Role: HR Business Partner
Location: Haverthwaite, Cumbria (site‑based with travel to other UK sites)
Salary: Up to £56,000 per annum + Profit Bonus + Excellent Benefits
Working Hours: Full time – 35 hours per week
Role overview
Playdale Playgrounds is a leading designer, manufacturer and installer of outdoor playground equipment enjoyed by children in over 50 countries worldwide. As a values‑led, family‑owned business, Playdale combines engineering expertise with a strong commitment to quality, safety and community impact.
As HR Business Partner, you will work closely with the leadership team to deliver effective, pragmatic and commercially aligned people support. This is a senior, hands‑on role partnering with managers across the organisation, providing expert advice, coaching and guidance on all aspects of HR and people management. You will play a key role in shaping and delivering the people strategy, ensuring Playdale continues to be a great place to work.
You will ensure policies are applied consistently, support managers through complex people matters, and help strengthen capability across the business. This is a role where you can make a meaningful impact on both the organisation and the colleagues who contribute to Playdale’s continued success.
You will be responsible for:
- Manager partnership: Partnering with managers on all aspects of HR and people management, providing day‑to‑day advice, guidance and coaching.
- Employee relations: Leading employee relations cases, including absence, disciplinary and grievance matters, ensuring fair, consistent and compliant handling.
- Recruitment & workforce planning: Supporting recruitment activity, talent development and workforce planning to ensure Playdale has the capability it needs for the future.
- Policy, process & compliance: Ensuring HR policies, processes and systems remain effective, compliant and aligned with best practice.
- Employment law & organisational change: Providing expert employment law advice and supporting organisational change initiatives across the business.
- People metrics & reporting: Managing HR reporting and people metrics to support decision‑making and provide insight to the leadership team.
- Payroll & site support: Supporting payroll administration and contributing to site Health & Safety activities as part of the wider operational remit.
About you:
You will bring strong HR expertise, commercial awareness and the confidence to partner with managers at all levels. You enjoy building trusted relationships, solving problems and finding pragmatic solutions that balance people needs with operational priorities.
You’ll be comfortable working independently, able to manage complex cases and confident advising on employment law. You value collaboration, discretion and professionalism, and you’re motivated by helping leaders get the best out of their teams.
What you’ll bring:
- HR expertise: Level 7 CIPD qualified, with strong knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice.
- Employee relations capability: Experience managing complex ER cases, including disciplinary, grievance, absence and performance matters.
- Influencing skills: Proven ability to influence, coach and support managers across different functions.
- Organisation & confidentiality: Highly organised, commercially minded and able to handle sensitive information with complete confidentiality.
- Systems & IT confidence: Strong IT skills and experience using HR systems to support effective people management and reporting.
Why join Playdale?
- Salary up to £56,000
- Company profit bonus
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
- Health Cash Plan
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Wellbeing support and retail discounts
- Free parking and refreshments
- Plus a range of additional employee benefits
Summary:
Playdale Playgrounds are committed to creating an inclusive working environment for everyone. We especially encourage applications from all underrepresented groups. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.
Don’t meet every single requirement? At Realise, we are dedicated to helping our clients build diverse, inclusive and authentic workplaces, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every requirement, we would encourage you to apply anyway! You might be just the candidate we're looking for! Realise HR Ltd is operating as an employment agency on behalf of its clients. We may keep your CV on file for the purposes of providing recruitment services and in accordance with our privacy policy which can be found on our website. www.realisehr.co.uk