Advisory Services Manager - Recruitment​/HR Operations

Overview

We are looking for an experienced and strategically minded HR leader to join UWE Bristol as an Advisory Services Manager with a specialist focus on Recruitment and HR Operations. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys improving systems and processes, building strong stakeholder relationships, and ensuring a seamless and consistently high quality employee experience.

• Lead the Staff Success Centre (SSC), ensuring high quality first line HR support, smooth onboarding/offboarding, contract administration and operational casework.
• Oversee the University’s recruitment coordination service.
• Work closely with Payroll, Finance, the Learning & Development Centre, faculties and Professional Services to maintain joined up, reliable and well governed operational delivery.
• Lead continuous improvement activity across HR operations—identifying opportunities to streamline workflows, strengthen governance, reduce failure demand and enhance the employee journey.
• Contribute to People Services and University wide projects.
• Use data, MI and service metrics to inform decisions, track performance, identify root causes and drive operational excellence.
• Work with People Services Senior Leadership and the University’s Talent team to help shape the future recruitment and talent acquisition strategy.

• You will bring:
  Significant experience leading HR operations and/or recruitment in a large, complex organisation.
• Strong strategic thinking with the ability to translate operational challenges into clear improvement priorities.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills and the ability to operate collaboratively across organisational boundaries.
• A passion for service excellence, continuous improvement and organisational agility.
• Confidence working with data, metrics and systems to drive insight led decision making.

In this role, you’ll be based at our modern Frenchay Campus. You’ll spend most of your time on campus, typically three days per week, with the opportunity to work from home on the remaining days.

We are one of the largest providers of Higher Education in the South West. We offer a wide range of employee benefits as well as retail savings, onsite nursery and opportunities for training and personal development.

Add your individuality to ours. UWE Bristol recognises the power of a truly diverse university community. We particularly encourage applications from global majority candidates as we are currently under-represented in this area, however all appointments are made strictly on individual merit. As a Disability Confident employer we welcome applications from those who identify as having a disability.

If you would like to speak to us to find out more about this role, please contact Sam Pond on email:

Interviews are scheduled to take place at our Frenchay Campus on Thursday 16th April 2026.

This is a full-time, permanent post. This post is available on a job share basis for applicants wishing to work part time.

Right to Work in the UK

We may be able to sponsor eligible candidates for this role under the Skilled Worker visa route; however, visa sponsorship eligibility is assessed only at offer stage, being invited to interview does not indicate an offer of sponsorship. Please review our Skilled Worker Guidance and UK Government website to assess your eligibility. If you do not qualify you may wish to explore other visa options.

Please note that UWE Bristol does not cover any visa or health surcharge costs.

Next Steps

We’d love to hear from you - if this role excites you, please complete our application form as soon as possible