HR Manager, UK DC Operations

Microsoft’s Cloud Operations & Innovation (CO+I) team is the engine that powers our cloud services. Our infrastructure comprises a large global portfolio of datacentres and servers, managed by subject matter experts who support customers and businesses around the world. With environmental sustainability and optimisation at the forefront of our datacentre design and operations, we continue to grow and evolve to meet changing business demands. We are looking for an experienced HR professional to partner with and support our datacentre operations at the LON01 campus in Park Royal, London.

The HR Manager will be dedicated to supporting the site’s leadership, managers and employees and will work onsite at the datacentre. This is a 24/7, mission-critical operating environment. The role requires a visible and accessible onsite presence, including periodic, planned engagement with employees and managers working evening, night and weekend shifts. This is an opportunity to apply a broad range of HR skills while supporting a diverse workforce of datacentre technicians, managers and other operational professionals.

The successful candidate will build trusted relationships, collaborate effectively across the business and HR, exercise sound judgement and take ownership of issues in a fast-paced operational environment.

Responsibilities

• Employee Experience and Engagement
  • Build trusted relationships with employees, managers and leaders through a visible onsite presence and regular engagement across the datacentre environment.
  • Develop a clear understanding of local employee and manager experiences, the culture of the site and emerging people risks, providing relevant insight to datacentre leadership and the wider HR team.
  • Support the development and delivery of people plans and programmes that strengthen employee engagement and respond to the needs of the site.
  • Act as a trusted and neutral resource for employees and managers, helping them access appropriate support through Microsoft’s HR operating model.
  • Provide timely support on urgent or sensitive matters in accordance with Microsoft policies, processes and local employment requirements.
  • Partner across HR to support effective delivery of services including onboarding, offboarding, employee support, tracking and reporting.
• Leadership and Manager Capability
  • Participate in datacentre leadership and team meetings, providing an HR perspective on site priorities, workforce needs, employee experience and people risk.
  • Partner with UK datacentre leadership and the HR Business Partner team to strengthen manager capability through coaching, feedback, training and targeted interventions.
  • Use employee feedback, HR case insights, organisational data and other listening channels to identify themes, recommend actions and support appropriate risk mitigation.
  • Support managers and leaders through organisational change and promote inclusive and effective leadership practices.
  • Build strong relationships across the broader Microsoft HR community and work effectively across HR disciplines to support the site.
• Projects, Programmes and Community
  • Deliver manager capability activities tailored to the professions, working patterns, shifts and needs of the site, using and adapting existing Microsoft resources where appropriate.
  • Collaborate with Global Talent Acquisition, recruiters and the broader HR team to support recruitment, onboarding and a positive new-hire experience.
  • Contribute to HR projects aligned with site, UK and EMEA priorities and lead defined workstreams where appropriate.
  • Identify opportunities to engage with local communities, professional networks, schools and other relevant stakeholders.
• Employee Relations and Operational Compliance
  • Maintain current knowledge of UK employment law and relevant regulatory developments, and provide guidance on the application of Microsoft HR policies and processes.
  • Support the fair, consistent and timely management of employee relations matters, partnering with HR Business Partners and specialist teams where required.
  • Identify and escalate emerging employee relations, organisational or compliance risks and support the development of appropriate responses.
  • Support employee information and consultation requirements and work with employee representative bodies or trade unions where applicable.
  • Support the implementation and local application of changes to policies, programmes and employment practices.
  • Handle sensitive and confidential employee information with care, judgement and discretion.
• Crisis Management, Wellbeing and Business Continuity
  • Partner with site leadership and relevant specialist teams on the people-related elements of crisis management, emergency response and business-continuity planning.
  • Provide onsite HR support during significant site incidents or periods of organisational disruption, where required, and connect employees and managers with appropriate wellbeing resources.
  • Partner with site leadership and specialist teams to support employee wellbeing and the people aspects of health, safety and workplace matters.

Qualifications

• Required Qualifications
  • Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Law, Business, Psychology or a related field AND deep experience in providing hands-on HR support (e.g organisational change, manager capability, workforce programmes, employee consultation, etc) for employees and managers in an operational or employee-facing environment.
  • Solid knowledge of UK employment law and experience supporting employee relations matters.
  • Ability to work onsite at the Park Royal datacentre and periodically engage with colleagues working evening, night or weekend shifts.
• Preferred Qualifications
  • CIPD membership or another relevant HR professional qualification.
  • Prior exposure working in a data centre, manufacturing/factory environment, or other relevant 24/7 mission-critical set-up.
  • Experience working with employee representative bodies or trade unions.
  • Strong judgement, communication and organisational skills, with the ability to manage sensitive matters appropriately.
  • Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships and work effectively with employees, managers and business leaders.