Human Resources Adviser

ROLE OVERVIEW

We are recruiting for an experienced HR Adviser to work within the HR Advisory team. The role is a permanent, full-time position and will report into one of the team’s HR Managers. Human Resources (‘HR’) is responsible for supporting and developing the firm’s people to help drive and shape the future success of the firm.

The HR Adviser will be responsible for providing support to the HR Managers for Legal Groups and Business Services departments to ensure a comprehensive, proactive, and considered HR service to the firm.

Our HR Advisory team offers a comprehensive range of HR support, partnering with Partners and Business Services leaders to develop and implement people strategies that drive organisational success. Working closely with the broader HR function—including Early Careers Development, Early Careers Recruitment, Recruitment, Diversity and Inclusion, HR Systems and MI, Global Mobility, and Reward and Benefits—this role ensures an integrated, proactive, and high-impact HR service.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The key responsibilities of this role are set out below and there may be others which are not listed. You may be required on occasion to work outside our normal working hours of 9:30am to 5:30pm.

Advisory:

• Working alongside HR Managers to deliver a comprehensive, proactive HR service across the full employee lifecycle, with clear accountability for defined populations, processes and outcomes.
• Acting as a trusted adviser to partners, directors, managers and employees, building strong working relationships and providing high-quality, pragmatic and risk-aware HR advice and guidance.
• Managing employee relations matters end-to-end, including probation, sickness absence, health and wellbeing, performance management, disciplinary and grievance processes. This includes responsibility for handling cases independently within agreed parameters, with exposure to more complex ER matters where appropriate, working closely with the Head of Employee Relations and HR Managers on higher-risk issues.
• Owning and managing flexible working requests and changes to terms and conditions of employment on an end-to-end basis, including advising managers, attending formal meetings where required, and preparing outcomes and documentation.
• Managing the family leave process, working proactively with departments to support employees before, during and on return from leave, keeping abreast of legislative and policy developments and contributing to continuous improvement.
• Owning and proactively supporting performance review processes for allocated populations, providing guidance to managers, ensuring consistency of approach and supporting appropriate follow-up actions.
• Managing fixed-term contracts and contractors, including tracking end dates, advising on extensions and ensuring timely and accurate completion of documentation.
• Carrying out leaver feedback meetings, producing analysis and insights to inform wider people initiatives and improvements.
• Collating, analysing and interpreting management information, identifying trends and supporting evidence-based decision-making in partnership with HR Managers and the wider HR team.
• Working closely with HR Managers on internal moves, visas and international secondments, including responsibility for visiting lawyer, visiting barrister and secondment processes where allocated.
• Maintaining accurate HR records and ensuring HR systems and data are kept up to date, including taking responsibility for activity within Workday to support accurate data management, workflow processing and strong system governance, and providing guidance to managers and colleagues on appropriate use of the system.
• Collaborating effectively with other HR Advisers to ensure consistency of approach, shared learning and high-quality delivery, and contributing to the successful implementation of HR projects and initiatives across the firm. General: