HR Manager

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced HR Manager to join our existing HR team within the Department of Engineering at its central site in Cambridge. The team is evolving and this role will offer the opportunity to help shape the future of the team and ways of working to ensure a continued high quality service to our colleagues across the department.

The Department of Engineering is the largest within the University of Cambridge (approx. 800 staff), and the role holder will play a central part in ensuring the delivery of a high quality, effective HR service within a complex and fast paced environment. We are seeking an experienced HR professional, who will provide advice and guidance to staff and managers, coach and develop their team, and liaise with central HR colleagues to ensure consistent delivery.

As part of a collaborative HR team, you will report into the Departmental Head of HR and work in partnership with another HR Manager to lead a local operational team of HR Coordinators & Administrators to provide a trusted and proactive HR service that delivers operational effectiveness and cultivates a culture of continuous improvement. The team is responsible for the administration across the full employee lifecycle and providing a full generalist HR service within the department, including but not limited to supporting recruitment, probation, managing sickness absence, processing cyclical projects such as reward and promotional schemes and staff reviews, as well as proving advice and guidance on non-complex employee relations matters.

The HR Manager will have strong HR advisory experience, excellent UK employment law knowledge and the ability to effectively build strong working relationships. The role holder will be confident and comfortable advising senior colleagues, navigating ambiguity and offering constructive challenge and solutions in line with best practice and University policy and procedure, in order to provide a comprehensive HR support service for staff within the Department. As a HR Manager, you will be expected to support team members learning and development and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement to ensure our processes, documentation and ways of working are both effective and efficient.

The department offers a welcoming and inclusive environment, and the opportunity to work alongside supportive and collaborative colleagues. For more information about the department, please visit https://www.eng.cam.ac.uk/

Benefits include:

• 41 days' annual leave (inclusive of bank holidays and University closure days;)
• Generous defined benefit pension scheme;
• Enhanced family leave and pay policies;
• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements;
• Access to a comprehensive wellbeing programme, including EAP, Occupational Health & Staff Counselling;
• Professional networking and access to Personal & Professional Development team;
• Access to recognition and progression schemes;
• Staff discount schemes.

To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, please click the 'Apply' button above. 

Please ensure that you include both a CV and covering letter within your application which should detail how you feel you meet the criteria in the person specification.

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Hannah Archer, Departmental Head of HR (hannah.archer@admin.cam.ac.uk). If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact the HR Office on hr-office@eng.cam.ac.uk or 01223 332615.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

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