HR Manager (Maternity Cover)

HR Manager (Maternity Cover)

Application Deadline

22 September 2026

Department

People

Employment Type

Fixed Term - Full Time

Location

London

Reporting To

• COFO
• Description

This is a 12 to 14 month fixed-term maternity cover role for an experienced operational HR professional who is comfortable running a full HR function single-handedly.

A comprehensive handover begins in early November to ensure a well-supported transition, with a further handover period at the end of the term.

The role ends on the return of the substantive postholder.

You will own the day-to-day HR service across the employee lifecycle for a c.115-person business operating in the UK, US and UAE.

The role is based in our London headquarters on a hybrid basis, with travel to our Aberdeen office, where our 24/7 operations centre and a significant proportion of our UK workforce are located.

The emphasis is on running the function well and keeping the business compliant, rather than on designing new frameworks.

It suits someone who wants a clearly defined brief, real autonomy, and direct exposure to an executive team.

Key Responsibilities

• Employee relations and HR advisory
• Act as the first point of contact and trusted adviser for employees and managers on all HR matters.
• Manage employee relations casework, including disciplinary, grievance and performance matters, ensuring fair and consistent outcomes.
• Support managers through absence, flexible working and family leave processes.
• Recruitment
• Lead and coordinate all recruitment activity across the UK, US and UAE, from role definition and sourcing through to offer and onboarding, working through our applicant tracking system (Pinpoint).
• Partner with hiring managers and the executive team to define staffing requirements, agree selection processes, and manage candidate and agency relationships.
• Own the recruitment pipeline and report on progress, time to hire and cost to hire.
• HR operations and system
• Maintain the accuracy, integrity and confidentiality of employee data held in Humaans, addressing discrepancies promptly and ensuring appropriate access controls and compliance with data protection requirements.
• Support the Head of Finance with payroll and benefits administration.
• Administer employee benefits, including the group PMI scheme and pension arrangements.
• Maintain and update HR policies and procedures in line with UK employment law and, where applicable, US and UAE requirements.
• Compliance
• Manage day-to-day compliance with the organisation’s UK Sponsor Licence, including record keeping and reporting obligations, escalating material matters to the COFO.
• Manage IR35 compliance and contractor engagement, providing guidance on best practice and risk mitigation.
• Support IMS (Integrated Management System) audits, ensuring HR processes, policies and records are compliant and supporting the implementation of any corrective actions.
• Priorities for the Term
• Deliver an active senior recruitment pipeline across multiple functions and jurisdictions.
• Maintain uninterrupted HR service and compliance through the leave period, with no lapse in audit or sponsorship obligations.
• Run the existing performance and salary review cycles falling within the term.
• Deliver a clean handover back to the substantive postholder at the end of the contract.

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

• Proven experience as an HR Manager or senior HR generalist, ideally operating as the sole HR resource in a business of comparable size.
• Strong working knowledge of UK employment law. Exposure to US or UAE employment matters is desirable.
• Practical experience of IR35 and contractor engagement.
• Experience of end-to-end recruitment, including senior hires, and confident working with an applicant tracking system.
• Familiarity with UK Sponsor Licence obligations, or the confidence to take them on with support.
• Proficient with HRIS platforms. Experience of Humaans or Pinpoint is an advantage but not essential.
• Comfortable working in an audited environment (ISO or equivalent management system.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the credibility to advise at executive level.
• CIPD qualification or equivalent preferred.
• Willing and able to travel to our Aberdeen office.
• Available to start in early November 2026
• Job Benefits
• Hybrid working arrangements
• 26 days holiday (plus 8 public holidays)
• Enhanced family friendly benefits
• Private medical insurance
• Onsite gym
• A supportive and collaborative work culture
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