People Manager

Job Purpose

The HR Manager is responsible for leading the day-to-day delivery of the People function, providing strong operational leadership, professional expertise and clear direction to ensure the business receives a consistent, effective and commercially focused HR service. Managing a small, multi-disciplinary team, the role combines people management with hands-on HR delivery. The postholder will be expected to provide guidance and support to the team, manage complex employee relations matters, resolve escalations and ensure that HR activities are delivered efficiently, accurately and in accordance with employment legislation and company policies.

A key priority is to develop the capability, confidence and accountability of the People team, establishing clear expectations, improving processes and ensuring managers across CCS receive practical, timely and consistent advice. Working closely with the Head of People & Governance, the HR Manager will translate wider people objectives into effective operational delivery, supporting the continued development of the HR function as the business evolves.

Key Responsibilities:

HR Leadership 

• Provide effective day-to-day leadership, direction and management to the People team, ensuring clear priorities, accountability and consistent service delivery.
• Oversee the activities of the People Partners, People Advisor, Talent Specialist and Training Coordinator, ensuring workloads are appropriately allocated and resources are effectively utilised.
• Act as the first point of escalation for the People team, providing timely advice, guidance and decisions on complex or sensitive matters.
• Develop the professional knowledge, confidence and capability of the team through coaching, mentoring, constructive feedback and practical support.
• Promote greater ownership and independent decision-making within the team, ensuring appropriate matters are resolved without unnecessary escalation.
• Remain actively involved in operational HR matters, providing direct support and taking ownership where required to maintain service standards

Employee Relations

• Act as the principal operational subject matter expert on employment law, employee relations and HR best practice, ensuring the business receives accurate, pragmatic and commercially appropriate advice.
• Take ownership of complex, sensitive or high-risk employee relations cases, including disciplinary matters, grievances, capability, absence management, dismissals, redundancies and organisational change.
• Provide guidance and oversight to the People Partners and People Advisor, ensuring cases are managed consistently, fairly and within appropriate timescales.
• Advise and support managers on the application of employment legislation, company policies and contractual obligations. · Identify potential employment risks and recommend proportionate, legally compliant solutions that balance employee rights with operational requirements.
• Oversee formal HR processes, ensuring appropriate investigations, documentation, consultation and decision-making.
• Support the management of employment disputes, ACAS Early Conciliation and Employment Tribunal matters, liaising with external legal advisers where necessary.
• Escalate significant legal, financial or reputational risks to the Head of People & Governance, with clear recommendations and proposed actions.

Operational HR Delivery

• Take overall responsibility for the effective day-to-day operation of the HR function, ensuring that core processes are delivered accurately, efficiently and consistently.
• Oversee the employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, probation, contractual changes, performance management, absence, development and offboarding.
• Ensure appropriate management of employee records, contracts, correspondence and HR documentation, maintaining high standards of accuracy and confidentiality.
• Oversee the effective use of HR systems, including Healthbox and Eploy, ensuring data integrity, process compliance and appropriate management information.
• Drive opportunities for automation, system integration and digitalisation to reduce unnecessary administration and improve efficiency.
• Ensure that managers take appropriate ownership of their people management responsibilities, with HR providing guidance, support and professional oversight rather than unnecessarily undertaking line management activities on their behalf.

Management Support

• Build effective working relationships with operational and departmental managers across CCS, developing a strong understanding of the business, its contracts, workforce and operational challenges.
• Provide credible, commercially aware HR advice that supports effective decision-making and business performance.· Support managers in addressing performance, conduct, attendance and employee engagement concerns promptly and appropriately.
• Challenge poor management practices, inconsistent decision-making and unnecessary reliance on HR, promoting greater management accountability.
• Support workforce planning, succession planning, organisational restructuring and changes to roles or reporting structures.
• Ensure the People Partners deliver a proactive, consistent and effective business partnering service across their allocated areas.
• Develop managers' confidence and capability in handling routine people matters through coaching, guidance and targeted training.
• Work collaboratively with other central functions, including QHSE, Business Governance, Fleet & Logistics and operational management, to support wider business objectives.

Recruitment, Talent & Workforce Planning

• Oversee recruitment processes to ensure appropriate candidate assessment, selection, approvals and pre-employment compliance.
• Monitor recruitment performance, identifying opportunities to improve time to hire, candidate quality, recruitment costs and the candidate experience.
• Ensure recruitment and onboarding processes are aligned, providing a consistent and positive experience for new starters.
• Promote effective use of Eploy and integration with wider HR systems to improve efficiency and reduce manual administration.

