HR Advisor

Do you like HR best when you're in the thick of it advising managers and supporting the business from the front line? And are you ready to land in a busy site in the middle of real change and make a difference from week one?

This is an opportunity to join a well-established manufacturing business in Penrith, on a 6 month fixed term contract direct with the employer, with the intention to extend for a further 6 months. The site is in the middle of a major transformation. Following significant investment, headcount has grown and there has been a lot of internal movement as teams have been reshaped. A lot of change, and a lot of new managers learning to lead through it.

That's where you come in. You'll be the on-site HR presence, reporting to the UK HR Manager, and the go-to person for managers who need practical advice, a bit of coaching and someone to keep cases moving. It's a hands-on role for someone who wants to roll their sleeves up, and the start date is as soon as possible.

The Role

You'll own day-to-day HR on site, with employee relations, manager support and recruitment as the core of the job.

Employee relations

• Manage a high ER caseload across absence, grievance and disciplinary matters


• Lead investigations and support managers through formal processes from start to finish


• Stay close to the detail, working with managers to make sure agreed actions actually happen


• Give sound, practical advice grounded in UK employment law

Supporting and developing managers

• Coach new and newly promoted managers to manage attendance, performance and conduct with confidence


• Help train managers in the people side of their roles as the site grows


• Act as a trusted adviser, comfortable challenging when something isn't right

Being visible on site

• Get out on the floor regularly and build proper relationships across shifts and teams


• Be approachable and proactive, so issues are picked up early rather than late

Recruitment and onboarding

• Support a busy recruitment programme across the business


• Take part in interviews and manage onboarding, probation and induction for new starters


• Keep HR administration accurate and up to date so the employee experience is a good one

What You'll Bring

You'll be a practical, grounded HR Advisor who likes being busy and is happy getting stuck in. This isn't a strategic Business Partner role; it's for someone who enjoys the casework, the coaching and the day-to-day contact with managers and employees.

• Experience in an HR Advisor or HR Generalist role, ideally in manufacturing, engineering, logistics, industrial or another fast-paced operational setting


• Strong employee relations experience, including running investigations, disciplinaries, grievances and absence cases


• A good working knowledge of UK employment law


• Experience coaching and supporting operational managers, particularly those new to managing people


• Recruitment and onboarding experience in a high-volume environment


• The confidence to build rapport on the shop floor and to push managers to follow through


• A professional, discreet approach and the resilience to work through a period of change


• CIPD Level 5 (or working towards) would be helpful, though relevant experience carries equal weight


• Availability to start at short notice

Why You'll Love Working Here

• Salary up to £50,000 depending on experience


• 6 month fixed term contract, direct with the employer, with the intention to extend


• A genuinely busy, varied role on a site that's growing and investing


• Real impact from day one, helping a new management team find its feet


• Part of a supportive wider UK HR team

This role is moving quickly, so please get in touch as soon as possible.

Foxgroves Recruitment acts as an employment agency for vacancies on behalf of clients, following fair and inclusive recruitment practices in line with the Equality Act 2010. All appointments are subject to pre-employment screening, including right to work checks, reference checks, and qualification verification. Reasonable adjustments are available for individuals with disabilities throughout the recruitment process.