HR Lead

HR Lead

Temporary 36000 - 60000 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead HR initiatives, support employee relations, and drive recruitment efforts.
  • Company: Join McCain, a global family-owned company with over 60 years of experience.
  • Benefits: Enjoy flexible holidays, a great pension scheme, and health cash plans.
  • Why this job: Make a meaningful impact in a dynamic environment while growing your HR career.
  • Qualifications: HR generalist experience, strong recruitment skills, and a passion for people.
  • Other info: Opportunities for career growth and relocation within a supportive team.

The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.

About McCain.
At McCain, we’re feeding the world: from French fries to smiles, we contribute to the important role food plays in people's lives. That’s why we’re dedicated to ensuring our core values—Family, Authentic, Trusted, and Quality—shine through every day. As a privately owned family company with over 60 years of experience, a presence in more than 160 countries, and a global team of 22,000 people, our values and culture are at the heart of everything we do. We believe that we can work together, along with our business and community partners, to bring sustainable growth and positive change today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.

Why join the McCain family.
Your Life – we’re here to help you fulfil your potential, flourish, and thrive in work and life.
Your Success – work alongside passionate individuals who are committed to supporting your career ambitions, drive, and success.
Your Impact – we want you to make a meaningful, lasting impact for you, for your colleagues, and for the business.

About The Role.
In every role, McCainers are ambitious, curious, and interested in helping each other create good work experiences. We think about the customer and make doing business with McCain easy. We have ambitious growth business plans at McCain, but we can’t achieve those without our people. Our HR team play a huge part in driving our winning culture and it’s the role of our HR Lead at Hull to get under the skin of the people behind the potatoes.

As HR Lead it's your job to work alongside your people leaders across our Hull Manufacturing Plant to make McCain a great place to work. This covers many elements of HR including Employee Relations, Recruitment, and day-to-day HR Employee Lifecycle processes and compliance.

Our ideal candidate will already be living and breathing a HR generalist role so you’ll already have a good idea of what this role will entail.

Accountabilities.
Partner with leaders and employees to navigate people matters — from employee relations and investigations to managing appeals, misconduct, and disciplinary actions, including suspension or termination when required.
Drive local recruitment with energy and ownership by managing job requisitions in SuccessFactors, hosting job events and fairs, proactively sourcing talent, and nurturing strong local talent pools — with a spotlight on early careers.
Own employee movement and contract management, ensuring seamless updates to personal information and smooth transitions for all employees.
Spot trends and share meaningful insights with stakeholders to elevate the impact and efficiency of HR service delivery.
Champion HR compliance, including right-to-work checks, GDPR data practices, and internal audit requirements.
Keep the employee experience at the heart of everything, continually identifying and implementing improvements that make our HR processes smoother, smarter, and more human.

Qualifications
You’ll be a HR generalist ideally with experience in a manufacturing environment (FMCG would be advantageous!) You will also have…

  • A professional HR qualification
  • Experience of working within a FMCG Manufacturing plant
  • Solid ER experience, with previous knowledge of managing conduct, absence etc.
  • Strong stakeholder management
  • Experience of working at pace in a high pressured, and demanding environment
  • Strong recruitment experience. Has experience of talent attraction as well as experience of recruiting at pace and volume
  • Good administrational skills with a knowledge of Microsoft Office particularly Excel
  • The ability to work well on your own, and self-motivated. A self-start and able to work independently

Location.
Hull
Our Hull plant is where we make all our cheesy appetites, and even if you think you haven’t tasted our products before, because of our large portfolio of foodservice establishments, it’s likely you probably have! Our small, but perfectly formed team of around 130 make everything from halloumi fries to chilli cheese nuggets.

The Benefits Of Working For McCain.
Although we do encourage you to taste the goods you’ll be pleased to know we don’t pay you in ‘chips’. For working hard, you’ll also get a great salary and some pretty good benefits including:

  • An excellent pension where we will pay double what you do, up to a maximum of 12% of your pay
  • Flexible holidays – where you can buy & sell up to 5 days holiday per year
  • Optional health cash plan
  • Cycle to work scheme
  • ‘Chips In’ Volunteering Day Off - to make a positive impact to the competitiveness, resilience, and long-term development of McCain communities across the globe

And of course, being part of a Global business there are great opportunities to shine/thrive should you wish to relocate in the future. We have an ambitious 5-year growth plan that presents development & progression opportunities for those who seek it out.

McCain Foods is an equal opportunity employer. As a global family-owned company, we strive to be the employer of choice in the diverse communities around the world in which we live and work. We recognize that inclusion drives our creativity, resilience, and success and makes our business stronger. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

McCain is an accessible employer. If you require an accommodation throughout the recruitment process (including alternate formats of materials or accessible meeting rooms), please let us know and we will work with you to find appropriate solutions.

HR Lead employer: McCain Foods

At McCain, we pride ourselves on being a family-owned company that values authenticity, trust, and quality. Our Hull plant offers a supportive work culture where employees can thrive, with excellent benefits such as a generous pension scheme, flexible holidays, and opportunities for personal and professional growth. Join us to make a meaningful impact in a dynamic environment that champions inclusivity and collaboration.
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Contact Detail:

McCain Foods Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land HR Lead

✨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 local meetups. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that HR Lead role at McCain!

✨Tip Number 2

Show off your personality! When you get to the interview stage, let your authentic self shine through. McCain values authenticity, so don’t be afraid to share your passion for HR and how you can contribute to their winning culture.

✨Tip Number 3

Prepare for those tricky questions! Brush up on common HR scenarios and think about how you’d handle them. McCain wants someone who can navigate employee relations and compliance smoothly, so be ready to showcase your expertise.

✨Tip Number 4

Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the McCain family. Don’t miss out on this opportunity!

We think you need these skills to ace HR Lead

HR Generalist Experience
Employee Relations
Recruitment
Talent Attraction
Stakeholder Management
Compliance Knowledge
Data Analysis
Microsoft Office (Excel)
Problem-Solving Skills
Self-Motivation
Adaptability
Communication Skills
Organisational Skills
High-Pressure Environment Experience

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the HR Lead role. Highlight your experience in employee relations, recruitment, and any specific achievements that align with McCain's values. We want to see how you can bring your unique skills to our team!

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to express your passion for HR and how you can contribute to making McCain a great place to work. Don’t forget to mention why you’re excited about this opportunity specifically.

Showcase Your HR Knowledge: In your application, demonstrate your understanding of HR compliance and best practices. Mention any relevant qualifications or experiences that show you’re ready to tackle the challenges of the HR Lead position at McCain.

Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smooth application process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from our team!

How to prepare for a job interview at McCain Foods

✨Know Your HR Stuff

Make sure you brush up on your HR generalist knowledge, especially in areas like employee relations and recruitment. Familiarise yourself with McCain's values and how they align with your own experiences in HR.

✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills

Prepare examples of how you've successfully partnered with leaders in the past. Highlight your ability to navigate complex people matters and how you've driven positive change in previous roles.

✨Be Data-Driven

Since the role involves spotting trends and sharing insights, come prepared with examples of how you've used data to inform HR decisions. This will show that you can think big and plan ahead, just like McCain does.

✨Emphasise Employee Experience

Think about ways you've improved HR processes to enhance the employee experience. Be ready to discuss how you can keep the employee at the heart of everything you do, which is crucial for this role.

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