Human Resources Advisor

The Team

The HR Team is responsible for the development of HR strategy in line with the firm's vision and values, and effecting this through the design and implementation of HR policies, practices, and initiatives across all areas of people management including recruitment and selection, professional development, diversity, employee relations, pay and benefits, and organisational change and development.

Scope

1. To offer pro-active and responsive generalist HR service to the designated client groups.
2. To provide comprehensive, proactive operational support within the HR Team and more broadly to the firm’s HR function. To ensure that operational procedures, systems and processes are co-ordinated and aligned with the HR team’s aims and objectives as well as with the firm’s business imperatives for excellence.
3. To support the HR Business Partners with daily client group tasks and HR Operations Team on the delivery of projects and annual processes as required.

Responsibilities

Client Group

• Build and maintain effective and credible working relationships to support stakeholders within the designated client groups.
• Attend client group meetings with stakeholders as required.

Induction of new joiners

• Deliver HR induction for new joiners.
• Proactively follow up with new joiners to help ensure an effective initial integration into their team and the firm.
• Organise responses to any early difficulties or concerns in relation to the new joiner, liaising with the relevant Line Manager or HR Management team member as required.
• Give guidance and supervise on onboarding tasks done by the HR Assistants.

Employee correspondence

• Proactively manage all correspondence across the employee lifecycle including; changes to terms and conditions of employment, family related leave, secondments, flexible working requests and any other items which require written confirmation of changes.
• Prepare correspondence relating to employee relations meetings (including grievance, disciplinary and capability hearings, flexible working request meetings, family leave and return to work from family leave, and exit interviews).
• Draft scripts in preparation for employee relations meetings, as requested by HR Management team.
• Other ad hoc telephone and email correspondence.

Family leave process and guidance

• Co-ordinate and be the main point of contact for client group employees for the family leave process including initial meetings, preparing letters and liaising with HR Business Partners, Departmental Managing Partners, Practice Area Managers, Departmental Support Managers and Business Services Directors regarding cover.
• Proactively prepare pre- and post- family leave paperwork including correspondence and any other documentation required for all family leave matters in client group.

Employee Absence Management and Wellbeing

• Monitor monthly client group absence levels, analyse trends, highlight issues and concerns against the firm’s policy, and make recommendations to HR Management team.
• Provide guidance to line managers in respect of any return-to-work meetings they are preparing for, as required.
• Organise workstation assessments when required and manage individual cases to resolution.
• Manage/administer referral process to Occupational Health advisers, including completion of referral forms and arranging of appointments. Discuss and facilitate recommendations that are produced from Occupational Health reports.

Employee Relations

• Attend employee relations meetings, such as performance management, disciplinary and grievance meetings, to support relevant HR Business Partner and/or take notes.
• Attend employee relations meetings in a note-taking capacity when another member of the HR team is the HR representative.

Leaver Process

• Prepare leaver letters and complete relevant leaver administration.
• Manage and undertake exit interview process.
• Arrange and conduct face to face exit interviews with leavers in relevant client groups and produce written summary of the meeting.
• Coordinate feedback from exit interviews and in conjunction with other HR Advisers and Systems and MI Analyst ensure the timely production of quarterly exit interview analysis to HR Management team.
• Work with the HR Management team on actions from exit interviews for client group.

Benefits, Salary and Bonus Review

• Complete monthly payroll variation instructions within the timeframes required.
• Assist Reward & Benefits Manager with the annual benefits, salary and bonus review processes.

Human Resources information systems and reporting

• Be a proficient user of all HR systems including: HR database system (Cascade), Peakon (WorkDay), Chrome River, and WorkRite. Have a working knowledge of other systems and software including OneHub, Allhires, Slido and the Performance Leader appraisal system.
• Ensure timely and accurate updates to the HR system both proactively and as requested.
• Update monthly HR reports for own client groups.
• Assist with reports throughout the year when requested.
• Ensure checklists for client group’s ER matters are up to date at all times and the relevant document is saved in the individual HR files. Follow up with others whose actions are outstanding.
• Ensure compliance with data protection legislation in accordance with the firm’s policies and procedures.

Policies, Projects and Other Duties

• Maintain up to date process notes for all aspects of the HR Adviser role.
• Support the annual HR budgeting exercise, as required by the HR team.
• Update the HR sections of the intranet as required, with support from HR Assistants.
• Write news items on behalf of the HR Team.
• Continually review the efficiency and usability of the HR intranet, HR Systems and processes and make recommendations for enhancements where appropriate.
• Liaise with relevant teams to process CQS applications.
• Assist in the development and update of projects within sub-teams specialism – conduct, performance, absence and operational controls.
• Involvement in the annual review of updating HR policies and templates.

Recruitment

• Have good working knowledge of the recruitment system (Allhires).
• Provide wider support on recruitment where required.

HR Team Support

• Cover other team members’ responsibilities as required during periods of absence and/or particularly busy times.
• Assist with any other ad hoc project or task as identified and required by the firm or HR Management team.
• Provide coaching, guidance and mentoring to the HR Assistants as required.

Skills and Experience

• An experienced HR Adviser.
• Previous experience in a professional services/legal Human Resources Team.
• Strong MS Office skills.
• Clear speaking, listening and written communication skills.
• Ability to multi-task and stay organised.
• High attention to detail.
• Strong customer service and team work ethic.
• Proactivity and ability to demonstrate care for individuals, balanced with business needs and processes.