Learning & Development

• Provide management oversight of the Training function, ensuring effective planning, administration and monitoring of employee training and development activities.
• Oversee the effective use of the company's learning management system, Greenworkx, ensuring appropriate visibility of mandatory training compliance and completion.
• Support the continued development of induction, probation, appraisal and performance management processes.
• Ensure managers are appropriately supported in identifying development needs, setting objectives and addressing underperformance.
• Support the development of management and leadership capability across the business, with particular emphasis on people management skills and accountability.
• Monitor training effectiveness and ensure learning activities contribute to improved employee capability and business performance.

Compliance

• Ensure HR policies, procedures and processes remain legally compliant, practical and appropriate for the needs of CCS.
• Take operational ownership of the implementation and consistent application of HR policies across the business.
• Support compliance with employment legislation, right-to-work requirements, immigration sponsorship obligations and relevant statutory reporting.
• Ensure HR records and employee information are managed in accordance with data protection requirements and company procedures.
• Ensure that appropriate controls, approval processes and records are maintained for significant employment decisions. 
• Work with the Head of People & Governance on the implementation of legislative changes and improvements to the company's HR governance framework.

Reporting

• Oversee the preparation and accuracy of regular HR management information, including headcount, employee turnover, absence, recruitment, employee relations and training data.
• Analyse workforce trends and identify emerging risks, recurring issues and opportunities for improvement.
• Provide the Head of People & Governance with meaningful insight, recommendations and updates on operational HR performance.
• Establish and monitor appropriate HR service standards and key performance indicators.
• Lead operational improvement projects within the People function, ensuring changes are effectively implemented and embedded.
• Support wider business transformation, integration and organisational development initiatives as required.
• Contribute to departmental planning, budget awareness and the effective utilisation of People team resources.

Skills/Qualifications

Essential: 

• CIPD Level 5 qualification or above, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
• Significant generalist HR experience, including experience in an HR management or senior HR advisory/business partnering role.
• Demonstrable experience of leading, coaching and developing HR professionals.
• Strong, current knowledge of UK employment law and its practical application in a commercial environment.
• Extensive experience managing complex employee relations cases, including disciplinary, grievance, capability, absence, redundancy and dismissal processes.
• Experience advising senior and operational managers.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities and maintain high standards of service delivery within a busy HR function.
• Experience developing, reviewing and implementing HR policies, processes and procedures.
• Strong working knowledge of HR systems, management information and HR reporting.
• Experience supporting organisational change and continuous improvement initiatives.

Desirable

• CIPD Level 7 qualification or Chartered MCIPD status.
• Experience working within construction, property services, engineering, social housing maintenance or another operationally focused environment.
• Experience supporting a geographically dispersed workforce, including both field-based operatives and office-based employees.
• Experience overseeing recruitment and learning and development functions.
• Experience with HR system implementation, integration, automation or process digitalisation.
• Experience supporting business restructuring, acquisitions or organisational integration.
• Familiarity with right-to-work compliance, immigration sponsorship and employment-related data protection requirements.

Personal Attributes

• You pride yourself on truth and share knowledge for the greater good.
• You are committed to improvement and are an active team participant.
• You accept responsibility for your role and promote ownership in others.
• You have a desire to be successful and achieve goals, whether small or large.
• You are flexible to meet business needs and actively work towards expanding your knowledge and skills.
• You are a strong communicator and work well with customers and colleagues

• About Us
  Established in 2007, CCS has been providing high-quality boiler installation services to social housing customers. Our team has grown significantly, allowing us to expand our services and incorporate the latest technologies. Today, CCS is an industry leader in renewable energy installations, dedicated to innovation and excellence.
  What We Offer
  • Pension Scheme: Auto-enrolment after probation.
  • Flexible Annual Leave: Option to buy or sell leave after probation.
  • Professional Development: Access to in-house and external training.
  • Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 support.
  • Refer a Friend Bonus: Reward scheme for successful referrals.
  • Parking: Available at office locations.
  Why Choose CCS?
  Skill Development: Access to training programmes, coaching, and mentoring.
  Career Growth: Clear pathways for personal and professional advancement.
  Long-Term Contracts: Enjoy stability and job security.
  We are an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applicants no matter what their ethnicity, gender, sexuality, beliefs, or nationality.