HR Generalist Recruitment
The HR People Who Keep Businesses Moving
Great HR generalists bring together people knowledge, commercial understanding and the confidence to support managers through the everyday challenges of running a team.
They can move from employee relations and recruitment to policy, engagement and organisational change, often within the same role.
The HR People Who Keep Businesses Moving
Great HR generalists bring together people knowledge, commercial understanding and the confidence to support managers through the everyday challenges of running a team.
They can move from employee relations and recruitment to policy, engagement and organisational change, often within the same role.
At the Heart of the HR Community
Our partnerships keep us connected to the people, conversations and developments shaping HR across Northern Ireland and Ireland.
Enjoy Work Again
HR Jobs to Move Your Career Forward
Your Career in HR
Build an HR Career With Room to Grow
Generalist HR can take you in plenty of directions. You might want deeper employee relations experience, greater responsibility for managers, your first opportunity to partner with senior leaders or the chance to take ownership of an HR function yourself.
MCS works across the HR jobs market in Northern Ireland and Ireland, helping you understand what different opportunities could add to the experience you've already built.
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Starting Your HR Career
Explore HR JobsYour first HR role should give you more than an HR title. HR Administrator and junior HR jobs can build your experience across recruitment, onboarding, policies, HR systems and the wider employee lifecycle.
We'll help you understand the team you'll learn from, the exposure you'll get and whether the opportunity gives you a strong foundation for what comes next.
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HR Officer & HR Advisor Jobs
Explore HR Advisor JobsAs your experience grows, so does the judgement expected of you.
HR Officer and HR Advisor roles can bring greater responsibility for employee relations, absence, performance, manager advice and the day-to-day people issues happening across a business.
We'll help you understand the caseload, autonomy and support behind the title, so you know what experience you're actually going to build.
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HR Business Partner Jobs
Explore HR Business Partner JobsReady to get closer to the decisions shaping the business?
HR Business Partner roles can give you greater exposure to senior leaders, workforce planning, organisational change, capability and the wider people priorities behind business performance.
We'll help you find opportunities where partnering means genuine relationships and influence, not simply a different title.
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HR Manager Jobs
Explore HR Manager JobsAn HR Manager job can look very different depending on the business.
You could be leading an established team, taking responsibility for a business area or becoming the first dedicated HR person in a growing organisation.
We'll help you understand the team, senior stakeholders, level of ownership and breadth of the role before you decide whether it's the right move.
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Part-Time & Flexible HR Careers
Explore HR JobsA strong HR career doesn't have to follow one working pattern.
Part-time HR jobs are an important part of the market, particularly where growing businesses need experienced generalist support without a full-time hire.
If flexibility matters to you, we'll talk openly about what's available and help you find opportunities that work for your career and your life.
What Does Your Business Need From HR Next?
There isn't one point at which a business suddenly needs more HR support. Growth, changing teams, increasing people issues or simply asking more of your managers can all change what you need from the function.
MCS works with businesses at different stages, helping you understand what level of HR experience you need and who in the market could bring it.
Your First HR Hire
There comes a point when HR can no longer sit alongside somebody else's day job.
Your first HR Manager or standalone HR professional may need to cover employee relations, recruitment, policy, manager support and the wider people priorities that come with growth.
We'll help you shape the role around what your business genuinely needs and find someone comfortable with the breadth and independence it requires.
Your Managers Need More Support
Growing teams bring more questions around performance, absence, recruitment, development and employee relations.
An experienced HR Advisor, HR Business Partner or HR Manager can give managers consistent advice and help them approach people decisions with greater confidence.
Your HR Team Is Stretched
An established HR function can still reach capacity.
Growth, recruitment activity, increased ER casework or wider business change can leave your existing team trying to cover too much.
We'll help you understand whether an HR Officer, HR Advisor, HR Business Partner or HR Manager gives you the additional capability you need.
Your Business Is Growing
More people can mean new managers, different structures and people processes that need to develop with the business.
The right generalist HR professional can bring greater structure to recruitment, policies, employee relations and manager support, while helping leadership think ahead about what the workforce will need next.
You Need Experienced HR, Part-Time
Not every business needs five days of HR support.
For SMEs and growing organisations, an experienced part-time HR professional can provide the knowledge and continuity the business needs without creating a full-time position.
MCS works with experienced HR people looking for flexible opportunities as well as businesses considering different ways to build their HR capability.
