The HR Officer provides comprehensive HR administrative and operational support across the Group, alongside delivering first-line HR advice to managers on employee relations matters. The role ensures the smooth delivery of HR processes across the employee lifecycle, supports compliance and employee experience, contributes to HR projects, and provides day-to-day operational support to the Group HR Manager.
Key Responsibilities
HR Administration & Employee Lifecycle
- Fully responsible for all day-to-day HR administration across the employee lifecycle, including starters, leavers, contracts, variations, references, holiday and sickness administration
- Prepare and issue employment contracts, offer letters, probation documentation, and other HR correspondence
- Administer onboarding and leaver processes, chasing outstanding information and ensuring accurate and complete personnel files
- Process leavers, including issuing P45s and ensuring all HR systems and records are updated in a timely manner
- Maintain accurate HR records and systems in line with data protection requirements
HR Advisory & Employee Relations Support
- Act as a first point of contact for HR queries from managers and employees
- Provide first-line HR advice on employee relations matters, including:
- Grievances
- Disciplinary processes
- Probation reviews and extensions
- Absence and performance management
- Support investigations, hearings, and meetings, including note-taking where required
- Ensure HR cases are managed fairly, consistently, and in line with employment legislation and internal policies
- Escalate complex or high-risk cases to the Group HR Manager as appropriate
HR Projects & Continuous Improvement
- Support and contribute to HR projects, such as policy reviews, process improvements and salary sacrifice schemes
- Support continuous improvement of HR processes and employee experience, including effective use of HR systems and automation
- Take ownership of agreed project actions, ensuring timely delivery and clear communication of progress
Support to Group HR Manager & HR Operations
- Provide proactive day-to-day operational support to the Group HR Manager across all HR activity
- Assist with preparation of HR reports, data analysis, and operational planning
- Act as a key operational contact within the HR function, supporting workload management and prioritisation
- Support compliance activity, including contributing to employee file audits and addressing identified gaps
HR Systems, Compliance & Payroll Support
- Act as the system champion for Cascade HR, ensuring automation features are fully utilised to support the employee lifecycle, and proactively identify, resolve, and update any system issues that arise
- Maintain accurate employee data within the HR system (e.g. Cascade) ensuring data integrity and compliance
- Complete and monitor pre-employment checks, including right to work and references
- Support payroll processes by ensuring all people-related data changes are accurately recorded and communicated in line with deadlines
- Liaise with Payroll and Finance colleagues to resolve data queries as required
Skills, Knowledge & Experience
- Previous experience in a generalist HR or HR Officer / Senior HR Administrator role
- Practical knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice
- Experience providing first-line HR advice to managers
- Strong organisational and administrative skills with excellent attention to detail
- Experience using HR systems and maintaining accurate records
- Confident communicator able to build effective working relationships at all levels
- CIPD Level 3 or Level 5 qualified (or working towards)
- Experience supporting HR projects or change initiatives
- Experience in a multi-site or group organisation