HR Manager (Standalone Role)
Reporting to: Director of Business
Salary: £40,000 – £50,000 per annum (dependent on experience)
Job Type: Full-time, Permanent
Hours: 9:00 – 18:00, Monday to Friday
Location: London NW10 (office-based)
About Colour Sound Experiment
Colour Sound Experiment is one of the UK’s leading providers of lighting, video, rigging, and specialist equipment hire for the global live events industry. From festivals and concerts to high-profile corporate events and international tours, we deliver world-class technical production to some of the biggest stages and brands around the world.
With operations in the UK, USA and Saudi Arabia, we are a fast-paced and growing business where good HR makes a real difference -supporting our people day-to-day while helping the business operate fairly, confidently and compliantly.
The Role
We are seeking an experienced HR Manager (Standalone Role) to take ownership of HR delivery across the business.
This is a hands-on, autonomous role for someone confident operating as the sole HR professional, while working closely with the Director of Business on policy development, programmes, and people strategy. You will not manage an HR team but will have full responsibility for HR processes, employee relations, and compliance.
Key Responsibilities
HR Operations & Employee Lifecycle
- Own and manage the full employee lifecycle, including onboarding, probation, performance management, and offboarding.
- Lead on recruitment processes, from role scoping and advertising through to contracts and onboarding.
- Maintain accurate HR records and systems.
Employee Relations & Performance
- Act as the first point of contact for HR and employee relations matters.
- Lead on disciplinaries, grievances, probation outcomes, performance concerns, and dismissals.
- Design and manage performance improvement plans (PIPs) and capability processes.
- Advise managers and Directors on best practice and risk.
Policy, Compliance & Governance
- Develop, review and implement HR policies, procedures and employee handbooks.
- Ensure compliance with UK employment law and best practice.
- Draft and review contracts, letters, and formal HR documentation.
- Manage sickness absence, wellbeing, and related processes.
Learning, Development & Appraisals
- Manage appraisal frameworks and review cycles.
- Coordinate training and development activities.
- Support career development initiatives and internal programmes.
Benefits & Payroll Support
- Administer employee benefits, including private medical insurance and wellbeing initiatives.
- Liaise with payroll providers to ensure accurate and timely information.
Stakeholder & International Support
- Work closely with the Director of Business and senior stakeholders to support people initiatives.
- Support HR considerations across international operations (USA and KSA), working with external advisors as required.
About You
- Proven experience in a standalone HR Manager, Senior HR Advisor, or HR Business Partner role.
- Strong working knowledge of UK employment law and employee relations.
- Confident managing sensitive and complex situations independently.
- Commercially pragmatic, calm under pressure, and solutions-focused.
- Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
- Comfortable working closely with senior leadership.
- CIPD Level 5 or 7 (or equivalent experience) desirable but not essential.
Benefits
- Company pension
- Private medical insurance (including optical, dental and mental health care)
- Cycle to work scheme
- Subsidised canteen
- Health & wellbeing programmes
- On-site parking
Location & Requirements
- Based at our London NW10 office
- Reliable commute or relocation prior to start date
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £40,000.00-£50,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Cycle to work scheme
- On-site parking
- Private dental insurance
- Private medical insurance
Ability to commute/relocate:
- London NW10 6PU: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)
Experience:
- Human resources: 1 year (required)
Work Location: In person
