Potter Clarkson
Payroll and HR Advisor - Maternity Cover
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Job Description: Fixed Term Maternity Cover Contract
This is a fixed term maternity cover contract commencing August 2026 for approximately 12 months.
About the Role
To support the Firm with a wide range of payroll and HR operational activities across the UK and Nordic offices. Primarily to include, leading on payroll and benefits, supporting recruitment and onboarding, HR systems, while also supporting the delivery of key HR projects. Working closely with the Director of HR, HR Business Partners, and HR Coordinator, the role helps ensure the smooth running of day-to-day HR operations and administration.
Responsibilities
Payroll And Benefits
- Lead on UK and Nordic Payroll activities and ensure timely uploads.
- Lead on all employee benefits across all offices, including BIK and Class 1A reporting and managing key relationships with suppliers.
- Lead on HR systems as a first line contact.
- Upload and report on pensions.
- Calculations on all pensions, holidays, and key HR data, as required.
Recruitment, Onboarding & Exits
- Supporting recruitment across the Firm, including the approval process, job advert creation, system management, shortlisting, interviewing and agency relationship management.
- Conducting exit interviews and reporting trends.
- Supporting with the continual improvements of letter and contract templates.
HR Admin
- Supporting the Senior HR team on a wide range of administrative tasks.
- Supporting the HR Coordinator with the probationary process and absence management across the firm and leading absence management meetings.
- Supporting the HR Coordinator with escalated HR inbox queries and inbox management.
- Supporting on the annual and mid-year PDR process, ensuring the process is effective and efficient, modifying forms where applicable, creating the cycles within Personio and issuing comms and training to the teams.
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HR Operations & Compliance
- Supporting compliance including right to work, criminal records checks and security clearances.
- Maintaining accurate HR system records in line with GDPR requirements.
- Key role in drafting and maintaining contractual documentation and general HR correspondence.
- Supporting ISO audits and ad hoc compliance reporting.
- Key role in supporting secondments and onboarding of global relocations, ensuring accommodation and permits are in place and legislation is adhered to.
HR Projects and Deliverables
- Support the wider team with HR project delivery.
- Working with stakeholders to continuously improve HR processes.
Essential Skills & Experience
- Ability to build positive working relationships, work collaboratively, and contribute to a progressive team environment.
- CIPD Level 5 or 7 qualified (or working towards), or equivalent experience.
- Demonstrable HR generalist experience with expertise in payroll, overseas payroll, pensions and employee benefits.
- Experience with HR admin and support in areas such as recruitment.
- Strong organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise workloads effectively and maintain a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a professional, reliable and approachable manner.
- Motivated, with a willingness to learn, and the ability to adapt in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong IT skills, including a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office.
Desirable Skills & Experience
- Experience using Personio and/or Moorepay.
- Experience within a legal, or professional services environment.
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The Company
Potter Clarkson LLP is one of the leading pan-European Intellectual Property law firms, with seven offices across the UK, Denmark, Sweden and Germany.
We offer clients a full IP service to support them in achieving their commercial objectives. We pride ourselves in the exceptional level of client care offered by our approachable and engaged team.
The firm is consistently ranked in the top tier of major legal guides, such as Legal 500 and MIP. We also hold three independent ISO accreditations which evidence our high level of environmental awareness, service provision and information security.
We are committed to promoting a healthy work-life balance, and supporting the wellbeing of all our people. We offer a wealth of health and wellbeing benefits and resources including healthcare, attractive flexible working options, sports and social groups, virtual yoga and mindfulness sessions, a virtual wellbeing hub, mental health first aiders, and a busy social calendar.
Benefits
- We offer a flexible working policy, with employees expected to be in the office two - three days per week. Initially, the successful candidate will need to work in the office full-time to facilitate their training and integration into the company.
- Competitive salary, dependant on experience.
- Birthday leave.
- Salary sacrifice pension scheme.
- One paid day off per year for charitable work.
- Health care packages.
- Discount vouchers.
- Company away days.
We are committed to providing a highly supportive, inclusive and stimulating workplace for all our people. Read more about how we’re building a more equal, diverse and inclusive culture here.
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