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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive people strategy and support leaders in a dynamic manufacturing environment.
- Company: Join Surface Transforms, a leader in carbon-ceramic brake innovation.
- Benefits: Attractive salary, 25 days leave, birthday off, and employee support.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on workplace culture and employee engagement.
- Qualifications: CIPD Level 5 or equivalent experience in HR or People Partner roles.
- Other info: Fast-paced environment with opportunities for growth and internal promotions.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 45000 £ per year.
Surface Transforms are world leading in the design, development and manufacture of carbon‑ceramic brakes for high performance and luxury automotive sector. Here at Surface Transforms, our vision is mobility through braking innovation and our mission is to ‘Innovate and develop a sustainable, world leading, high performance braking system that redefine the limits of mobility. Investing in our people to drive excellence & create lasting value.’
Our Values
- Leadership - United, decisive and recognising success
- Collaboration - Support others, listen with intent and challenge each other
- Communication - Ask why, be inclusive and adapt your methods
- Ambition - Be bold, believe and be irrepressible
- Excellence - Strive for brilliant, achieve high standards and continually improve
- Trust - Be real, trust yourself and support others
About the role
We are looking for a proactive and commercially minded People Partner to join our People team. Acting as a trusted advisor to operational and functional leaders, you’ll drive a people strategy that supports productivity, capability, and culture across our manufacturing environment. This role blends strategic partnership with hands‑on delivery, ensuring we have the talent, engagement, and organisational effectiveness needed to achieve our commercial goals.
What you’ll be doing as our People Partner
- Partner with leaders to shape and deliver people plans aligned to business priorities such as productivity, quality, safety, and growth.
- Use workforce data and insights to identify trends, risks, and opportunities that inform decision‑making.
- Support organisational design, workforce planning, and succession planning.
- Provide expert guidance on employee relations matters, ensuring fair, consistent, and compliant outcomes.
- Coach managers to confidently handle day‑to‑day people issues.
- Champion a positive, inclusive, high‑performance culture across shop floor and office environments.
- Support initiatives that strengthen employee engagement and retention.
- Drive effective performance management through clear expectations, feedback, and development conversations.
- Advise on reward, benefits, and recognition approaches suited to an SME environment.
- Promote wellbeing initiatives tailored to manufacturing shift patterns and physical work demands.
- Support change initiatives including restructures, process improvements, and technology implementation.
- Contribute to continuous improvement of People processes, systems, and ways of working.
The Skills, Knowledge and Experience you will need as our People Partner
- Proven experience in a generalist HR Advisory or People Partner role, ideally within manufacturing, engineering, or similar operational environments.
- Strong understanding of UK employment law and HR best practice.
- Confidence working with shop floor teams, supervisors, and senior leaders.
- Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands‑on delivery.
- Skilled in coaching, influencing, and building trusted relationships.
- Comfortable working in a fast‑paced SME environment with evolving processes.
- Data literate with the ability to interpret metrics and present insights.
Need to have
- CIPD Level 5 (or above) qualification or equivalent experience.
- Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to support organisational change and improvement initiatives.
- Experience in manufacturing or engineering sectors.
- Experience supporting organisational design or workforce planning projects.
You’ll have these personal attributes
- Pragmatic, solutions‑focused, and commercially aware.
- Approachable and credible with employees at all levels.
- Resilient, adaptable, and comfortable with ambiguity.
- Passionate about people development and organisational culture.
- Proactive, self‑starting, and able to work independently.
What we’ll give you in return
- Attractive salary
- 25 days annual leave + bank holidays
- Extra day annual leave for your birthday
- A confidential employee assistance helpline covering physical and emotional support
- Jobs are promoted internally providing job transfer opportunities
- Death in service scheme
Hours: Monday – Thursday 8am – 5pm, Friday 8am – 2.30pm
Salary: £40,000 – £45,000
People Partner in Knowsley employer: Surface Transforms Plc
Contact Detail:
Surface Transforms Plc Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land People Partner in Knowsley
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join online forums, or even reach out on LinkedIn. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that People Partner role.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their needs. Use specific examples from your past roles to demonstrate your expertise in HR and people strategy.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! If you see a job opening that excites you, don’t wait for the perfect moment. Apply through our website and follow up with a friendly email expressing your enthusiasm. It shows initiative and can set you apart from other candidates.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare for interviews by researching the company culture and values. Surface Transforms is all about innovation and collaboration, so think about how you can contribute to that mission. Tailor your responses to reflect their values during the interview.
We think you need these skills to ace People Partner in Knowsley
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the People Partner role. Highlight your experience in HR advisory or people partnering, especially in manufacturing or engineering environments. We want to see how your skills align with our mission of driving excellence!
Showcase Your Data Skills: Since we value data-driven decision-making, don’t forget to mention your ability to interpret workforce metrics. Share examples of how you've used data insights to inform HR strategies or improve organisational effectiveness. This will really catch our eye!
Demonstrate Your People Skills: We’re looking for someone who can build trusted relationships across all levels. Use your application to showcase your coaching and influencing skills. Share stories that illustrate how you’ve supported managers or improved employee engagement in previous roles.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows your enthusiasm for joining our team at Surface Transforms!
How to prepare for a job interview at Surface Transforms Plc
✨Know the Company Inside Out
Before your interview, dive deep into Surface Transforms' mission and values. Understand their focus on innovation in carbon-ceramic brakes and how they aim to redefine mobility. This knowledge will help you align your answers with their goals and demonstrate your genuine interest.
✨Showcase Your People Skills
As a People Partner, your ability to build relationships is key. Prepare examples of how you've successfully coached managers or handled employee relations. Highlight your experience in fostering a positive culture and how you can bring that to Surface Transforms.
✨Be Data Savvy
Since the role involves using workforce data to inform decisions, brush up on your data interpretation skills. Be ready to discuss how you've used metrics in past roles to identify trends or improve processes. This will show you're not just strategic but also hands-on.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect questions about real-life scenarios, especially around change management and organisational design. Think of specific situations where you've successfully navigated challenges in a manufacturing or engineering context. This will showcase your practical experience and problem-solving abilities.