HR Assistant

The role

Supporting the firm’s Cambridge office, this role can be based in either the Cambridge or Norwich office.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a very busy, fast-paced and well-respected HR team.  This role will provide generalist HR Assistant support to the Cambridge office, as well as working collaboratively with the other HR Assistant’s across the firm to ensure consistent processes.  The role will include regular contact with the wider HR team, including payroll, systems, recruitment and diversity and wellbeing, as well as both partners and employees across the firm.

The person

This is a busy and challenging role and, to be successful, your background will include previous HR experience and knowledge and experience of using HR data systems, candidate assessment systems, DBS systems, and other related external platforms.  You are likely to have had exposure to the full employee cycle through recruitment, induction, employee and leaver.  As you will be supporting the largest office with over 300 staff and partners who are now working on a hybrid arrangement, you will need the ability to deal effectively, quickly and accurately with a high volume of work with often conflicting deadlines.

More specifically, you will be able to demonstrate the following:

• Ideally educated to A-level standard, or equivalent;
• In addition to some HR experience, the role requires a candidate with a good knowledge of Excel and accurate data processing.
• Ability to turn work around quickly, without compromising on quality
• A keen eye for the detail
• Comfortable and able to manage multiple tasks at any one time, as well as ensuring your clients are kept updated as to progress
• An approachable, proactive and professional working style, with a calm and methodical approach to your work and excellent attention to detail.
• You will have a common sense approach to problem solving and be able to explain more complicated matters in a simple and straight forward way either verbally or in writing.
• In addition, you will be a self-starter, willing to take accountability for tasks, have strong communications skills and have an appetite for learning and retaining knowledge.

The activities

General

• Action the necessary processes and documentation for starters, leavers, transfers, changes, maternities and secondments as requested.
• Produce statistical information from the HR system as and when required i.e. reports for marketing for tenders, business continuity and absence statistics.
• Accurately input all employee changes into the HR system.  This will include starters, leavers, career changes and absences and updating personnel e-files as appropriate.
• Process supplier invoices as required through the PO system.
• Draft standard letter responses for leavers, mortgage requests, reference requests, change of hours etc.
• Ensure the manual and electronic filing system is accurate and up to date and documents stored in line with the team’s GDPR requirements.
• Arrange flowers for employees and long service/recognition awards.
• Assist with any ad hoc projects and tasks as and when required

Recruitment & selection

• Assist with recruitment for predominantly Cambridge based business and executive support services vacancies. This will include updating job descriptions, advertising vacancies both internally and externally, liaising with recruitment agencies, short listing CVs, arranging interviews, managing interview assessments, interviewing where necessary and providing feedback, raising purchase orders for costs incurred.
• Manage the full recruitment process through the HR system to include submitting the vacancy, publishing the vacancy, monitoring and tracking candidate applications through to updating the vacancy once closed.
• Draft offer letters and contracts of employment for business and executive support services candidates for vacancies you are managing, this will include liaising with the hiring manager about the offer details.

Induction

• Manage the induction and on-boarding process for new hires including:
• Organising inductions for new starters with relevant internal colleagues;
• Preparing and issuing induction programmes;
• Organising and host the HR induction meetings for all new starters;
• Ensuring all actions on the new starter checklist are completed, specifically the pre-employment checks are returned to a satisfactory standard.

Leavers

• Complete a leaver checklist for each employee who leaves the firm.  Be responsible for actioning all tasks on the required checklist.

Payroll

• Each month collate changes during the payroll period and update the payroll spreadsheet for authorisation adhering to deadlines as required.
• Ensure any changes are made in the HR system as appropriate.

Performance reviews

• Issue timely reminders for end of probation meetings to be scheduled and ensure paperwork is returned and correspondence is issued and e-filed..
• Update the HR System with date probation passed as well as any employees who have their probation extended.

 Absence

• Respond to queries around balances or absence levels.
• Prepare ad-hoc reports for line managers as required.
• Maintain absence records accurately in the HR system, which will include liaising with employees to log their absence as appropriate

Pre-employment screening

Please note that, in the event that we make an offer of employment, we will conduct pre-employment screening that includes checks relating to your professional and academic qualifications, references from previous employers, your eligibility to work in the UK and any disciplinary history recorded with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). You will also be required to complete a self-declaration to access your character and suitability.

Disclosure and barring service check

This post is also subject to a satisfactory response from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

The Mills & Reeve Business Services career structure

We have a firm wide Business Services career structure and a published career progression framework.  Within the firm wide career structure there are five career levels.  For the purposes of the framework, this role is at an Assistant level.