HR Operations Assistant

The role

The role will be responsible for processing all elements of the people life cycle. You will also be expected to support the local HR Business Partners and Advisers with HR administration. You will produce contract documentation together with related administration. You will update the HR system and communicate all changes to our Payroll Officer, the business and employee. The role will also be expected to provide support and collaborate with the central services team and wider directorate.

The Team

HR Operations sit within Central HR Services alongside the Benefits and Reward team. The team play a key role in supporting the HR function and delivering a vital role in delivering exceptional people experiences. By collaborating with internal stakeholders, you will cover all stages of the employee life cycle with the principle focus on delivering an excellent people experience. This is achieved through a process of continuous improvement and harnessing appropriate technologies.

Main Responsibilities

• Processing a wide range of HR employment changes
• Updating and maintaining the HR database (SAP)
• Producing high quality employment documentation
• Recording the firm’s sickness to involve managing the process of fit notes in line with our policy
• Managing own workload against deadlines and changing priorities
• Work tracking
• Run weekly/monthly reports using HR systems
• Operational liaison with employees and line managers, IS and the wider People Directorate

In addition, the role will involve developing the team’s processes to deliver an excellent people experience, through adopting a continuous improvement mindset.

Skills And Qualifications

Essential knowledge and skills:

• Have excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to handle sensitive matters with integrity and discretion
• Familiar with HR information systems, including SAP with the ability to maximise functionality to deliver efficiencies in people processes.
• Good at figuring out processes to get things done, and know how to organise people and activities.
• Customer centric with a commitment to understanding the needs of our internal clients, and offering solutions to their challenges.
• Experience of making improvements in processes to achieve operational efficiencies.
• Previous experience in volume administration is essential
• Ability to work alone and within a team

Desirable Knowledge And Skills

• Previous experience in HR administration and using an HR system is desirable
• Previous experience as a HR system super user is an advantage
• Involvement in HR systems project and/or HR business process project
• Experience of providing centralised business processes
• Experience of SAP HR, ServiceNow and Success Factors would be an advantage
• Experience of working in a law firm

The firm

Shoosmiths is the law firm clients choose for excellent service, incisive thinking and above all for our ability to focus on what matters. From offices across the UK and Brussels, we support some of the world’s most exciting and ambitious businesses; amazing clients making an impact. We empower our people to be their authentic selves and deliver together in supportive teams committed to excellence and innovation. The first top 50 law firm to achieve ‘Platinum Standard’ Investors in People, our values and culture are not just words on our website but are the heartbeat of the firm.

We have an outstanding benefits package to complement our competitive remuneration system. In addition to the competitive salaries, great working environment and high-quality work, we believe that all staff should be rewarded for their commitment to the continued success of the firm through a comprehensive and flexible range of benefits.

To discover more about our benefits, please visit: Benefits Package

Shoosmiths is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. Disability Confident is a government scheme designed to encourage employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term conditions. The Disability Confident scheme replaced the Two Ticks Positive about Disabled People scheme. We had been accredited as a two tick employer for many years - Disability Confident broadens and develops that original commitment, and demonstrates we have adopted a proactive approach to employing disabled people and developing their abilities.

As part of our accreditation, we commit to interviewing any applicants with a disability who meet the essential criteria for each vacancy. In some circumstances we may only be able to interview those that best meet the essential criteria due to the volume of applications received.

Further information on the Disability Confident scheme is available at

We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to and usable by everyone. If you have a disability or long-term condition and would like to receive information in a different way, or need us to make any adjustments, changes or do anything differently during the recruitment process, please get in touch with the Talent Acquisition team on ***email_hidden***. We can consider your needs and requirements, and how we can assist you to apply for our roles. For example we can provide a copy of our application via email so that you can complete it using your own accessibility software.

Equal opportunities

Our approach to our people is underpinned by our approach to diversity, inclusion and well-being. Our ambition is to build a diverse and ambitious workforce that reflects all backgrounds and talents, and a workplace that is supportive and inclusive, recognises and nurtures talent, and has a strong sense of community between colleagues.

This means that everyone who either applies to or works for the firm is treated equally, whatever their gender, age, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, disability, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.