Job description

We are currently recruiting for an experienced HR Specialist to join our London office.

This role will work with the Support HR team to provide a high level of both HR operational support and HR advice to all support staff in London.  This includes Business Development & Marketing, Business Services, Central Management, Finance, HR, IT and Know How & Library teams. The HR for Support team sits within the global HR function.

Ideal candidates will have had exposure to change programmes, engagement surveys and annual performance and reward programmes and be either CIPD qualified or part qualified.

Role and responsibilities 

To be a trusted advisor to the London support management teams and deliver an integrated HR service to those departments, including but not limited to:

Learning & Development

• Coordinate the training needs analysis for support teams; 
• Liaise with the Training & Events/third party suppliers to coordinate learning & development activities for the support teams; 
• Monitor spending against the learning & development budget. Produce quarterly/monthly management information.

Management Information

• Provide monthly and ad hoc reports on quantitative and qualitative data as required, providing analysis as appropriate; 
• Provide administrative support to the Support HR team. 

Employee Relations

• Assist the Support HRSM in providing advice and support to service line leads on ER matters;
• Work with the Support HR team on motivation and retention strategies;
• Undertake any counselling of staff as appropriate; 
• Monitor and report on sickness absence/Bradford factor;
• Conducting return to works or absence review meetings as appropriate; 
• Liaise with appropriate medical practitioners regarding on-going health problems ensuring a consistent approach;
• Advise staff on career and flexible working policies and procedures;
• Conducting exit interviews, collating stats and reporting on exit information.

Recruitment

• Support the Resourcing team to recruit staff locally, ensuring that quality standards are maintained and to provide advice and support to service line leads;
• Work on adhoc projects with the Resourcing team, particularly around collation of market data, job descriptions and our employer brand.

Performance Management

• Coordinate and manage the annual review timetable for all staff on behalf of the Support HR team;
• Work closely with service line leads to moderate and monitor standards of reviews across the office; 
• Involvement in Performance Improvement Plans where appropriate

Reward

• Provide assistance as required to the Support HR team in delivering the salary review for support staff in London. 

Manpower/Resource Planning

• Provide assistance as required to the Support HR team in producing a manpower plan for the support groups and monitor headcount control closely; 
• Keep up-to-date with all staff movements (leavers, joiners, secondments etc.) so that resource requirements are planned for. 

General

• Advising staff on policies and procedures.
• Providing confidential guidance and career counselling.
• Providing HR operational service to staff
• Answering ad-hoc internal/external HR queries.
• Liaising with a wide range of contacts e.g. Global Mobility team, BD, international HR teams, London line HR teams, HR advice in Belfast;
• Assisting the Support HR team with ad hoc projects and tasks

Key Requirements

• Proven HR experience, ideally within legal or a professional services or other partnership environment;
• Graduate calibre, ideally CIPD qualified or similar certification;
• Can demonstrate strong relationship building and influencing skills;
• Good knowledge of current employment law particularly in relation to performance management and absence management;
• Coaching experience preferred;
• Experience of working with HR systems.  We use PeopleSoft;
• Ability to be flexible and work across a wide range of client groups;
• Excellent attention to detail, prioritisation and organisational skills;
• Excellent communication (verbal and written) and interpersonal skills;
• Proven ability to combine excellent technical knowledge with sound commercial judgment and to influence decisions;
• Resilient; able to understand that credibility has to be earned in this environment and may take time;
• Collaborative team player with the ability to work in a fast paced, intellectually rigorous environment;
• Proven ability to work well under pressure;
• Ability to work with diplomacy and tenacity and able to take the lead to conclude decisions; and
• Demonstrates a can do attitude and is pro-active and professional in all client contact.