Interim HR Manager - Higher Education

Location: London / Hybrid
Rate: £30 - £40 per hour umbrella
Contract: 3 months
Sector: Higher Education

Cedar is currently supporting a prestigious London-based Higher Education organisation with the appointment of an Interim HR Manager for an initial three-month assignment.

This is a broad HR generalist role supporting a busy academic and research-focused environment. The successful candidate will provide comprehensive HR advice and guidance to managers and staff, while overseeing key people processes across the employee lifecycle.

You will also line manage an HR Administrator and work closely with senior operational and departmental stakeholders to identify emerging people issues and ensure HR policies and processes are applied consistently and effectively.

Key responsibilities

• Provide practical advice and guidance to managers on a broad range of HR policies, procedures and employee relations matters.
• Support managers with absence, attendance, probation, capability, disciplinary and grievance processes.
• Identify potentially complex or sensitive HR issues and escalate appropriately.
• Support recruitment and resourcing activity, including reviewing job descriptions and ensuring appropriate processes and approvals are followed.
• Oversee recruitment compliance, including Right to Work, visas and Certificates of Sponsorship.
• Manage complex contractual changes and end-of-contract processes.
• Work closely with senior stakeholders to understand departmental people requirements and support workforce and resourcing plans.
• Coordinate key HR processes including probation, appraisals, promotions, reward and staff engagement activity.
• Provide advice on flexible working, parental leave, occupational health and employee wellbeing matters.
• Produce and interpret people data and HR reports to support management decision-making.
• Support learning and development requirements across the department.
• Line manage and provide guidance to an HR Administrator.
• Contribute to HR projects and initiatives, including Equality, Diversity & Inclusion.
• Promote HR best practice and communicate policy changes effectively across the organisation.

Essential experience

We are looking for an experienced HR professional who can quickly establish themselves within a busy and complex environment.You will ideally have:

• Previous experience within Higher Education, research, the public sector or another similarly large and complex organisation. Experience supporting academic or clinical environments would also be beneficial.
• Previous experience working in a broad HR generalist/HR Manager role.
• Strong working knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice.
• Experience advising managers on employee relations matters including absence, capability, disciplinary and grievance.
• Previous line management experience.
• Experience managing recruitment, contractual changes and wider employee lifecycle processes.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the confidence to advise managers at different levels.
• The ability to work autonomously, prioritise a varied workload and identify potential issues before they escalate.
• A professional HR qualification, or be working towards one.