageous.

Salary is £45,000 to £55,000 per annum, pro rata for part-time hours. People Manager (10-months Maternity Cover – Part Time) Location: Office based, Winnersh RG41 Contract Type: 10-months Fixed-term (Maternity Cover) Part-time: 16hrs per week, open to flexible working pattern Salary: £45,000-£55,000 per annum pro rata

The company helps food, drink, and pharmaceutical manufacturers bring ambitious expansion plans to life. As trusted turnkey factory fit-out specialists, we've built a reputation for delivering exceptional projects from concept through to operational launch. They are now looking for an energetic, organised, and commercially minded People Manager to join us on a maternity cover basis. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who loves the variety of HR, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and enjoys making a real impact across the employee lifecycle.

What You'll Be Doing

You'll be the driving force behind the people processes, ensuring employees receive an outstanding experience while keeping the business compliant, efficient, and ready for growth. Your key responsibilities will include:

• Leading end-to-end recruitment across office, field, and site-based roles
• Managing the full employee lifecycle, from onboarding to offboarding
• Acting as a trusted HR advisor to managers and employees
• Supporting employee relations matters including absence, disciplinary, and grievance processes
• Maintaining compliance with UK employment legislation, GDPR, and HR best practice
• Coordinating training, development, and employee engagement initiatives
• Managing HR, recruitment, and training budgets
• Producing HR metrics and reports to support business decisions
• Driving continuous improvement across HR processes and systems

What We're Looking For

The company is looking for someone who combines strong HR expertise with a hands‑on, pragmatic approach. You'll ideally have:

• Previous HR management and/or internal recruitment experience
• Solid knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice
• Experience handling employee relations cases confidently and professionally
• Excellent organisational and stakeholder management skills
• A proactive, solutions-focused mindset
• Strong attention to detail and a high level of confidentiality
• CIPD Level 3 or Level 5 qualification (or working towards)

You'll fit right in if you're

• Positive, adaptable, and highly organised
• Comfortable working independently while collaborating across the business
• Confident engaging with senior stakeholders
• Commercially aware and results‑driven
• Approachable, supportive, and passionate about people

Working Hours & Flexibility

Flexible part-time hours available. They are open to discussing working patterns to suit the successful candidate.

The company pride themselves on creating a productive and enjoyable office environment; therefore, this role is office-based, and we do not offer hybrid or remote working.