Littlehampton, West Sussex | £32,000 - £36,000 + Benefits
The Opportunity
A well-established engineering and manufacturing organisation is seeking a hands-on HR professional to become the lead HR presence at its Littlehampton site. Following a sustained period of growth and investment, the business is looking for an experienced HR Advisor-level professional who can provide practical, operational HR support while helping introduce greater structure, consistency and continuous improvement across the site.
Reporting directly to the HR Manager and working within a small but highly visible HR team, this is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys autonomy, building relationships with managers and making a genuine impact within a manufacturing environment.
This role would suit an HR Advisor, HR Officer or experienced HR Coordinator seeking a broader position with increased ownership, responsibility and influence.
The Role
This is far more than a traditional HR Advisor position.
You will act as the primary HR contact for the Littlehampton site, partnering closely with operational and production leaders while supporting a diverse employee population. You'll have the opportunity to influence processes, improve systems and establish yourself as a trusted advisor across the business.
As part of a small HR function, you'll gain exposure to the full employee lifecycle and play a key role in both day-to-day operations and longer-term HR initiatives.
If you enjoy solving problems, driving improvements and working within a fast-paced environment, this role offers genuine career development and visibility.
Key Responsibilities
Employee Relations & HR Support
Act as the first point of contact for HR matters on-site
Provide advice and guidance to managers and employees
Manage employee relations cases
Support disciplinary and capability processes
Conduct absence reviews and attendance management activities
Escalate complex cases to the HR Manager where appropriate
Operational HR
Support the management of Time & Attendance processes
Liaise with payroll and ensure accurate payroll inputs are submitted
Monitor HR metrics and KPI reporting
Maintain accurate HR records and employee data
Continuous Improvement
Develop and improve HR processes and procedures
Introduce greater structure around absence management and attendance monitoring
Support the transition away from heavily manual processes
Drive consistency and best practice across the site
HR Projects
Support employee wellbeing initiatives
Assist with Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) activities
Contribute to employee benefits projects
Support employee engagement activities
Participate in sustainability and community initiatives
Assist with wider HR projects across the business
About You
Essential Experience
Previous experience within a generalist HR role
Strong employee relations knowledge
Experience managing disciplinary, grievance and absence cases
Experience supporting operational managers
Understanding of Time & Attendance systems and payroll inputs
Ability to work confidently in a fast-paced environment
Strong communication and relationship-building skills
Desirable Experience
Manufacturing, engineering or industrial sector experience
Experience working within a hands-on operational environment
Strong analytical and process improvement mindset
CIPD qualification or currently working towards CIPD
Ideal Profile
Progressed through roles such as HR Coordinator, HR Officer or HR Advisor
Approximately 3-5+ years' HR experience
Looking for a role with greater autonomy and ownership
Comfortable balancing operational HR activity with continuous improvement projects
Benefits
Salary of £32,000 - £36,000
25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
Early finish every Friday
Flexible working hours with a core-hours approach
Annual salary review process
Performance and development framework
Potential CIPD support
Exposure across all areas of HR
Long-term career development opportunities
About Ford & Stanley Group
Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group are in the business of people and performance. Our mission is to create one million better workdays through facilitating great recruitment, leadership and occupational mental fitness. We support our clients in their most challenging business areas – recruiting, developing and retaining the best talent from shop floor to boardroom.
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Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group Ltd is a Disability Confident employer that is committed to a policy of equal opportunities for all opportunity seekers. We shall adhere to such a policy at all times and will review on an on-going basis all aspects of recruitment to avoid unlawful or undesirable discrimination. We will treat everyone equally irrespective sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief or political beliefs and we place an obligation upon all staff to respect and act in accordance with the policy
Salary description
£32000.00 - £36000.00 per year