Senior People Manager

Senior People Manager

Permanent, Full-time | Technology / Robotics & Logistics

About the Business

This is a genuinely exciting place to work, but it is not for the faint-hearted. This is a high-growth, fast-scaling technology business at the forefront of robotics and logistics innovation. Things move quickly here. Priorities shift. Ambiguity is the norm, not the exception. The business is growing fast, both in headcount and international footprint, and the People function sits right at the heart of that growth story.

If you have come from a large corporate where processes are established, change is slow, and your remit is tightly defined, this probably is not the right environment for you. But if you thrive on pace, love building things, can hold ten things at once without dropping any of them, and genuinely want to make an impact, read on.

The Role

We are looking for an experienced, commercially grounded and highly adaptable Senior People Manager to join a lean, high-impact People team. This is a broad, generalist role and that is intentional. You will move across the full spectrum of HR: operational delivery, employee relations, policy, compliance, performance management, onboarding, offboarding, and strategic projects.

You will work very closely with the HR Director, acting as a key operational and strategic delivery partner. Much of what this role touches has not been fully built yet and you will be expected to shape, improve, and own processes as the business scales. You will also be the escalation point for complex people matters and will provide coaching and guidance to line managers across the organisation.

The company operates internationally with employees in the UK and US and wider teams supported through Employer of Record arrangements, so confidence navigating cross-border people complexity is important.

Key Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day people operations across the full employee lifecycle including onboarding, performance, ER, and offboarding, keeping processes consistent and compliant as the business scales.
• Act as the primary escalation point for complex employee relations matters including conduct issues, grievances, disciplinary processes, dismissals, and settlement discussions.
• Partner closely with the HR Director to deliver people initiatives and translate people strategy into operational reality.
• Provide practical, hands-on support and coaching to line managers on people matters, helping them have the right conversations and make confident, fair decisions.
• Own the implementation and ongoing management of people policies and procedures, ensuring they reflect current employment law and are applied consistently.
• Manage employee immigration and sponsorship processes in partnership with external legal advisors, including visa renewals and right-to-work compliance.
• Oversee benefits administration and payroll-related changes, working with payroll providers and Finance to ensure accuracy and timeliness.
• Maintain the accuracy of HR data, records, contracts, and documentation.
• Identify gaps and recurring issues in people processes and drive practical improvements, building templates, guidance, and toolkits that scale.
• Contribute to and at times lead strategic people projects, from engagement initiatives and policy reviews to change management and international expansion support.
• Mentor and provide oversight to junior members of the People team.

Skills and Experience

The following experience is essential for this role.

• 7 or more years of progressive HR experience, with at least 4 years in an HR Manager or equivalent role.
• Genuine generalist breadth. You are comfortable across ER, policy, compliance, performance, onboarding, and operational HR without needing to specialise in just one area.
• Background in fast-paced, scaling businesses. Start-up, scale-up, or high-growth environments. This is non-negotiable.
• Strong working knowledge of UK employment law and the confidence to apply it in practice, not just in theory.
• Proven ability to manage complex ER casework with sound judgement, empathy, and commercial awareness.
• Skilled at influencing and coaching managers, making difficult conversations easier for everyone involved.
• Highly organised and structured, even when everything around you is moving fast.
• Pragmatic and solutions-oriented. You do not wait to be told what to do.
• Confident working autonomously and managing your own priorities without a great deal of hand-holding.

The following would be beneficial but is not essential.

• Experience with international HR, US employment law, or global EOR arrangements.
• Exposure to HRIS implementation or optimisation.
• CIPD qualification or equivalent.

What You Will Receive

Alongside a competitive salary, you will be joining a business that genuinely invests in its people. Benefits include private healthcare through Bupa, life insurance, income protection, pension with salary exchange option, an Employee Assistance Programme, 25 days holiday, onsite meals, and regular team events.

More than the package, this is a role where you can make a real and visible impact. The People function is a genuine priority for the business and this person will have both the scope and the support to do their best work.