Job Details

Senior HR Advisor

Location: Leeds (with occasional travel to Crewe)

Salary: circa £45,000 + benefits

We are partnering with a highly respected food manufacturing business to recruit a Senior HR Advisor to take full HR ownership of their Leeds site.

This is a pivotal, standalone HR role where you will be the most senior HR presence on site, sitting as part of the site Senior Management Team and acting as a true partner to the Site Head. The business is undergoing significant change and is looking for an experienced, high-energy HR professional who can help shape the future of the site and embed a strong people agenda.

Senior HR Advisor - About the role

Based on site in Leeds (c.40 headcount), you will lead all divisional HR activity while also supporting ad hoc projects at a larger sister site in Crewe (c.100 headcount), with occasional overnight stays as needed (roughly once per month).

Reporting ultimately into the Leeds Site Head, with a dotted line into the wider HR function and HR Manager, you will:

• Act as HR Site Lead for Leeds, owning the full generalist remit
• Sit on the SMT, providing pragmatic and commercial HR advice
• Lead on culture change, employee engagement and employee forum activity
• Support organisational design and help define what "good" looks like for the HR function as the business evolves
• Manage and deliver recruitment campaigns across the site
• Handle audit requirements and work confidently with external audit bodies
• Provide oversight and coordination for occupational health and payroll support
  • Collating HR data (starters, leavers, absence, pay statistics)
  • Submitting monthly data to overseas payroll (two payrolls per month)
• Support wider HR initiatives and projects across the region
• Use HR data and analytics to inform decisions and support leadership

Once the business stabilises, this role will naturally evolve to include more strategic HR work, including workforce planning, training strategy, shift pattern changes and longer-term people initiatives.

Senior HR Advisor - About You

This role requires someone confident, credible and experienced enough to operate independently in a complex, fast-paced manufacturing environment.

You will ideally have:

• Proven experience as a Senior HR Advisor / HR Business Partner in food manufacturing or FMCG is essential
• Ideally CIPD Level 5 qualified or equivalent
• Strong employee relations capability, with the maturity to move beyond reactive ER into proactive solutions
• Experience supporting culture change and engagement initiatives
• Confidence working with senior stakeholders and influencing at all levels
• A hands-on, "can-do" approach with high energy and resilience
• Strong data analysis skills and excellent attention to detail
• A genuine desire to take ownership, build something sustainable and make a long-term impact

This is not a role for an interim mindset - the business is looking for someone who wants to carve out the role, embed themselves on site and grow with the organisation.

Why Apply?

• Rare opportunity to be the senior HR lead on site
• High visibility and genuine influence within the leadership team
• A business going through meaningful change, offering challenge and development
• Long-term scope to shape HR strategy and add real commercial value

For more information please contact Jacqui or Alice on 0114 221 8000

About Us

We are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive community. In line with our Diversity and Inclusion policy, we welcome applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability. As a Disability Confident Employer, and part of the Nicholas Associates Group, we are committed to supporting candidates with disabilities, and we're happy to discuss flexible working options.

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