We’re on the hunt for an experienced, hands on Mandarin Speaking HR Manager to lead our people initiatives across UK commercial vehicle dealerships, workshops, and head office. This isn’t a desk bound role you’ll own the balance between strategic workforce planning and on the ground delivery, with full autonomy to shape how we build, retain, and grow our team.
If you’re a solution driven HR professional who hates red tape, thrives on building genuine trust with operational leaders, and craves making a tangible impact on a fast-scaling team this role was made for you.
Title: Human Resource Manager Mandarin Speaking
Salary: Competitive - depending on experience and current salary
Location: London
Work Style: Office-based
Language: Mandarin and English
Responsibilities
* Strategic HR Leadership: Lead workforce planning and budgeting tied to real operational needs; partner with department heads to anticipate staffing gaps, scale teams, and ensure optimal talent allocation.
* Employee Relations & Compliance: Oversee all employee relations (grievances, disciplinary actions, absence management), resolve complex people issues fairly; ensure full compliance with UK employment law, labour regulations, and industry-specific rules (DVSA, O-Licence).
* Talent Acquisition & Management: Own end-to-end recruitment and onboarding to attract top talent (not just fill roles); drive succession planning, internal mobility, and capability development across the organization.
* Learning, Development & Performance: Lead the performance management cycle, coaching managers on meaningful growth-focused conversations; identify training needs and implement KPI-driven development plans with team leads.
* Culture, Engagement & Wellbeing: Champion authentic engagement initiatives, foster an inclusive, high-performance culture; drive clear, consistent communication to keep all team members connected to organizational goals.
* HR Operations & Analytics: Manage day-to-day HR admin (payroll, time & attendance) efficiently; leverage HR data to spot trends, inform decisions, and continuously improve HR processes.
Requirements
* Education & Qualifications: Minimum CIPD Level 5 (non-negotiable); degree in HR, Business Management, or related discipline preferred (exceptions for exceptional experience).
* Professional Experience: Proven HR generalist experience in automotive manufacturing, industrial operations, or similar fast-paced sector; strong background in employee relations and HR policy development; deep knowledge of UK employment law and HR advisory best practice; strong coaching skills and data-driven mindset.
* Communication & Skills: Mandatory fluency (verbal/written) in Mandarin and English; strong organizational, stakeholder coordination, and team collaboration skills; high resilience to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
* Work Environment: Flexibility to work earlier mornings (to coordinate with China HQ); ability to deliver cross-functional projects and represent local engineering/operational teams externally and internally.