People & Culture Advisor - Standfast & Barracks
We have an exciting opportunity for a People & Culture Advisor to join us in our People Team based in our Standfast & Barrack site in Lancaster. As a People & Culture Advisor, you’ll play a vital role in delivering our ‘Work Beautiful’ strategy by supporting the full employee life cycle. This role combines hands-on HR administration with the chance to support employee relations and contribute to a positive workplace culture. You’ll manage HR processes and data with precision, support Lead People Partners with insightful reporting, and help drive People projects. With strong organisational skills, you’ll balance priorities while gaining valuable experience to grow as a People professional.
We are a collective of six luxury interior brands, each with a special role to play, and two manufacturing brands Anstey Wallpaper Company and Standfast & Barracks. At Sanderson Design Group we are Sanderson, Morris & Co., Zoffany, Harlequin, Clarke & Clarke, Scion and Archive and our purpose is ‘to bring the beautiful into people’s homes and lives’.
Key Responsibilities
As a valued member of our People team, you’ll play a central role in supporting our employees and ensuring smooth HR operations across the business. Your responsibilities will span several key areas:
People Queries & Administration
* Act as the first point of contact for employee queries via the People inbox, ensuring timely and accurate responses or directing queries to the appropriate team member.
* Manage day-to-day HR administration, including processing new starters, leavers, and employee changes in our People system.
* Ensure all employee data is accurate, up-to-date, and shared with payroll in line with agreed timelines.
* Support employee benefits administration, including enrolments, changes, and responding to related inquiries.
* Assist with offboarding processes, including conducting exit interviews and ensuring a smooth transition for departing employees.
Employee Relations Support
* Provide guidance to line managers on employee relations matters, including investigations, disciplinary actions, and grievance procedures.
* Maintain accurate documentation of employee relations cases, ensuring compliance with internal policies and employment law.
* Escalate complex or sensitive issues to Lead People Partners for resolution.
Policy & Compliance
* Help communicate and implement People policies and procedures across the organisation, promoting awareness and understanding.
* Stay informed on changes in employment legislation and support updates to internal policies as needed.
* Ensure HR practices remain compliant with legal requirements and best practices.
People Projects & Culture
* Contribute to People & Culture initiatives, including diversity and inclusion programs, change management efforts, and process improvements.
* Support employee engagement and retention strategies by helping to develop and deliver initiatives that enhance the employee experience.
* Play a key role in onboarding new employees, ensuring they feel welcomed, informed, and aligned with our values and culture.
* Help celebrate employee milestones, achievements, and success stories across the business.
People Data & Insights
* Assist in compiling and analysing HR metrics such as turnover, absenteeism, and engagement data to support decision-making.
* Ensure all employee data is handled in line with data protection regulations and internal confidentiality standards.
Learning & Development
* Ensure new joiners are enrolled in mandatory training and leavers are removed from training systems.
* Coordinate training sessions, track attendance, and support the Learning & Development Manager in delivering impactful learning experiences.
* Monitor completion of compliance training and escalate any concerns to ensure full participation.
Measures of Success
Success in this role will be demonstrated by:
* Efficient HR Operations: Timely and accurate processing of employee lifecycle events (e.g., onboarding, changes, leavers) with minimal errors and strong attention to detail.
* Responsive Support: Prompt and professional handling of employee queries, with effective triaging and resolution in line with service level expectations.
* Employee Relations Impact: Effective support on employee relations matters, with clear documentation and appropriate escalation, contributing to fair and compliant outcomes.
* Policy & Compliance Adherence: Demonstrated understanding and application of HR policies and employment law, ensuring consistent and legally sound practices.
* Data Accuracy & Insight: High-quality HR data management and reporting that supports People Partners and informs business decisions.
* Project Contribution: Active involvement in People & Culture initiatives, with visible contributions to engagement, inclusion, and process improvement efforts.
* Positive Employee Experience: Smooth onboarding experiences and meaningful support throughout the employee journey, reflected in feedback and engagement metrics.
* Training Coordination: Accurate tracking and coordination of training activities, ensuring compliance with mandatory learning requirements.
Experience & Skills
Essential:
* Proven experience in a generalist HR or People Advisor role, ideally within a fast-paced or multi-site environment.
* Strong working knowledge of HR processes across the employee lifecycle, including onboarding, employee relations, and offboarding.
* Familiarity with employment legislation and HR best practices, with the ability to apply this knowledge confidently.
* Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
* Strong attention to detail and accuracy in handling employee data and producing reports.
* Confident communicator with the ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders at all levels.
* Proficient in using HR systems and Microsoft Office (especially Excel, Word, and Outlook).
* A proactive approach with a willingness to learn and grow within the role.
* Work autonomously and self-starter.
Desirable:
* CIPD Level 3 (or working towards) or equivalent HR qualification.
* Experience supporting or leading on HR projects such as engagement, diversity & inclusion, or process improvement.
* Comfortable working with data to generate insights and support decision-making.
* Experience in coordinating or supporting training and development activities.
About us
Sanderson Design Group is an international luxury interior furnishings company that designs, manufactures and markets wallpapers and fabrics together with a wide range of ancillary interior products.
In 2020, we brought our portfolio of brands home to Sanderson Design Group, evoking the combined longevity and prodigious creative history of our brands. Sanderson Design Group describes the ebullience of our past endeavors. It sketches the outline of our future. A collective of quintessentially British luxury interior brands and 2 manufacturing brands, at Sanderson Design Group we are Sanderson, Morris & Co., Zoffany, Harlequin, Clarke & Clarke, Scion, Anstey Wallpaper Company and Standfast & Barracks.
Our purpose is "To bring the Beautiful into People’s Homes and Lives". This has defined and shaped our brands since our very earliest days. The oldest brand in our arsenal, from where we derive the namesake of our group, begun life in 1860, as an importer of fine French wallpapers to London. Arthur Sanderson & Sons Ltd played a pivotal role in defining English interior decoration tastes and its early success led to displaying designs at London’s finest showroom, at Berners Street. Around this time in 1924, Arthur Sanderson & Sons Ltd were awarded The Royal Warrant, becoming “purveyors of wallpaper and paint” to the court of George V.
We recognise that each one of our brands contributes a unique chapter to our story. It is why we represent the full spectrum of British interior design, catering from cutting-edge sleek modern styles, to the hearty warmth of traditional forms. Our decision to rebrand as Sanderson Design Group in 2020 is our way of paying homage to our rich history, as well as marking our path towards a new future. As custodians of over 160 years of design experience, we are proud to Bring the Beautiful into People’s Homes and Lives. We are Sanderson Design Group.