People & Culture Manager; HR Business Partner – Professional Services & Support Functions

Overview

Join CEF - The UK’s Industry-Leading Electrical Wholesaler
. With over 390 branches nationwide, CEF offers a fantastic opportunity for professionals in the electrical wholesale industry who are looking for a brighter tomorrow!

About the Role:

We’re seeking an experienced HR Leader to partner with our Professional Services and Support Functions (IT, Marketing, Finance, Procurement & Legal) across the UK. Based within the People, Culture and Talent team, you will work closely with stakeholders across our business to design, develop and deliver end-to-end People processes, practices and policies—enabling teams to make sound, fair and legally compliant people decisions.

In this newly created position, you will provide expert guidance on talent management, employee relations and organisational development, delivering solutions that strengthen capability and support business objectives and functional goals. For functions that operate as part of a global team, the role will contribute to the design of people frameworks and practices that are scalable, consistent and reusable across regions, while allowing for appropriate local delivery and compliance.

You’ll be tech-savvy, AI aware and commercially astute, with strong data analysis skills and the ability to translate insights into actionable strategies. As our Professional Services and Support Functions continue to evolve driven by digital transformation, automation and new ways of working you will play a key role in helping leaders adapt roles, skills and operating models in a structured and people centred way.

Equally, you’ll be passionate about building strong relationships and bring a people-centred mindset—helping to close critical gaps while reflecting our purpose, goals and values. This role will require you to spend time between our Durham, Kenilworth and London offices, meeting regularly with stakeholders across the Professional Services & Support departments.

• Proven experience partnering with senior leaders as a trusted People & Culture advisor, aligning people strategies with commercial and operational goals
• Strong background in talent management, including workforce planning, retention, succession planning and performance frameworks in evolving, skills-led environments
• Hands-on experience supporting organisational design, restructuring and change initiatives, with the ability to build high-performing, inclusive teams
• Sound knowledge of employee relations, with confidence advising on complex cases and ensuring fair, consistent people practices
• Data-driven mindset, with experience using people insights to identify trends, assess organisational readiness and translate insight into practical actions
• Proven coaching capability, supporting managers to strengthen leadership skills, performance management and team engagement
• Strong understanding of employment legislation and HR compliance, with the ability to apply this pragmatically in a business setting
• Experience implementing and continuously improving People, Culture and Talent programmes, processes and systems, ideally in changing or digitally evolving organisations

• Qualified to CIPD Level 5 or above
• Generalist HR experience within a dynamic and commercial environment
• Ability to work independently, make decisions and deliver solutions
• A track record of communicating and influencing at all levels of an organisation
• Experience in collaborating across and connecting cross continent teams
• Experience supporting Professional Services functions (e.g. Finance, Marketing, Procurement, IT, Legal)
• Data literate with the ability to interpret insight in context and translate into action
• Capable of operating at both a strategic and operational level
• Flexible, consultative, and adaptable in nature
• Previous experience in a multi-site/multi-channel and ideally multi-country business
• Ability to travel extensively across the UK

• Screening call with Talent Acquisition - Phone Calls - 30 Mins
• 1st Stage Teams Interview with the People, Culture & Talent team - 60 Mins
• 2nd Stage on site interview with the People Culture & Talent Director and Senior CEF Leadership team members - 90 Minutes