Head of HR - Oxfordshire
Are you an ambitious HR leader who thrives in technical, international environments and is motivated by continuous improvement? Are you commercially minded, and constantly looking for ways to improve efficiency and add value to the business?
We are partnering with a growing international business to appoint an experienced HR professional who will play an integral role in supporting the continued expansion of a key business division. This is an opportunity to take ownership of the full day-to-day HR agenda within a well-resourced organisation that is investing in new markets, technology and its people.
Working closely with an inspiring HR VP and a recently appointed Regional Managing Director, you will act as a trusted advisor, coach and strategic sounding board to the leadership team. The Managing Director has a strong appetite for HR intervention and is looking for a proactive partner who can challenge existing thinking, influence decisions and help drive business performance.
You'll be supporting a highly educated, technically skilled and specialist workforce, bringing HR expertise and credibility to an environment where there is considerable opportunity to further develop the value and visibility of the HR function. Significant expansion is planned for the site, so you will play a key role in scaling existing HR frameworks, strengthening organisational capability and ensuring the business is equipped to support its future growth.
There is plenty of variety in the day-to-day workload, with priorities including:
Building effective workforce relationships through proactive business partnering, employee engagement and trusted stakeholder relationships.
Driving the adoption of HR technologies to improve efficiency, streamline processes and reduce administrative workloads.
Aligning local HR processes with the wider international HR strategy, while contributing to the company's broader commercial HR agenda.
Leading workforce planning initiatives to maximise productivity, support business growth and facilitate international assignments and secondments.
Developing a long-term talent strategy, encompassing recruitment, succession planning, professional development and career pathways.
Owning employee wellbeing initiatives and enhancing the employee value proposition to support engagement and retention.
Coaching and developing leaders at all levels, alongside mentoring and line managing an existing regional HR Manager.
Providing meaningful HR data, analytics and insights to support informed business decision-making.
Overseeing the full day-to-day HR agenda, including employee relations, HR administration and payroll accuracy, ensuring operational excellence alongside strategic delivery.
We are looking for a commercially astute HR generalist with strong business partnering experience and the ability to operate confidently at both strategic and operational levels. You'll be comfortable influencing senior stakeholders, challenging established practices and introducing new ideas, while remaining hands-on and accessible to the wider workforce.
Experience within a technical, manufacturing, scientific or similarly complex environment would be beneficial, as would exposure to international HR operations and organisational growth. Above all, you'll be a proactive, solutions-focused individual who enjoys building relationships, developing people and making a tangible difference to business performance.
This is a highly visible, site-based role where relationship building is paramount. As such, our client is keen to attract an ambitious HR professional based within, or commutable distance of, Oxfordshire. The position offers a hybrid working arrangement, with approximately four days on-site and one day working from home.
For the right individual, there is also the opportunity to take on additional international geographical responsibilities as part of a longer-term career development plan. The business actively encourages progression based on merit, performance and contribution rather than simply years of experience.
The package includes a base salary of circa £100,000, depending on experience, alongside a generous annual performance-related bonus and benefits.
Interviews are currently being scheduled, with a view to extending an employment offer in the coming weeks.
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