About AkzoNobel
Since 1792, we’ve been supplying the innovative paints and coatings that help to color people’s lives and protect what matters most. Our world class portfolio of brands – including Dulux, International, Sikkens and Interpon – is trusted by customers around the globe. We’re active in more than 150 countries and use our expertise to sustain and enhance the fabric of everyday life. Because we believe every surface is an opportunity. It’s what you’d expect from a pioneering and long-established paints company that’s dedicated to providing sustainable solutions and preserving the best of what we have today – while creating an even better tomorrow. Let’s paint the future together.
For more information please visit www.akzonobel.com
© 2026 Akzo Nobel N.V. All rights reserved.
HR Manager - UK&I
Location: Felling, Gateshead
At AkzoNobel, we're committed to creating a high-performing, inclusive workplace where our people can thrive. We're looking for an experienced and commercially minded HR Manager to partner with business leaders across our UK&I organisation, helping to shape people strategies, support organisational change, and deliver exceptional HR services that enable business success.
About the Role
As HR Manager, you will act as a trusted business partner, providing expert HR support, guidance and challenge to leaders and managers within your area of responsibility. Working closely with Centres of Excellence, People Services and HR colleagues, you'll help deliver key people priorities, drive organisational effectiveness, and ensure a consistent and pragmatic approach to people management across the business.
This is a varied and influential role where you'll have the opportunity to lead transformation initiatives, support talent development, manage employee relations matters and use people insights to help shape business decisions.
What You'll Be Doing
• Partnering with business leaders to deliver people plans aligned to business objectives.
• Supporting organisational transformation and change programmes, ensuring employee impacts and risks are effectively managed.
• Leading and coordinating people-related activities associated with restructuring, consultation and organisational change projects.
• Facilitating talent reviews, succession planning and performance management processes.
• Working with leaders to identify capability gaps and implement development solutions.
• Supporting the rollout of learning and development initiatives across the organisation.
• Using people data and analytics to identify trends, risks and opportunities and provide actionable insights.
• Coaching managers on a range of employee relations matters and employment legislation.
• Building positive relationships with employee representatives and Trade Unions where applicable.
• Supporting reward, job evaluation and compensation activities in partnership with specialist HR teams.
• Collaborating with Talent Acquisition to support recruitment activity and workforce planning.
• Leading HR projects and initiatives that support the UK&I people strategy.
• Championing HR self-service tools, processes and best practice across the organisation.
What We're Looking For
We're looking for a proactive HR professional who combines strong business partnering capability with excellent stakeholder management skills.
You'll ideally bring:
• Experience operating in a generalist HR Business Partner or HR Manager role.
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice.
• A proven track record of building credibility and influencing stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience of supporting organisational change and transformation programmes.
• Strong employee relations experience, including managing complex casework.
• Experience of working with Trade Unions and employee representatives.
• The ability to analyse people data and translate insights into meaningful actions.
• Excellent communication, coaching and relationship-building skills.
• Experience working within a complex matrix organisation.
• Strong project management and organisational skills.
• Flexibility to travel when required.
Why Join AkzoNobel?
This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in shaping the employee experience within a global market-leading organisation. You'll work closely with senior leaders, contribute to strategic people initiatives, and help build a culture that enables both our people and our business to succeed.
If you're passionate about people, thrive on building strong partnerships, and enjoy delivering practical HR solutions that make a real difference, we'd love to hear from you.
#LI-SH1
At AkzoNobel we are highly committed to ensuring an inclusive and respectful workplace where all employees can be their best self. We strive to embrace diversity in a context of tolerance. Our talent acquisition process plays an integral part in this journey, as setting the foundations for a diverse environment. For this reason we train and educate on the implications of our Unconscious Bias in order for our TA and hiring managers to be mindful of them and take corrective actions when applicable. In our organization, all qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age or disability.
