Role: Senior HR Generalist
Reports to: HR Manager
Location: London
Job Overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and proactive Senior HR Generalist to join a collaborative and supportive HR function within a fast-paced food manufacturing environment. The successful candidate will play a key role in delivering comprehensive HR support across the full employee lifecycle, ensuring HR processes are managed effectively, accurately, and in line with company policies and UK employment legislation.
Acting as a trusted point of contact for managers and employees, the role involves providing practical and solution-focused guidance across a broad range of HR activities, including employee relations, performance management, recruitment, learning and development, payroll support, and HR systems administration.
The position will also support wider people initiatives, employee engagement activities, training coordination, and continuous improvement projects aimed at enhancing both employee experience and operational efficiency.
Responsibilities
* Act as a trusted HR partner to managers and employees, delivering practical, commercially focused advice across a broad range of people matters.
* Take ownership of employee relations cases including investigations, disciplinary matters, grievances, absence management, and performance issues, ensuring a professional and compliant approach.
* Play a key role in driving a positive employee experience by supporting managers with effective people management and coaching.
* Lead and coordinate end-to-end recruitment and onboarding activities, helping to attract and retain high-quality talent.
* Deliver an engaging onboarding experience that supports new starters in integrating quickly and successfully into the business.
* Work closely with payroll and finance teams to ensure accurate and timely processing of payroll-related changes and employee data.
* Maintain HR systems and employee records with a high level of accuracy, ensuring compliance with GDPR and internal policies.
* Support the delivery of learning and development initiatives, helping to build capability and encourage continuous professional growth across the organisation.
* Contribute to employee engagement initiatives and wider people projects that strengthen culture, performance, and retention.
* Support organisational change activities, restructures, consultations, and continuous improvement initiatives within the HR function.
* Identify opportunities to improve HR processes, systems, and ways of working to enhance efficiency and service delivery.
* Build strong relationships across the business, establishing yourself as a credible, approachable, and solutions-focused HR professional.
Essential Experience and Qualifications
* Proven experience within a generalist HR role in a fast-paced or food manufacturing environment.
* Strong knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice.
* Experience supporting or managing employee relations cases.
* Excellent organisational and administrative skills with strong attention to detail.
* Proactive approach with the ability to manage tasks through to completion.
* Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build credibility and effective relationships at all levels.
* Confident user of Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel and Outlook.
* CIPD Level 5 qualification, or working towards, is desirable