Apprentice HR Generalist

• Compensation: GBP 26,784 - GBP 30,680 - yearly

John Crane, a business of Smiths Group, is a global leader in mission-critical flow control solutions for energy and process industries that enable efficient and sustainable operations. Our products include mechanical seals and systems, couplings, bearings, filtration systems, and predictive digital monitoring technologies.

We have a global network of more than 200 sites in over 50 countries and employ more than 6,000 people worldwide. We partner with our customers to help them keep their operations safe, reduce downtime, improve efficiency, and meet the latest environmental standards.

John Crane is part of Smiths Group. For over 170 years, Smiths has been pioneering progress by engineering for a better future. We serve millions of people every year, helping to create a safer, more efficient, productive, and better-connected world across four global markets: energy, security & defence, space & aerospace, and general industrial. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, Smiths employs approximately 16,000 colleagues in over 50 countries.

John Crane is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to crafting an inclusive environment for all employees.

We are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic Apprentice HR Generalist to join our HR team and support the delivery of a professional, responsive, and people-focused HR service. Working closely with the Senior HR Generalist, you will gain hands‑on experience across the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, employee relations, engagement, HR administration, reporting, and learning & development.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to build a career in Human Resources. As your knowledge and confidence grow, you will quickly take ownership of key HR activities while continuing to receive support and guidance on more complex HR matters.

The HR Generalist Apprentice will act as a first point of contact for employees and managers, ensuring HR processes are delivered efficiently, accurately, and in line with company policies and procedures.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a first point of contact for day‑to‑day UK HR queries.
• Support recruitment activities, including raising requisitions, preparing new hire documentation, and coordinating onboarding processes.
• Monitor pre‑employment screening activities, including background checks, right‑to‑work verification, and escalation of any discrepancies.
• Coordinate weekly site inductions for new starters and deliver HR systems demonstrations.
• Conduct new starter engagement check‑ins to support a positive onboarding experience.
• Manage employee lifecycle administration by liaising with Shared Services to ensure activities are completed accurately and within agreed timelines.
• Track and monitor actions arising from site Tier meetings.
• Produce monthly HR metrics and reports, including headcount, starters, leavers, and absence data.
• Support quarterly HR audits by running reports, validating data, and escalating issues where required.
• Maintain accurate employee records and ensure data integrity across HR systems.

• Support employee relations activities by preparing documentation, drafting invitation letters, scheduling meetings, and maintaining case records.
• Attend employee relations meetings as required and ensure processes are followed through to completion.
• Respond to employee HR enquiries and provide guidance on policies, procedures, and HR processes.
• Monitor long‑term absence cases and support managers with short‑term absence management processes.
• Escalate complex employee relations matters to the Senior HR Generalist as appropriate.