Group HR Manager

Group HR Manager: Patersons Quarries

The Role

To lead and manage the Group’s Human Resources function, providing practical, commercially focused HR support across all business operations. The HR Manager will work closely with senior leadership, operational managers and site teams to ensure effective people management, legal compliance and the development of a positive, productive and accountable working culture.

This is a stand alone hands-on role combining day-to-day employee relations and operational HR with workforce planning, organisational development and continuous improvement. The successful candidate will ensure that HR policies, processes and practices support the Group’s operational requirements.

Key Responsibilities

1. HR Strategy and Leadership

• Provide professional and accurate HR advice and guidance to managers across all sites and business functions.
• Promote consistent HR policies, procedures and management practices throughout the Group.
• Support organisational change, restructuring, succession planning and workforce development initiatives.
• Monitor HR trends, legislation and best practice, advising the business on their implications.
• Report to the board each month.

2. Employee Relations and Case Management

• Lead and advise on all employee relations matters, including disciplinary, grievance, capability, performance, sickness absence and employment termination.
• Manage and support formal HR processes, ensuring they are fair, consistent, timely and legally compliant.
• Provide coaching and guidance to managers on handling employee issues confidently and effectively.
• Support the management of long-term and persistent absence, occupational health referrals, workplace adjustments and return-to-work arrangements.
• Manage redundancy, consultation and restructuring processes, including consideration of collective consultation and TUPE obligations where applicable.

3. Employment Law and Compliance

• Ensure the Group’s HR policies, employment contracts, handbooks and procedures remain current and compliant with UK employment legislation.
• Monitor changes in employment law and translate these into practical guidance, updated documentation and management training.
• Maintain appropriate employee records and ensure compliance with data protection requirements, including GDPR and subject access requests.
• Oversee right-to-work checking processes and ensure appropriate records are maintained.
• Ensure HR practices support compliance with working time, holiday entitlement, family leave, sickness absence and other statutory employment requirements.

4. Recruitment and Workforce Planning

• Oversee recruitment and selection activity across the Group, ensuring vacancies are filled effectively and efficiently.
• Support the recruitment and retention of employees in specialist, technical, operational and management roles.
• Monitor recruitment effectiveness, turnover and retention, identifying opportunities to improve workforce stability.

6. Health, Wellbeing and Employee Engagement

• Work collaboratively with operational management and Health and Safety colleagues to support employee wellbeing and effective absence management.
• Contribute to initiatives that improve employee engagement, communication, attendance and retention.

7. HR Administration, Systems and Reporting

• Ensure HR records, personnel files and systems are accurate, secure and maintained appropriately.
• Oversee HRIS – BrightHR across the group.
• Produce regular HR reports and management information covering headcount, turnover, absence, recruitment, employee relations and other key people metrics.
• Analyse HR data to identify trends, risks and opportunities for improvement.
• Review and improve HR processes, documentation and systems to increase efficiency and consistency.

Person Specification

Essential

• CIPD Level 5 or Level 7 qualification, or equivalent relevant experience and active membership of CIPD
• Proven experience in a generalist HR management or senior HR advisory role.
• Strong working knowledge of UK employment law and its practical application in an operational business.
• Experience managing complex employee relations cases and advising managers on sensitive people matters.
• Experience developing, reviewing and implementing HR policies, procedures and employment documentation.
• Strong communication, influencing and relationship-building skills at all levels of an organisation.
• Ability to balance commercial priorities with fair, consistent and legally compliant people management.
• A pragmatic, solutions-focused approach with the confidence to challenge and advise managers when necessary.
• Experience using HR systems, maintaining employee records and producing meaningful management information.

Desirable

• Experience working in quarrying, aggregates, manufacturing, engineering, construction, transport or another operational, multi-site environment.
• Experience supporting organisational change, restructuring, redundancy and TUPE.

This role also oversees the Digital Marketing Assistant, so some knowledge of Marketing is desirable.

Key Competencies

• Commercial awareness and sound judgement.
• Professional integrity, discretion and confidentiality.
• Strong employee relations and problem-solving skills.
• Confidence influencing senior leaders and operational managers.
• Resilience and the ability to manage challenging situations.
• A practical, visible and approachable management style.
• The ability to turn employment legislation and HR best practice into workable business solutions.

Benefits:

• On-site parking

Work Location: In person