People Manager, HR​/Recruitment

At Pirate Studios, our customers are at the heart of everything we do. Working within the People team, you’ll lead with that same mindset - translating the care, creativity and attention we give our customers into how we support our most important audience: our people. Every decision you make, from how we attract talent to how we support growth and wellbeing, will be guided by the belief that when our people feel valued, listened to and empowered, they deliver exceptional experiences for our customers in return.

As People Manager, you’ll be a visible and trusted presence across the business, partnering closely with Site Managers and teams across multiple locations. From day one, you’ll focus on building strong relationships, listening to what our people need, and turning insight into practical, people‑first solutions that enable teams to thrive.

You’ll take ownership of the employee journey end to end. This includes leading the evolution of our recruitment practices - from attracting the right talent, to creating selection processes that reflect Pirate’s values and creativity, and designing onboarding experiences that help new starters feel connected, confident and part of the Pirate story from day one. Exploring and potentially implementing a new applicant tracking system and a career site will be a key part of this journey, helping make recruitment more efficient, inclusive and engaging.

Our HR systems are already strong and embedded, and you’ll ensure they continue to deliver value through continuous automation whilst providing managers and the People team with insight that informs decisions and enhances the employee experience.

You’ll also take responsibility for processing fully automated payroll across the UK with potential to work on payroll in Ireland, Germany and the US. No prior payroll knowledge is required, training and support will be provided, but you’ll ensure all colleagues are paid accurately and on time, helping maintain trust and confidence across the business.

Day to day, you’ll work alongside managers to support performance, employee relations, development and engagement, coaching them to lead with clarity, fairness and confidence. You’ll bring consistency to our people practices, improving policies, contracts and processes in line with the New Employment Rights Act 2025 so they are clear, modern and fit for a growing, multi‑site business, while still allowing space for individuality and local culture.

In addition, you’ll manage our apprenticeship programmes end to end. This includes overseeing funding, monitoring learners progress, and conducting regular check‑ins with apprentices and their line managers to ensure learning goals are on track.

This role also offers real opportunity to shape the future. Working closely with the People Director, you’ll help deliver people strategies that support Pirate’s growth and ambition. You’ll use insight, feedback and data to drive meaningful change, strengthen retention and build a positive, high‑performance culture where people feel proud to work.

Ultimately, this is a role about impact. Your work will be felt not just in systems or policies, but in how it feels to work at Pirate every day and in turn, in the experiences our customers have in our studios.

This isn’t your typical HR job. I’m looking for someone forward‑thinking and brave enough to challenge how things are done – including challenging me – while working in true partnership and bringing others with them through trust, empathy and thoughtful diplomacy.

You’re a people‑focused HR professional who genuinely believes that great employee experiences create great customer experiences. You build trust easily, enjoy being visible and present, and are at your best when working closely with managers and teams on the ground.

We’re a small team of two, so you’ll need to be comfortable rolling your sleeves up and managing the administrative side of recruitment, including offer letters, contracts of employment and other related documentation.

You’re comfortable taking ownership, whether that’s leading recruitment and onboarding, managing payroll, improving systems and processes,…