DfT Operator
HR Administrator
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About DFT Operator
Join Our Team at DFTO
DFTO is the government’s public sector rail owning group. Its purpose is to bring all currently privately-owned train operators into public ownership in advance of the creation of Great British Railways in 2027 - and deliver improvements in the here and now by unifying and integrating train operations under common public ownership.
DFTO has over 30,000 employees, runs over 8,500 services a day and delivers over 640 million customer journeys across its networks every year. 7,000 people joined the railway family in the last year
Major improvements are being delivered by DFTO train operators (TOCs) that are already under public ownership - these are LNER, Northern, TransPennine Express (TPE), Southeastern, South Western Railway (SWR), c2c, Greater Anglia and WM Trains.
We work closely with the DfT but operate independently with our own governance and leadership teams. Our priority is ensuring efficient, dependable rail services for everyone.
Primary Purpose Of Job
The Human Resources Administrator will provide comprehensive administrative support to the HR department, ensuring smooth and efficient HR operations. This role involves managing HR-related documentation, assisting with recruitment administration processes, and maintaining employee records. The ideal candidate will be highly organised, detail-oriented, and have strong communication skills, with a passion for supporting HR functions and self-development.
Key Responsibilities
HR Administration
- Provide day-to-day administrative support to the HR team, including scheduling meetings, preparing documents, and handling general inquiries.
- Maintain and update employee records, ensuring accuracy and confidentiality of information.
- Coordinate HR programs and activities, such as onboarding, training sessions, employee recognition, and wellness initiatives.
- Assist in the preparation of HR communications, policies, and other related materials.
- Liaise with business managers to ensure that HR Activity takes place, for examples probation reviews, performance management cycle.
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Recruitment and Onboarding Support
- Assist with the recruitment process, including coordinating interviews, and communicating with candidates.
- Prepare offer letters, employment contracts, and other documentation for new hires.
- Facilitate the onboarding process, ensuring new hires have a smooth start, including performing compliant right to work checks, arranging induction schedules and conducting basic orientation.
Employee Records and Data Management
- Maintain the HR information system (HRIS) and ensure all employee data is up-to-date.
- Handle employee documentation, such as contracts, probationary and performance reviews, and training records.
- Generate HR reports and metrics as needed (e.g., turnover, headcount, employee demographics).
- Assist in managing leave requests and tracking employee absences.
HR Policy and Compliance Support
- Assist in drafting, updating and communicating HR policies and procedures to employees.
- Help ensure compliance with policies and procedures.
- Support the HRBP with audits and compliance-related documentation.
- Maintain accurate and compliant personnel files.
General Office and Team Support
- Coordinate HR-related events, such as training workshops, company events, and employee celebrations as required. Support the Internal Comms team with any events as requested.
- Support payroll administration by collecting and verifying timesheets, supplying starter, leaver and change notifications or other pay-related information.
- Assist with employee inquiries via the HR Inbox and redirect them to the appropriate HR team members if needed.
- Note taking in HR People meetings where required.
- Perform other administrative duties as required to support the HR team and office operations.
Knowledge, Skills, Experience & Technical Qualifications
- Hold a CIPD Qualification or a willingness and ability to complete CIPD to level 3 and/or level 5 under an Apprenticeship
- 2+ years of experience in an administrative or HR-related role.
- Strong organisational and multitasking skills, with attention to detail.
- Ability to prioritise in a demanding environment.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and experience with HRIS systems.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle highly sensitive information.
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Vacancy Details
- Duration: Fixed Term contract/secondment until October 2027
- Location: London Waterloo
- Salary: up to £35,000
- Closing date: 12th June 2026
DFTO Benefits
- Annual Leave: Starting at 25 days and rising to an additional day per year of service completed within the first 5 completed years up to a maximum of 5 additional (30 days)
- DC Pension Scheme: 10% Employer contribution, 5% Employee contribution
- Opportunities to learn and network across the wider industry
Additional Information…
Disclaimer: Candidates applying for this position on a secondment basis must inform their line manager prior to submitting their application. This is to ensure transparency and facilitate any necessary discussions regarding workload and responsibilities.
About our people and the recruitment process - We're an inclusive employer of choice and we welcome applications from everyone! We encourage our colleagues to work flexibly, as we know traditional working patterns don't always fit. If you want to consider working flexibly, just let us know and we'll do our best to help and invest in your career with us, whilst you have a healthy work life balance.
Contact: If you have any questions or reasonable adjustments, please contact jason.blakemore@dftoperator.co.uk.
Please do not email any CV's to us, your application must be made by clicking the 'Apply' button.
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