At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead HR operations, ensuring compliance and enhancing employee experience.
- Company: Employee-owned agency focused on talent density and growth.
- Benefits: Flexible part-time hours, autonomy, and opportunities for professional development.
- Other info: Opportunity to influence and evolve HR practices in a growing agency.
- Why this job: Shape a people function in a dynamic environment that values talent and progression.
- Qualifications: Strong HR generalist experience, knowledge of UK employment law, and CIPD Level 5+ preferred.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 ÂŁ per year.
The Big Idea: Build a People Function That Supports Talent Density At WAA Chosen, we believe brands get chosen when the people behind them are firing on all cylinders. We’re employee‑owned. We’re commercially driven. And we’re serious about building talent density as we grow. Now we’re looking for an experienced HR Manager to lead our people operations. Someone who can bring structure, judgement, and energy to the way we support, develop and challenge our teams. This is a standalone role with real ownership. Recruitment is handled externally. Strategic direction sits with the Board. You’ll be the trusted internal expert making sure everything works, from compliance and employee relations to development and engagement. And over time? There’s genuine scope to shape and evolve the function further.
What You’ll Do
- Strengthen Our Foundations: You’ll ensure our HR governance is robust, compliant, and commercially aligned. You’ll maintain and evolve policies, protect the business from risk, and translate strategic priorities into practical people initiatives that leaders can actually use. You’ll be the primary link to our external HR advisors, building internal capability while knowing when to elevate.
- Lead on Employee Relations: You’ll handle disciplinary, grievance, performance, conduct and absence cases with calm authority. You’ll advise managers on complex situations, ensuring fairness, consistency and strong documentation. You’ll balance empathy with commercial judgement - protecting both our people and the business.
- Elevate Employee Experience & Development: You’ll shape onboarding, performance frameworks and learning pathways. You’ll coach managers through career conversations and difficult discussions. You’ll embed consistent people leadership standards across the agency, helping us raise the bar year after year.
- Keep Operations Tight: You’ll oversee absence management and rolling sickness processes. You’ll provide accurate payroll inputs - holiday calculations, statutory/company sick pay adjustments - partnering closely with Finance. You’ll ensure people processes are streamlined, documented and consistently applied.
- Drive Insight, Engagement & Inclusion: You’ll monitor key people metrics and spot patterns others miss. You’ll lead our EOT Employee Forum and strengthen employee voice. You’ll design engagement initiatives that lead to action - not just surveys that sit in folders. You’ll own a pragmatic Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging agenda, championing fairness, wellbeing and psychological safety. And as the function matures, you’ll play a key role in expanding internal strategic ownership and reducing reliance on external advisors.
What You Bring
You’ve built your career as a strong HR generalist - ideally in an SME, agency, or fast‑paced service business. You’re confident handling complex Employee Relations matters independently. You understand UK employment law and apply it pragmatically. You influence senior leaders without drama or ego. You operate calmly under pressure and think commercially, not just procedurally. You enjoy autonomy and take pride in building something properly. CIPD Level 5+ (or equivalent experience) preferred.
What Success Looks Like
- HR governance that’s watertight.
- Managers who feel confident and capable.
- Employee matters handled professionally, with minimal risk.
- People data that informs smart decisions at Board level.
- Absence and payroll inputs that are accurate and seamless.
- A people function that grows in influence as the agency grows in ambition.
Why You’ll Love It Here
Because here, you don’t just “do HR.” You shape how a growing, employee‑owned agency looks after its people. You’ll have flexibility - three days per week, structured to suit you. You’ll have trust and autonomy. And you’ll have the chance to evolve a function in a business that genuinely values talent, performance and progression. If you’re ready to bring clarity, credibility and commercial strength to a people function that’s ready for its next chapter, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now. Help us keep WAA Chosen, well… chosen.
HR Manager in Birmingham employer: WAA Chosen Ltd
Contact Detail:
WAA Chosen Ltd Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land HR Manager in Birmingham
✨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 LinkedIn. The more connections we make, the better our chances of landing that dream job.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research the company inside out, especially their culture and values. We want to show them that we’re not just a good fit on paper but also in spirit. Practice common HR scenarios and how we’d handle them.
✨Tip Number 3
Follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can go a long way. It shows our enthusiasm and keeps us fresh in their minds. Plus, it’s a great chance to reiterate why we’re the perfect fit for their team.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure our application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we can tailor our approach to match what they’re looking for in an HR Manager.
We think you need these skills to ace HR Manager in Birmingham
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the HR Manager role. Highlight your experience in employee relations, governance, and development initiatives. We want to see how your skills align with our mission to build talent density!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Share your passion for HR and how you can bring structure and energy to our people operations. Let us know why you're excited about shaping our people function at WAA Chosen.
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; show us what you've accomplished! Use specific examples of how you've improved employee experience or handled complex situations. We love seeing results that demonstrate your impact.
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 this exciting opportunity. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at WAA Chosen Ltd
✨Know Your HR Stuff
Make sure you brush up on UK employment law and HR best practices. Be ready to discuss how you've handled complex employee relations matters in the past, as this role requires a strong generalist background.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Thinking
Prepare examples of how you've translated strategic priorities into practical people initiatives. Think about times when you've influenced senior leaders and how you can bring that experience to the table.
✨Demonstrate Calm Authority
This role involves handling sensitive employee matters, so be prepared to discuss your approach to managing disciplinary and grievance cases. Highlight your ability to balance empathy with commercial judgement.
✨Engagement and Inclusion Focus
Think about how you've previously driven employee engagement and inclusion initiatives. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've monitored key people metrics and taken action based on insights.