Whispering Smith
HR Manager
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HR Business Partner / HR Manager
Part-time | Standalone HR role | Full HR ownership and monthly payroll processing
Company
Whispering Smith
Location
274 Deansgate, Manchester
Working pattern
100% onsite role – Flexible Start / Finish times
Hours
Part time, 2-3 days per week
Salary
Competitive, dependent on experience
Contract
Permanent / Part-time
About Whispering Smith
Whispering Smith is a long-established fashion and apparel business supplying a wide range of customers across wholesale, retail, and online channels. As the business continues to evolve, we are looking to appoint an experienced HR Business Partner / HR Manager to provide practical, hands-on HR support across the company.
This is a standalone HR role and will be the only dedicated HR position within the business. The successful candidate will therefore need to be confident operating independently, providing both strategic and day-to-day HR support, while also taking ownership of monthly payroll processing.
The Role
We are looking for a commercially minded and hands-on HR Business Partner / HR Manager to support managers and employees across all areas of the business. This is a broad generalist role covering the full employee lifecycle, employee relations, policies and procedures, recruitment, onboarding, performance management, payroll, absence management, and HR administration.
This is a fully onsite role based at 274 Deansgate, Manchester, with no working from home. The role would suit an experienced HR professional who enjoys working in an SME environment, is comfortable being visible and accessible within the business, and can balance operational detail with practical business advice.
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Key Responsibilities
- Act as the main point of contact for all HR matters across the business
- Provide practical HR advice and guidance to managers and employees
- Manage employee relations matters, including absence, performance, disciplinary, and grievance processes
- Maintain and update HR policies, procedures, contracts, and employee handbook documentation
- Support managers with recruitment, selection, and onboarding
- Manage the leaver process, including exit interviews and final payroll information
- Process monthly payroll accurately and on time
- Maintain accurate employee records and HR systems
- Monitor holidays, sickness absence, and timekeeping
- Support performance reviews, development discussions, and succession planning
- Ensure compliance with employment law and internal policies
- Provide HR reporting and people-related management information as required
- Support organizational change, restructuring, or consultation processes where needed
- Help develop a positive, professional, and accountable working culture
About You
- The successful candidate will be an experienced HR generalist who is confident working independently in a standalone role.
- You will be pragmatic, organized, and commercially aware, with the ability to build credibility with managers and employees.
- You should be comfortable dealing with both hands-on HR administration and more complex people matters.
- Experience processing payroll, or taking full ownership of payroll inputs and liaison with payroll providers, is essential.
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Essential Experience and Skills
- CIPD qualified
- Previous experience in a broad HR generalist, HR Manager, or HR Business Partner role
- Experience working in an SME or standalone HR environment
- Strong knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice
- Experience managing employee relations matters
- Experience with recruitment, onboarding, absence management, and performance processes
- Experience processing monthly payroll or managing payroll inputs
- Strong attention to detail and ability to handle confidential information appropriately
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Confident advising managers and challenging where appropriate
What We Offer
- A broad and influential standalone HR role
- Flexible part-time working, 2-3 days per week
- Fully onsite role based at 274 Deansgate, Manchester
- Opportunity to shape and improve HR processes across the business
- A varied role within a long-established company
- Competitive salary dependent on experience
How to Apply
Please submit your CV and a short covering note outlining your relevant HR, payroll, and CIPD experience.
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