HR Director Wrexham | Manufacturing Site
We are looking for an experienced HR Director to lead the people agenda at our award-winning Wrexham manufacturing site during a period of growth and transformation. Wrexham is our largest site in the UK, with a primary focus on manufacturing, but also encompassing R&D, global Finance Shared Services and a number of other functions. Total headcount locally is in the region of 550.
This is a senior, high‑impact role for a strategic HR leader who thrives in complex environments, partners confidently with strong leaders, and balances global frameworks with local execution.
The role
As HR Director, you will be a trusted advisor to the Site Head and Site Leadership Team, accountable for end‑to‑end HR delivery across manufacturing, and pharmaceutical development activities. You will lead a local HR team and work closely with global Centres of Excellence to ensure consistent, compliant and high‑quality people practices.
Key focus areas include:
- Driving the site people strategy in line with Ipsen’s global ambitions
- Shaping culture, engagement and speak‑up across the workforce
- Leading organisational design, workforce planning and talent development
- Owning employee relations with confidence, judgement and credibility
- Ensuring excellence in core HR processes, governance and compliance
About you
You are an experienced HR leader with deep expertise in manufacturing or regulated environments, comfortable operating in matrix organisations and influencing senior stakeholders.
You bring:
- Demonstrated progressive HR experience, including leadership roles
- Strong background in employee relations, change and transformation
- Proven success partnering with leadership teams in fast‑paced settings
- Sound knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice
- Gravitas, resilience and the ability to lead through ambiguity
Experience in pharma or biotech is an advantage.
Why Ipsen
At Ipsen, people are central to our success. You will join a values‑driven organisation where HR has a strong voice, and where you can make a tangible impact on culture, leadership and performance at site and beyond.
Location : Wrexham
Working model : Hybrid
Reporting to : SVP HR International Operations (with dotted line to Site Head)
If you are a strategic, pragmatic HR leader ready to shape the future of a critical manufacturing site, we would love to hear from you.
We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels heard, valued, and supported; where we embrace “The Real Us”. The value we place on different perspectives and experiences drives our commitment to inclusion and equal opportunities. When we include diverse ways of thinking, we make more thoughtful decisions and discover more innovative solutions. Together we strive to better understand the communities we serve. This means we also want to help you perform at your best when applying for a role with us. If you require any adjustments or support during the application process, please let the recruitment team know. This information will be handled with care and will not affect the outcome of your application.
