What degree do you need to become an HR manager?

Are you interested in becoming an HR manager? Would you like to become the pillar of a company’s HR policy? This job requires versatile and very specific skills. On a day-to-day basis, a Human Resources manager has to manage staff and all related areas in order to keep the company running smoothly. We take a look at what a human resources manager does and what training you need.

Contents

Definition

What is a human resources manager?

There are a number of key positions within a company’s human resources department. Among the HR professions, the human resources manager is a comprehensive and versatile position. It encompasses all the functions related to the sector, under the responsibility of the company director and the HR manager.

In general, the HR manager’s role covers three main areas: personnel administration, recruitment and skills management.

Personnel administration tasks

To ensure the smooth running of the company, the role of the human resources manager is to take charge of the administrative management of personnel, i.e. :

prepare the payroll while taking variable elements into account ;
declare employees to social security bodies;
manage health insurance, sick leave and organise medical check-ups for employees;
informing and communicating to employees their rights and obligations;
organising meetings of the Comité Social et Économique (Social and Economic Committee);
helping to draw up balance sheets, reports and budget documents.

Tasks relating to staff recruitment

As well as building employee loyalty, the HR manager is also responsible for staff recruitment. To do this, they must :

draw up job descriptions to meet the company’s expectations;
sourcing to better identify talent on paper ;
supporting candidates during the recruitment process;
draw up employment contracts;
facilitate the integration of new employees.

Skills management tasks

The HR manager is also responsible for managing staff skills:

gathering employee needs and requests
setting up a training plan ;
encourage internal mobility of employees.

Different daily tasks

HR managers can carry out a wide range of tasks during the course of a working day, including monitoring legal developments, managing internal communications to ensure employees’ well-being, calculating payroll costs and settling disputes….

Training

What training do you need to become a human resources manager?

Once you’ve passed your A-levels, you’ll need to go on to higher education to become an HR manager.

It is advisable to continue your studies as far as Bac + 3, or even Bac + 4 or Bac + 5. If you have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in HR or employment law, recruiters will be more interested in you.

Companies are looking for operational profiles to boost their business. A candidate who has completed a sandwich course (internship, apprenticeship or professional training contract) will be valued by recruiters and will be easier to integrate into the workplace.

AtINSEEC, we offer an MSc2 Human Resources Manager programme as part of the HR specialisation, the ideal course for becoming an HR manager. This course leads to a bac + 5 recognised by the Ministry of Employment.

During the MSc2 HR Manager course, the teaching focuses on the student’s ability to understand the nature and evolution of social relations in the company up to 2025 and to know how to fit in.

An apprenticeship gives you a taste of what it’s like to work as an HR manager in a company. Once you’ve graduated, you’ll be up and running straight away. What’s more, the programme evolves in line with the current needs of business leaders in terms of human resources.

Materials

Subjects and skills taught at INSEEC

By enrolling in the MSc2 in Human Resources programme at INSEEC, you will be introduced to all the subjects that are essential for your role in HR:

budget management and dashboard ;
business plan and setting up a company ;
business strategy ;
labour law, labour psychology, employment law ;
business English, TOEIC ;
business Skills ;
management information systems ;
organisational specificities and human resources management ;
individual and collective behaviour in the company ;
remuneration and pay slips.

After 2 years of study, the RNCP Human Resources Manager qualification awarded by INSEEC covers the following blocks of skills:

designing the Human Resources strategy ;
organising and managing human resources ;
designing and managing individual and collective labour relations ;
managing teams and supporting HR projects.

What should I do first?

What should I do before taking an MSc in Human Resources Management?

To be admitted to the MSc2 Human Resources Management programme atINSEEC, you need to have a bachelor’s degree, an M1 or an M2. Admission depends on your speciality, preferably human resources. But you can join the course with a degree in employment law, sociology, psychology, information and communication or management.

Read other articles in our HR FAQ.