Human Resources (HR) & People Manager

Vested is a world-leading integrated marketing and communications consultancy focused exclusively on the financial services industry. Founded in 2015 with a mission to help shape a better financial services system that is more accessible, transparent, and sustainable, today Vested is the world's fourth-largest financial services agency, with over 100 employees widely recognised for their industry expertise, creativity, and passion for financial services.

We are proud that Vested is recognised as a Sunday Times Best Place to Work. As a “Vestie”, you become an owner, an entrepreneur, a builder, and a value creator. At Vested, we are proud to do the right thing, even when it's hard. We are relentlessly curious and consistently challenge the status quo. Join us as we lead the way in transforming the industry and delivering exceptional results for our clients.

As our newly created Human Resources (HR) & People Manager, you’ll have a highly visible impact in a small, fast-paced marketing and comms agency—shaping how we support, develop and connect our team while continuing to build a positive, high-performing culture. Working closely with the CEO, our external HR Director and a global People team, you’ll be the UK team’s go-to HR partner, combining hands-on, pragmatic day-to-day delivery with people initiatives focused on wellbeing, team connection, inspiration and growth across the full employee lifecycle.

Key responsibilities will include but not be limited to the following:

Strategy, culture & values

• Partner with the CEO and external HR Director to support the delivery of the UK people strategy in line with business goals.

• Help shape initiatives that strengthen employee engagement, wellbeing and development.

• Ensure people and cultural initiatives are clearly aligned to the business plan and support our values across the employee lifecycle and day-to-day ways of working.

• Serve as the “eyes and ears”, gathering feedback, spotting trends early, and turning insights into action.

• Proactively recommend and deliver continuous improvements to people policies, processes and initiatives as the business grows.

• Translate global HR frameworks and philosophies into pragmatic, locally appropriate practices for the UK team.

Employee Relations & HR Compliance

• Be a present, approachable HR resource - providing timely guidance, coaching and support to managers and employees.

• Manage the employee lifecycle including onboarding, probation, performance reviews and offboarding.

• Provide guidance on employee relations matters, including performance management and workplace matters, ensuring fair, balanced and legally compliant outcomes.

• Provide practical, balanced advice to managers on people matters, helping them navigate performance conversations and workplace issues confidently and fairly.

• Support absence management, flexible working requests and wellbeing initiatives.

• Provide support to employees and managers during key moments across the employee lifecycle.

• Work with the external HR Director to maintain HR policies

• Support wellbeing, DSE and health & safety obligations alongside the Office Manager.

• Support managers to run an effective, well-documented performance cycle—setting meaningful objectives, giving constructive feedback, managing performance, and delivering UK learning and development initiatives aligned to the global programme.

Stakeholder Management and Reporting

• Build strong, trusted relationships with employees and managers across the UK business.
  Work closely with the external HR Director who provides strategic oversight and guidance.

• Collaborate with the global People team in the US to ensure alignment with global frameworks and culture.

Ideal candidate will have:

Skills & Experience

• CIPD Level 5 qualification at a minimum

• Solid HR generalist experience, ideally within an SME, agency or professional services environment.

• Strong knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice.

• Experience advising on employee relations matters.

• Comfortable operating as the primary HR contact within a small business.

• Experience working alongside or within a global HR function.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the confidence to advise managers

• Experience in communications, marketing agencies, professional services or start-up companies is preferred

• Experience working with external HR consultants or outsourced HR models is preferred

Personal Attributes

• Passionate about creating a positive employee experience.

• Pragmatic, commercially aware and solutions-focused.

• Approachable, discreet and trusted.

• Forward-thinking with a continuous improvement mindset.

• Flexible and adaptable with a strong sense of ownership.

Location: London / Hybrid (weekly presence within the office)

Qualified candidates will not require sponsorship to work in the UK.