HR Manager in City of London

Smart Spaces is hiring its first in-house HR Manager, marking an exciting step forward in the company’s growth. This standalone role will be responsible for shaping and delivering a people strategy that supports a high-performing, inclusive, and values-led culture. We’re looking for someone who’s commercially sharp, action-oriented, and thrives in a fast-paced, detail-driven environment, while bringing a collaborative and supportive approach.

You’ll be organised, clear-thinking, and confident with detail - someone who spots what needs tightening and takes pride in getting things done properly. Strong written communication, a proactive mindset, and the ability to balance hands-on delivery with strategic work are essential.

Reporting directly to the Managing Director, the HR Manager will take ownership of the full employee lifecycle, from recruitment through to offboarding, and act as a trusted partner to managers across the business. The role is hands-on and strategic in equal measure, requiring someone who is pragmatic, digitally confident, and experienced in handling a broad range of HR matters with confidence and care.

As a scaling company, this position is central to embedding structure, consistency, and clarity into all aspects of how we attract, manage, and develop our people, while still allowing room for flexibility, innovation, and individuality. We move quickly, so you’ll need to enjoy working with momentum - tightening processes, solving problems, and keeping things moving efficiently and to a high standard.

The role is based in London with a hybrid working pattern (3+ days per week in-office).

Responsibilities Include:

• People Strategy and Culture: Develop and deliver a people strategy that aligns with Smart Spaces’ business goals and reflects its values, growth plans, and culture.
• Employee Lifecycle Management: Design and lead structured, high-quality processes across the full employee lifecycle — from recruitment, onboarding, and probation through to development, promotion, and offboarding.
• Recruitment and Employer Branding: Partner with hiring managers to scope roles, write clear, accurate job descriptions, plan headcount, and deliver efficient hiring campaigns that reflect our fast-paced environment.
• Onboarding and Induction: Design and manage an engaging, structured onboarding experience that ensures every new starter is set up for success — whether remote, hybrid, or office-based.
• Performance Management and Development: Work with managers to set clear goals aligned to company priorities, following through with feedback, recognition, and development that drives accountability and results.
• Employee Relations and HR Advisory: Act as the go-to internal advisor on employee relations matters, providing confident, commercially sound guidance on performance, absence, conduct, wellbeing, and grievances.
• Payroll, Benefits and HR Systems: Manage Smart Spaces’ third-party payroll provider, ensuring accurate monthly submissions, compliance with HMRC requirements, and timely issue resolution.
• Manager Coaching and Capability Building: Act as a coach and partner to line managers, providing ongoing support to improve people management capability across the business.
• Workforce Planning and Organisation Design: Shape people practices that support performance, connection, and wellbeing across a distributed workforce.
• CSR, Accreditations & Workplace Wellbeing: Support Smart Spaces’ drive to B Corp accreditation, ensuring policies and practices align with certification standards, and managing ongoing compliance for re-assessment cycles.

Hours: Full time, 40 hours per week

Working Pattern: Hybrid, 3+ days per week in office

Location: Aldgate, London

Role Requirements (Essential):

• 5+ years’ experience in a standalone or senior HR generalist role within a UK-based commercial or fast-moving environment (ideally scale-up or SME)
• Strong understanding of UK employment law and experience handling a range of employee relations issues independently and efficiently.
• End-to-end experience managing recruitment, onboarding, performance frameworks, and employee development.
• Digital-first mindset with experience selecting and implementing HR systems.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills — able to produce clear, accurate, and well-structured HR documents and correspondence.
• Confidence coaching and advising managers, with strong influencing and communication skills.
• High levels of integrity, discretion, and professionalism.
• A stickler for detail who is organised, responsive, and able to juggle multiple priorities without losing accuracy.
• Motivated by ownership and accountability, and thrives in a fast-paced, ambitious, and evolving company.

Interested in a career at Smart Spaces and would like to apply? Please click apply and supply us with a PDF of your CV and cover letter.