HR Manager
Job description
Original text imported from Reed
We are partnering with a growing, owner-managed SME within the distribution sector to appoint an experienced HR Manager based at their Wrexham site. This is a unique opportunity to build and shape a people function from the ground up within a business that is evolving quickly and investing in its future.
Client Details
Our customer is an owner-managed SME within the distribution sector. With a headcount of circa 150 employees across multiple UK locations, the organisation is entering an exciting phase of growth and transformation.
This business is known for its customer-centric approach.
Description
This is a standalone, hands-on HR leadership role with a strong operational focus, working closely with the day-to-day needs of the business while also contributing to longer-term strategic direction. Initially, the role will be heavily aligned to operational delivery - supporting managers, embedding core processes, and building credibility across the workforce. Over time, there is clear scope for the role to evolve into a more strategic position as the function matures and the business continues to grow.
Reporting into a Divisional Managing Director, with a dotted line to the Group CEO, you will play a key role in shaping the people agenda across the business.
While the role is based in Wrexham, you will support additional sites across the UK, including locations in Lancashire, the Midlands, and the South East.
Key Responsibilities:
- Establish and develop the HR function, policies, and processes from scratch
- Provide hands-on, operational HR support across employee relations, performance, and day-to-day people matters
- Partner with senior leadership to gradually shape and deliver a forward-looking people strategy
- Lead initiatives across engagement, management development, and organisational culture
- Support diversity, equity & inclusion and social impact initiatives
- Contribute to organisational design projects at both divisional and group level
- Coach and support managers to build capability and confidence in people management
This role is based on-site in Wrexham, five days per week
Profile
- Proven experience in a standalone or senior HR role within an SME or growing business
- Comfortable operating both operationally and strategically, with the ability to flex as the business evolves
- Strong generalist skillset across employee relations, performance, and engagement
- Commercially minded with the ability to influence and partner with senior stakeholders
- Adaptable and hands-on, with a proactive and solutions-focused approach
- Experience supporting multi-site operations is advantageous
This role offers the chance to make a genuine impact by shaping the future of HR within a business that values its people and is committed to growth. You will have the autonomy to build a function that adds real value, with the opportunity to grow the role into a more strategic leadership position over time.
Job Offer
This role pays up to £50,000 to £60,000 per annum (dependant on experience), inclusive of a car allowance, performance related bonus and a suite of benefits.
Key skills
AI-extracted from the job advert
Application advice
5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.
⭐ Highlight your standalone HR experience at the top of your CV as this role specifically requires building an HR function from scratch
📊 Quantify your multi-site experience: 'Supported HR operations across 5 locations with 200+ employees'
🏢 Emphasise SME experience in distribution or similar sectors as they value sector-relevant background
🎯 Showcase examples of building HR processes from the ground up, mentioning specific policies or frameworks you've implemented
🤝 Demonstrate your ability to flex between operational and strategic work, citing specific examples of both day-to-day support and long-term planning
Suggested CV bullets
3 bullets our AI drafted for this specific advert, mirroring its ATS keywords.
Add these 3 bullets under your most recent experience:
- •Established HR function from scratch for 180-employee manufacturing SME, implementing employee relations framework that reduced grievances by 40% within 12 months
- •Led multi-site performance management rollout across 4 UK locations, coaching 25 managers and achieving 95% completion rate for annual reviews
- •Developed diversity and inclusion strategy for distribution company, increasing female representation in management roles from 15% to 28% over 18 months
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Letter preview — tailored to Michael Page HR
Dear Hiring Manager,
Your HR Manager role at the Wrexham-based distribution SME represents exactly the type of ground-up HR leadership opportunity I've been seeking. My experience in standalone HR roles and multi-site operations aligns perfectly with your need to establish core processes while supporting 150 employees across multiple UK locations.
My background in building HR functions from scratch within growing SMEs has equipped me with the operational expertise and strategic mindset needed to flex between day-to-day employee relations support and longer-term people strategy development. I'm particularly drawn to the opportunity to shape organisational culture and management capability across your Lancashire, Midlands and South East sites.
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Interview questions
10 questions generated from this advert.
Technical
- ›How would you approach establishing HR policies and processes from scratch in a 150-person organisation?
- ›What frameworks would you use to measure employee engagement across multiple sites?
- ›How do you handle complex employee relations cases while maintaining business operations?
- ›What's your approach to designing performance management systems for growing SMEs?
- ›How would you structure diversity and inclusion initiatives across different UK locations?
Behavioural
- ›Tell me about a time you built an HR function or process from the ground up
- ›Describe a situation where you had to influence senior stakeholders without direct authority
- ›Give an example of how you've balanced operational demands with strategic initiatives
- ›Tell me about a challenging employee relations case you resolved
- ›Describe how you've supported managers to improve their people management skills
STAR answer examples
Model answers using the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework. Adapt to your own experience.
Tell me about a time you built an HR function or process from the ground up
Describe a situation where you had to influence senior stakeholders without direct authority