Location: Gloucester
Hours: Full Time
Reporting to: Head of HR
Join SHS Group
We're looking for an experienced, commercially focused HR Manager to partner with our SHS Foods and SHS Sales & Marketing GB businesses, supporting approximately 200 employees across our Gloucester operation.
This is an excellent opportunity for an HR professional who enjoys working closely with leaders, influencing business decisions and delivering practical people solutions within a fast-paced commercial environment.
What we're looking for
We're seeking someone who can demonstrate:
- Proven experience as an HR Manager, Senior HR Advisor or similar HR Business Partnering role.
- Strong employee relations expertise with confidence managing complex casework, coaching managers and resolving workplace issues.
- Sound knowledge of UK employment law and its practical application.
- Experience supporting payroll governance, HR compliance and people-related audits.
- A collaborative, commercially minded approach with excellent relationship-building and influencing skills.
- Experience using HR systems and people data to drive insight and continuous improvement.
- The ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on operational delivery.
If you're passionate about developing people, improving business performance and creating a positive employee experience, we'd love to hear from you.
About SHS Group
Founded in 1975, SHS Group is one of the UK's and Ireland's leading privately owned FMCG businesses, employing over 1,100 people with an annual turnover of approximately £650 million.
Our portfolio includes market-leading brands such as WKD, Shloer, Bottlegreen, Merrydown Cider, Meridian Nut Butters and Zip Firelighters. Through SHS Sales & Marketing we also distribute globally recognised brands including Colgate, Finish, Burton's and Mars Consumer Drinks. We are also Great Britain's largest supplier of own-label herbs and spices.
Our Group Finance and Shared Services Centre of Excellence is based in Belfast, supporting four successful business divisions across the UK and Ireland.
The Role
As HR Manager, you'll act as a trusted business partner to leaders across SHS Foods and SHS Sales & Marketing GB. You'll translate business priorities into practical people solutions, ensuring the organisation attracts, develops and retains talented people while maintaining high standards of compliance and employee experience.
This is a varied role combining strategic HR partnering with operational leadership across employee relations, performance management, compliance, payroll governance, talent development and organisational effectiveness.
Key ResponsibilitiesBusiness Partnering & Leadership
- Partner with business leaders to develop and deliver people strategies that support business performance, capability and engagement.
- Coach and support managers to build confidence in leadership, performance management, absence management, employee development and team effectiveness.
- Provide commercially balanced advice on people matters while ensuring compliance with employment legislation and company policy.
- Support organisational change, restructuring and continuous improvement initiatives.
Employee Relations
- Lead and manage complex employee relations cases including disciplinary, grievance, capability, absence and performance matters.
- Resolve workplace conflict through early intervention and mediation wherever possible.
- Promote fair, consistent and legally compliant people practices across the business.
Attendance, Wellbeing & Performance
- Lead attendance management processes, working with managers to reduce absence and improve employee wellbeing.
- Coordinate occupational health referrals and support appropriate workplace adjustments where required.
- Drive improvements in performance and capability through coaching and effective people management.
Compliance, Governance & Payroll
- Lead HR compliance across SMETA, customer, retailer and ethical audits, ensuring documentation, employee records and working practices meet required standards.
- Manage corrective actions arising from audits, driving continuous improvement.
- Maintain overall accountability for payroll and pension governance, overseeing weekly and monthly payroll delivery through the Payroll Assistant.
- Act as the escalation point for payroll issues, ensuring robust controls, statutory compliance and continuous improvement.
- Monitor compliance with employment legislation, right-to-work requirements, Working Time Regulations, National Minimum Wage and company policies.
Agency Labour
- Partner with labour providers to ensure agency worker compliance, onboarding, right-to-work verification, inductions and responsible labour practices.
- Monitor agency performance and ensure compliance with customer and legislative requirements.
People Analytics & Reporting
- Analyse HR metrics including absence, turnover, vacancies, payroll accuracy, agency usage and compliance performance.
- Produce meaningful reports and insights that support business decision-making.
- Support statutory reporting including Gender Pay Gap reporting, diversity metrics and other people-related disclosures.
Talent & Employee Experience
- Support recruitment activities for key positions, partnering with hiring managers to attract high-quality talent.
- Drive effective onboarding and employee lifecycle processes from recruitment through to exit.
- Support succession planning, talent development and career progression initiatives.
- Contribute to employee engagement programmes and help translate feedback into meaningful actions.
HR Systems & Continuous Improvement
- Act as a super user for People XD, promoting system utilisation, data quality and process improvements.
- Review and enhance HR policies, procedures and working practices.
- Coordinate learning and development initiatives that build organisational capability.
- Lead or contribute to HR projects that improve efficiency, compliance and employee experience.
About You
You'll bring:
Essential
- Previous experience in an HR Manager, Senior HR Advisor or equivalent HR Business Partner role.
- Strong employee relations experience with the ability to manage complex casework independently.
- Good working knowledge of UK employment law.
- Excellent coaching, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
- Experience using HR systems and interpreting people data to support business decisions.
- A proactive, collaborative and commercially focused approach.
Desirable
- Experience within FMCG, manufacturing, food production, retail or another fast-paced commercial environment.
- Experience supporting payroll governance and compliance.
- Experience managing ethical, customer or retailer audits (including SMETA).
- Experience supporting organisational change and continuous improvement initiatives.
- CIPD qualification (Level 5 or above) or working towards qualification.
Why Join SHS Group?
You'll become part of a successful, financially strong and growing FMCG organisation where HR is recognised as a key business partner. This role offers genuine variety, autonomy and the opportunity to influence business performance while working alongside experienced leaders in a collaborative and supportive environment.
Pay: £45,000.00-£50,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Additional leave
- Bereavement leave
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Enhanced paternity leave
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Referral programme
- Sick pay
Experience:
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Location:
- Gloucester GL3 4FE (preferred)
Work Location: In person
