Senior HR Manager

Company: Acorn Care and Education
Apply for the Senior HR Manager
Location: Bolton
Job Description:

Job Title: Senior HR Manager

Location: Hybrid – Bolton (2 days in office per week)

Hours: 37.5 hours per week | Monday–Friday | 9am – 5pm

Salary: Up to £50,000 per annum (dependent on experience and qualifications)

Contract: Permanent | Full Time

UK applicants only | No sponsorship

About the Role

The People Manager plays a pivotal role within the HR function, acting as a senior leader responsible for shaping and executing key strategies that align employee relations, leadership capability, and data‑driven insights with broader organisational objectives. This proactive role has full accountability for leading the advisory function, policy development, case management oversight, and driving improvements through the effective and proactive use of HR analytics.

The People Manager will leverage their strong generalist and ER background to support the People Services Team, contributing to the organisation’s HR transformational journey. This role offers a unique opportunity to drive impactful change from the outset.

The ideal candidate will bring expertise across various HR functions, including policy implementation, employee relations, and process re‑engineering, ensuring HR best practices are embedded throughout the organisation.

What You’ll Be Doing

Data‑Driven Insights and Strategy

  • Own and develop the HR dashboard, ensuring it provides actionable insights that drive organisational improvements and inform divisional strategies.
  • Analyse data trends to identify systemic issues, gaps, or opportunities, and partner with HR Business Partners and key stakeholders to address them.
  • Link people data insights with the Quarterly Performance Review (QPR) process, using findings to recommend strategic changes across the organisation.

Policy Development and Employee Relations

  • Lead the development, implementation, and maintenance of HR policies to ensure compliance with legal standards and alignment with organisational goals.
  • Act as the final escalation point for complex employee relations (ER) cases, including overseeing ACAS conciliation processes and representing the organisation in Employment Tribunals.
  • Provide expert advice on ER matters to ensure fair and consistent application of policies and procedures.

Case Management and Leadership Capability

  • Oversee the case management process, ensuring timely resolution and utilising insights from cases to identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement.
  • Partner with business leaders to enhance leadership capability, providing data‑informed feedback to drive accountability and strengthen decision‑making processes.
  • Use case management outcomes to inform improvements in key areas such as recruitment, onboarding, and induction processes.

Team Leadership and Upskilling

  • Lead and upskill people advisors, fostering a culture of proactive problem‑solving and continuous professional development.
  • Ensure the people team is equipped to manage ER cases effectively, with a focus on consistent application of policy and best practices.
  • Act as a mentor and subject‑matter expert, building the team’s capability in interpreting and leveraging data to support decision‑making.

Strategic Partnership

  • Work closely with the Head of HR to co‑create the HR strategy, ensuring alignment with overall business objectives.
  • Drive the ER and case management agenda as a key component of the HR team’s strategic framework.
  • Collaborate with divisional leaders to integrate HR insights into their operational strategies, ensuring alignment with broader organisational priorities.

Essential Experience & Skills

Leadership Skills

  • Strong coaching ability to develop People Advisors, enabling them to manage complex cases and confidently engage with stakeholders.
  • Proven capacity to influence team members and key stakeholders, fostering collaboration and alignment with organisational goals.
  • Ability to lead by example, demonstrating integrity, accountability, and a commitment to excellence.
  • Skilled in building and maintaining trust within the team and across the organisation.

HR Expertise

  • A solid generalist background with in-depth knowledge of employment law, HR policy, and best practices.
  • Evidence of supporting transformational change and continuous improvement initiatives.

Personal Attributes

  • Self‑motivated with a passion for motivating others.
  • Strong organisational and time‑management skills.

Benefits

  • Life Assurance
  • Pension scheme with flexible contribution options
  • “Your Wellbeing Matters” – mental and physical health support
  • Family Growth Support, including enhanced maternity and paternity leave
  • Flexible benefits via Vista, including discounts, Cycle to Work, Electric Car Scheme, critical illness cover, and more

We are an Equal Opportunities Employer.

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Posted: April 18th, 2026