Heriot-Watt University
HR Shared Operations Consultant
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HR Shared Operations Consultant
Grade and Salary: Grade 5, £27,241
FTE and Working Pattern: Full time, Temporary (fixed term 6 months)
Organisation Name: Human Resources
Purpose of Role
This role compliments an existing team of 1 HR Shared Operations Supervisor and 3 HR Shared Operations Consultants headed up by the Head of HR Shared Operations, a Senior Immigration Advisor, and an HR Data Analyst. Working in close collaboration with our Recruitment and Payroll divisions, you will provide high-level senior administrative and advisory support through all aspects of the employee journey and ongoing operational projects and initiatives. You will work closely with the wider Employee Relations team to support case management and change management activities, and with our Immigration and Global Mobility Advisor to provide assistance for Right to Work requirements for new and existing staff.
The Operational ‘Business as Usual’ activities vary from day to day and we often work to very tight deadlines which require you to be adaptable and flexible in your approach. It also provides an environment where we learn from a variety of sources, stakeholders, and each other, constantly striving for service excellence and adapting our service delivery to enhance the overall Directorate strategy in line with the University Values.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
- Draft and issue contracts for permanent and temporary staff across a number of Academic Departments (Schools) and Professional Support Services (Services), including Professorial Appointments using existing templates
- Pre-onboarding support and existing staff support with Immigration and offer enquiries and ongoing Right to Work support
- Ensure all relevant pay and contract data is entered into our Cloud ERP Information System in line with Payroll requirements and deadlines and is accurate and up to date
- Assist with Skilled Worker Visa applications and Global Talent Visa applications as well as advise and assist existing staff with Right to Work Visa enquiries and carry out verification checks when required and monitoring visa expiry dates
- Calculate and advise on family leave entitlement (maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental etc.)
- Monitor contract end dates and support HR colleagues in issuing changes to terms and conditions using existing templates
- First point of contact for all HR-related queries from the general public, employees, and line managers over the telephone, by email, face-to-face, and via our HR Helpdesk
- Provide advice and guidance on contractual queries, including annual leave entitlement, sickness absence, etc.
- Research and gather data from different University systems (including our own Cloud ERP system), manipulate and interpret data as required by Strategic People Partners or People Partners, being able to present the data in a manner that is useful to both internal (HR) customers and external customers (e.g. Executive Deans and Directors)
- Working with the whole HR Operations team to ensure processes are well documented and understood to help improve the efficacy of the whole team
- Carry out data reconciliation for annual pay element changes e.g. pay award/increments/real living wage and any additional processes
- Carry out any other duties which may, from time to time, be reasonably requested within the grade and level of responsibility of the post
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Education, Qualifications & Experience
Essential
- Educated to SCQF Level 6 or similar or equivalent experience
- Considerable experience in a similar role, particularly with various different sets of terms and conditions
- Considerable experience with UKVI Immigration and Visa requirements
- Competent in the use of the Microsoft suite of applications including Teams, SharePoint, OneNote, Outlook, and Excel
- Well-developed interpersonal skills
- Demonstrable professional approach with the ability to work quickly, flexibly, and accurately in a dynamic, changing, and pressured environment
- Good written and oral communication skills, with the ability to interact with a range of stakeholders at all levels
- Able to convey information to a ‘non-technical’ audience in a clear and concise way
- Accuracy and attention to detail
- Flexible and professional approach to work, with the ability to maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive personal data.
Desirable
- Experience of UKVI legislation and compliance
- Demonstrable Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and Digital Proficiency
- Experience of working with Oracle HR system and ability to troubleshoot or find workarounds
About our Team
Covering all University Campuses internationally, the HR Directorate provides a range of strategic and operational HR Support and Guidance to the Leaders, managers, and employees of the University. The services cover the full employee cycle from the point of attracting staff as potential employees, through their recruitment and induction, career development, and reward and recognition. This role will provide high-quality, accurate, confidential, and timely administrative support for employees throughout their time at Heriot-Watt, from issuing contracts of employment to advising on employment wellbeing, remuneration, family leave, annual leave, and to managing their leaving the university.
How to Apply
Applications can be submitted up to midnight on the 22 October 2026.
Please submit via the Heriot-Watt online recruitment system:
- Cover letter describing your interest and suitability for the post
- Full CV
At Heriot Watt, we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real-world impact achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.
Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us, and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised, and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximizing potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.
Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/.
We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns, e.g., part-time working and job share options.
Reward and Benefits
- Salary: Grade 5; Salary: £27,241 per annum
- Hours of Work: 35 per week Monday to Friday, standard 9am until 5pm with 1 hour for lunch – flexible around start/end times and also hybrid working with 2/3 days per week working from home.
- Annual Leave: 28 days (pro rata) plus 9 Building closed days per year (plus Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday)
- Pension: Auto enrolment to Local Government Pension Scheme. The university currently contributes 23.8% of an employee’s annual salary and the employee contributes between 5.5 – 11.2% depending on salary.
- Sick Pay: Based upon length of service rising to a maximum of 6 months full pay and 6 months half pay.
- Additional Benefits: Free parking, discounted sports provision, career development opportunities, access to internal only vacancies, a host of staff discounts ranging from software purchasing to travel services, Childcare Vouchers, Cycle to work scheme, Give as you earn, remission of fees (criteria applies).
Interview Plan
Panel will consist of Linda Safely, Head of HR Shared Operations, and Emma Brown, HR Shared Operations Supervisor. Interviews are expected to take place late October/early November and will take 40 minutes maximum.
Set of questions to evaluate the following areas:
- Skills and Experience relevant to the role
- Planning, Organisation, and Teamwork
- Communication
- Customer Services
- Initiative and Problem Solving
- Any question the candidate may have
Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.
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