HR Manager

HRLife are delighted to be partnering with a dynamic, highly innovative start-up business, Oxford Nanoimaging. ONI crafts beautiful microscopes capable of detecting individual fluorescent molecules. This is an exciting time for them as they have attracted significant funding that has enabled them to pursue ambitious projects. They are a business of talented, highly motivated individuals and are now seeking a likeminded HR Manager to join their team and help them realise their business aims and ensure this is a truly great place to work!

This will be their first permanent HR recruit and they are looking for a HR professional who is able to navigate a high performing unstructured environment and would embrace the challenge of setting up a greenfield site HR function and team with the opportunity to develop and grow the team to meet the needs of the business.

Given this is an entrepreneurial business in its infancy this role requires a commercial HR approach and a willingness to not just think strategically but to also perform operationally. This will be a hugely varied role and will include:

• Developing strong relationships across the business and embedding HR within ONI
• Building the HR function from bottom up, designing non-corporate policies and processes that support growth and enables flexibility
• Working with managers providing expert advice across a range of HR issues, designing solutions that meet the needs of the business
• Coaching and building the capability of line managers
• Design, negotiate and rollout new benefits with the culture at the heart of the objectives
• Provide guidance and input on business unit structures, workforce planning, talent management and succession planning
• Working as an advocate for the ONI culture, developing HR systems and processes to support and embed this within the business

In terms of your experience you will have a broad generalist background and a willingness to roll your sleeves up and get involved, from writing the HR processes through to working alongside the CEO and his team on more strategic initiatives. The ability to quickly build strong internal relationships based on trust is a must. In addition, you will be able to demonstrate:

• The added value HR can bring to an early stage business
• Experience of working within either a start-up or fast growth business and be able to provide clear examples of how you've supported the scale up of a business
• Understanding of a start-up framework, contributing to the compliance requirements establishing trust in the function
• Ability to work in a fast-paced business, often dealing with ambiguity
• Strong influencing and negotiating skills
• Agile thinking and a willingness to learn the business
• A flexible, open-minded and proactive approach

This is a fantastic opportunity to work with an exciting start-up with ambitious growth plans and really establish a commercial HR offering that can support business strategy. Joining as their first HR Manager and setting up the HR function will provide the perfect opportunity to grow with the business and really develop your career. For more information please contact our retained consultants at HRLife, Kerry Miller or Jemma Rawlins, sending your CV to .