Job Description: HR Manager (People Lead) — Northern HV
Role summary
Northern HV is a fast-growing electrical installation and maintenance contractor working across the UK and Europe. The HR Manager (People Lead) owns the day-to-day people function end-to-end: recruitment, onboarding, compliance (including CIS administration), training/competence records, employee relations support, and building simple, scalable HR processes that work in a project-led business. Northern HV has experienced significant growth and has further growth plans for its Training Facility in Hartlepool.
This is a hands-on role—part operational, part advisory—supporting directors, project managers, supervisors, core employees, and a wider CIS subcontractor workforce.
The successful candidate must have experience that meets the job description.
Reporting line
Reports to: Operations Manager
Works closely with: HSEQ, Finance, Commercial, Project Managers/Site Supervisors, external HR advisors, training providers.
Key responsibilities
1) Recruitment & resourcing (employees + CIS subcontractors)
•Run end-to-end recruitment for office and site roles: adverts, screening, interviews, offers, references, right-to-work (in partnership with the Northern HV management & leadership team).
•Working with Operations to maintain a "ready-to-work" CIS subcontractor pool: availability tracking, pre-qualification, performance feedback loop.
•Coordinate hiring plans with Operations based on forward workload and mobilisation schedules.
2) Onboarding, inductions & workforce compliance
•Own onboarding for new starters: contracts, policies, handbooks, starter packs, probation checkpoints.
•Ensure all site access requirements are met: client portal onboarding, inductions, medicals (where required), security vetting (where applicable).
•Maintain up-to-date records for: right-to-work, certifications, training, PPE issue, authorisations (where applicable).
3)Training, competence & development
•Own the competence matrix and expiry tracker (e.g., ECS/CSCS, IPAF, PASMA, confined space, first aid, HV authorisations where relevant).
•Schedule mandatory training and refresher cycles; coordinate external training providers.
•Support directors/managers with development plans for supervisors and emerging leaders.
4)Employee relations & HR operations
•Provide first-line HR support: absence management, performance issues, disciplinary/grievance processes (with external support as needed).
•Manage sickness, holidays, time-off policies, and return-to-work processes.
•Support wellbeing initiatives appropriate for a mobile, site-based workforce.
5)Pay, time, and people data (in partnership with Finance)
•Ensure accurate people inputs for payroll: starters/leavers, changes, overtime rules, allowances, holiday pay data.
•Help improve timesheet discipline and accuracy (office + site) to support job costing and compliance.
•Maintain basic HR metrics: headcount, turnover, time-to-hire, training compliance, absence.
6)Policies, culture & scalable processes
•Maintain HR policies and handbook; ensure staff understanding and consistent application.
•Support managers with communications, engagement, and creating a high-performance, safety-first culture.
•Drive continuous improvement of HR processes and tools (simple systems over complexity).
7)External partners & compliance interface
•Manage relationships with external HR advisors, recruitment agencies, and training providers.
•Support audits where HR evidence is required (ISO 9001/45001/27001 elements, client audits, supplier assessments).
•Ensure GDPR-aligned handling of employee/subcontractor data.
Required experience & skills
•Proven HR experience (ideally in construction/engineering/contracting or similar).
•Strong working knowledge of UK employment basics: contracts, probation, absence, disciplinary/grievance.
•Recruitment experience across blue-collar and white-collar roles.
•Confident communicator with the ability to handle sensitive issues discreetly and fairly.
•Highly organised: able to run trackers, manage deadlines, and keep records audit-ready.
•Comfortable working in a fast-paced, practical business with site-based teams.
Desirable (All points not required, potential areas of development for the right person)
•CIPD Level 3 or 5 (or equivalent experience).
•Experience supporting CIS subcontractor processes and construction compliance (CSCS/ECS, inductions, RAMS interface).
•Familiarity with ISO audit evidence requirements (esp. 9001/45001; 27001 helpful).
•Experience implementing simple HR or onboarding systems (HRIS, SharePoint, Teams workflows).
Personal attributes
•Pragmatic, calm, and solutions-focused.
•Strong integrity and confidentiality.
•Comfortable challenging respectfully and enforcing standards.
•Builds trust with both site teams and directors.
Working arrangements
•Location: Hartlepool based 08:00-16:30 Monday-Friday
•Hours: Full-time.
•Salary: £40,000 - £45,000 plus benefits.
Any additional questions? Please contact