About the role
We are looking for an experienced and people focused HR professional to lead our Human Resources function across the UK and Ireland (circa 300 employees).
The role reports to the EMIA HR Leader for our People Operations team and will act as a trusted partner to Managers as well as the first point of contact for employees in the region.
The role has responsibility for the full employee lifecycle, providing guidance and operational support across a diverse workforce. This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys working in a broad generalist role, driving HR initiatives, and making a meaningful impact on the employee experience.
We offer flexible hybrid working, with an expectation of 1-2 days per week in our Swindon office following the successful completion of probation.
What you'll be doing
• Manage all aspects of the HR function across the region (UK and Ireland), with 1 direct report, providing expert support and guidance to leaders and employees.
• Work closely with the HR Business Partners to align people strategies with business objectives and support organisational growth.
• Act as a trusted advisor on employee relations matters, employment legislation, HR policies, and best practice.
• Drive a positive employee experience throughout the employee lifecycle, including onboarding, compensation, employee relations, and offboarding, supported by our Centres of Excellence.
• Oversee UK & Ireland benefits programmes, ensuring they remain competitive, compliant, and aligned to business needs.
• Manage relationships with external benefits providers and support annual renewal activities providing accurate data, pension governance, and employee communications.
• Work with our Payroll team to support payroll processes, ensuring accurate and timely submission of employee changes, variable pay, benefits, and pension information.
• Ensure the integrity of employee data within SAP SuccessFactors and support continuous improvement of HR systems and processes.
• Support implementation of HR programmes, policies, and initiatives that enhance organisational effectiveness and support business priorities.
• Lead and develop one direct report, fostering growth, capability and continuous improvement within the HR team.
What We’re Looking For
• Significant HR Generalist experience in a HR manager level role or similar.
• Strong working knowledge of UK and Ireland employment law and HR best practices.
• Experience advising and influencing managers at all levels of the organisation.
• Proven capability in employee relations, compensation and benefits, HR operations, and policy development.
• Excellent communications skills, stakeholder management and relationship building skills.
• A proactive, solution-oriented approach with the confidence to work independently and manage multiple priorities.
• Previous people management experience or a genuine passion for developing others.
• Experience supporting payroll
• Strong knowledge and understanding of HR processes and HR documentation.
• Proficiency in using HRIS systems, experience with SAP Success Factors is a plus
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools (e.g., Outlook, Excel, Word, Power Point, Teams).
Education / Qualifications
• CIPD Associate or higher HR Qualification or equivalent experience.
The Opportunity
This is more than a traditional HR Manager role. It's an opportunity to lead HR operations across the UK & Ireland, partner with leaders across the business, shape the employee experience, and drive meaningful people initiatives in a growing global technology organisation. At Octave, we're All in. Always forward
About Octave
Octave provides mission-critical software that empowers organizations to make informed decisions across every stage of the asset lifecycle - Design, Build, Operate and Protect - where performance, safety, and reliability are non-negotiable and failure is not an option.
Turning complex operational data into actionable intelligence, Octave connects expertise, real-world conditions and enterprise-scale insight to improve performance, resilience and incident response where it matters most.
Octave has more than 7,000 employees in 45 countries. Learn more at octave.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
Why work for Octave?
All in. Always forward. That's the way we do things around here. We put trust in our people because we believe it's the best way to unleash potential, bring ideas to life, and keep moving ahead. And it's why we're committed to creating an environment that's truly supportive, providing you with the resources you need to support your ambitions, no matter who you are or where you are in the world.
Everyone is welcome
At Octave, we believe that diverse and inclusive teams are critical to the success of our people and our business. Here, everyone is welcome. As an inclusive workplace, we don't discriminate. In fact, we embrace differences and are fully committed to creating equal opportunities, an inclusive environment, and fairness for all.
Respect is the cornerstone of how we operate, so speak up and be yourself. You're valued here.