The People Behind Your HR Hires
Name: Ryan Calvert
Job Title: Head of HR, Sales & Marketing Recruitment
Team: HR
Years Experience: 10+
Ryan is a highly experienced recruitment professional with over 10 years of specialist expertise across the Island of Ireland. He oversees the strategic direction and growth of the HR, Sales, and Marketing divisions, partnering with hundreds of organisations as a trusted advisor to evaluate and deliver effective talent solutions.
Name: Rebekah Mulligan
Job Title: HR Recruitment Manager
Team: HR
Years Experience: 6
As a Senior Recruitment Consultant at MCS Group, I help clients and candidates find their ideal match in the HR sector across Ireland. With my background in retail management, I have the skills and knowledge to understand the needs and preferences of both parties and to provide tailored and effective solutions. In 2023 I completed my CIPD Level 5 qualification, which shows my commitment to developing my own skillset and shows my profession and the area that I recruit within, that I value knowledge and ethical practice.
Ryan Calvert
Head of HR, Sales & Marketing Recruitment
Rebekah Mulligan
HR Recruitment Manager
Discover Your Next Career Move in HR
HR Director and Head of HR
Lead the people agenda and shape what comes next. Explore senior HR Director and Head of HR jobs where you can influence strategy, culture and business performance.
HR Business Partner
Turn people strategy into business impact. Discover HR Business Partner jobs where you can work closely with leaders, shape workforce decisions and drive meaningful change.
HR Manager
Ready to take ownership of the HR function or lead a growing team? Explore HR Manager jobs across businesses at different stages of growth and transformation.
HR Advisor
Build your experience across employee relations, policy and day-to-day people challenges. Find HR Advisor jobs that give you the exposure and progression you’re looking for.
HR Officer
Take the next step in your HR career with opportunities that build your experience across employee relations, recruitment and wider people operations. Explore our latest HR Officer jobs.
Talent Acquisition Specialist
Help businesses find and attract the people they need to grow. Explore Talent Acquisition Specialist jobs across sourcing, recruitment strategy, candidate experience and employer brand.
HR Administrator
HR Administrator jobs are a common route into human resources, giving you practical experience across the day-to-day running of an HR team.
HR Generalist Recruitment FAQs
What HR generalist roles does MCS recruit for?
MCS recruits across HR Administrator, HR Officer, HR Advisor, HR Business Partner, HR Manager, People Partner and standalone HR roles across Northern Ireland and Ireland.
We work with organisations ranging from growing SMEs making their first HR appointment to established businesses strengthening larger HR teams.
Are there HR jobs in Belfast and Northern Ireland?
Yes. MCS recruits HR jobs in Belfast and across Northern Ireland at different levels of experience, from junior HR and HR Administrator opportunities through to HR Advisor, HR Business Partner and HR Manager roles.
Our consultants can give you a view of current opportunities and where demand is developing across the market.
Are there part-time HR jobs in Northern Ireland?
Yes. Part-time HR opportunities are an established part of the market, particularly within SMEs and growing organisations that need experienced HR support without requiring a full-time position.
We work with employers offering different working patterns and HR professionals looking for greater flexibility.
What do employers look for in an HR generalist?
It depends on the role and business.
Employers can look for experience across employee relations, recruitment, policy, absence, performance, HR systems and manager support, alongside strong communication and the judgement to handle different people situations.
More senior or standalone roles may also require experience working directly with leadership teams and shaping wider people priorities.
What CIPD qualification do I need for an HR job?
Requirements differ between employers. CIPD Level 3 can support entry and developing HR careers, while CIPD Level 5 is commonly valued for HR Advisor and more experienced generalist roles.
Your practical HR experience matters too, so our consultants can help you understand how your qualifications and experience fit different opportunities.
Can I move from HR Administrator to HR Advisor?
Yes, although the route can vary.
Building experience across employee relations, manager support, policies and the wider employee lifecycle can help you move from HR administration towards Officer and Advisor positions.
We'll help you understand where your current experience fits and which opportunities could give you the exposure you need next.
How can MCS help with our first HR hire?
We'll start with your business rather than a standard HR job description.
We'll look at how many people you employ, what managers currently handle, where the pressure is building and what you need HR to take ownership of.
From there, we can help you understand the level of HR professional you need and find people with experience suited to a standalone environment.
Ready for What Comes Next?
What Could the Right HR Leader Make Possible?
If you are hiring, tell us where your business is now, what is changing and what you need your next HR leader to help you achieve.
If you are considering your next move, tell us what you have built, what you want more of and where you want your HR career to take you.
We will start there.