Role Purpose The HR & Payroll Manager is responsible for the effective management of the company’s people function and payroll operations, ensuring compliance with UK employment legislation, supporting business growth, and delivering a professional employee experience across the organisation. The role ensures the accurate and compliant delivery of payroll, while also providing strategic and operational HR support across recruitment, employee relations, performance management, training, and organisational development. This role plays a critical part in supporting the Opus Group’s growth strategy, ensuring that people systems, policies and workforce planning scale with the business. Key Responsibilities HR Leadership & Strategy Support the development and implementation of the HR strategy aligned to business growth plans Work closely with Directors and operational managers to support workforce planning Contribute to building a high-performance culture focused on safety, accountability and development Provide HR insights and reporting to senior leadership Payroll Management Manage the end-to-end payroll process ensuring accuracy and timeliness Ensure compliance with HMRC regulations, PAYE, pensions and statutory payments Oversee monthly payroll reconciliations and reporting Manage relationships with payroll providers or internal payroll systems Ensure compliance with national minimum wage, holiday pay and working time regulations Recruitment & Workforce Planning Manage recruitment processes across the business including: o Job descriptions o Advertising roles o Interview coordination o Offer and onboarding processes Support the business in attracting high-quality talent across operational and support functions Develop recruitment pipelines for key roles including apprenticeships and graduates Employee Relations Provide professional HR advice to managers on: Disciplinary procedures Grievances Performance management Absence management Ensure fair and consistent application of company policies Support investigations and documentation where required Policies & Compliance Maintain and update company HR policies and procedures Ensure compliance with UK employment law Support audits relating to ISO standards and governance frameworks Maintain accurate employee records and HR documentation Ensure right-to-work and employment documentation compliance Performance & Development Support the implementation of performance management frameworks Coordinate employee reviews and development plans Assist with training programmes and leadership development Support apprenticeship schemes and workforce skills development HR Systems & Reporting Manage HR systems ensuring accurate employee data Produce monthly reports covering: Headcount Absence Staff turnover Payroll metrics Provide insights to senior leadership to support decision-making Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Payroll 100% payroll accuracy Payroll delivered on time each pay cycle Zero HMRC compliance issues People Metrics Staff turnover within target levels Reduced absenteeism through proactive management Successful recruitment within agreed timelines Compliance Hr documentation fully compliant Successful internal/external audits All employees with up-to-date contracts and records Operational Support Positive feedback from managers on HR support HR processes delivered efficiently and consistently Skills & Experience Essential Proven experience in HR management and payroll administration Strong knowledge of U K employment legislation Experience managing employee relations cases Payroll experience including PAYE, pensions and statutory payments Strong organisational and communication skills Ability to work confidentially and professionally Desirable CIPD qualification (Level 5 or above) Experience within construction, utilities or infrastructure sectors Experience implementing HR systems or payroll systems Experience supporting a multi-site workforce Key Behaviours Professional and trustworthy Strong attention to detail Confident communicator Solutions-focused approach Organised and structured People-focused but commercially aware