Permanent
On-site (London)/Hybrid Working
We are a leading European intellectual property firm, advising some of the world’s most innovative and successful companies. Together, we help to improve lives by supporting innovation.
We hire talented and passionate people who think creatively and enjoy a challenge. Working collaboratively, we share our knowledge and experience across teams, actively learning from each other in a friendly and sociable environment.
We are passionate about creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. Diversity of thought is vital to our business; it’s how we approach challenges differently and offer our clients creative and original solutions. Through our work with organisations such as IP Inclusive, Stonewall and Business in the Community via the Race at Work Charter, we are putting the right steps in place to make sure that all our people feel supported and empowered to be themselves Further information on our commitment to diversity and inclusion is available on our website.
A healthy work/life balance is very important to us, and we run regular wellbeing events in addition to the large number of clubs and social activities that are available to everyone at the firm. We are also enthusiastic supporters of our local community through partnerships with the Social Mobility Foundation and Holborn Community Association.
The role
Our People team creates and delivers people strategies that help the firm achieve its goals. We support every stage of the employee lifecycle, from onboarding and employee experience through to reward, benefits, people systems, employment policies, people analytics and employee relations.
We are looking for a proactive and customer-focused People Operations Coordinator to join our team. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys combining operational excellence with continuous improvement, problem-solving and technology-enabled solutions.
Reporting to the People Operations Manager, you will play a key role in delivering an exceptional employee experience across the full employee lifecycle. Working closely with the wider People team, you will act as a trusted first point of contact for employees and managers, ensuring our People processes are delivered efficiently, accurately and consistently.
Alongside managing day-to-day People Operations activities, you will help us continually improve how we work. We are looking for someone who enjoys challenging existing processes, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and making better use of technology and automation.
This role would suit someone who enjoys taking ownership, building relationships, working with data, solving problems and finding smarter ways of working.
What You’ll Be Doing
Employee Lifecycle Administration & Compliance
- Manage the end-to-end administration of the employee lifecycle, including onboarding, probation, performance reviews, employee changes, family leave processes and offboarding.
- Ensure all employee records, documentation and People systems are accurate, compliant and maintained to a high standard.
- Support compliance activities including right to work checks, background screening, GDPR requirements and policy adherence.
- Draft contracts, letters and employment documentation accurately and within agreed service levels.
- Support the People Operations Manager in ensuring compliance with employment legislation, internal policies and best practice.
- Coordinate the review and maintenance of People policies, procedures and employee documentation to ensure they remain up to date.
- Act as a first point of contact for People queries received through Jira, email and face-to-face interactions.
- Provide professional, accurate and timely guidance on People policies, procedures and processes.
- Manage queries through to resolution wherever possible, escalating appropriately when required.
- Build positive and trusted relationships with employees and managers across the firm.
- Deliver a high-quality customer experience, ensuring all interactions are handled with professionalism, empathy and awareness.
- Contribute to maintaining and developing People knowledge resources and self-service guidance.
- Maintain high levels of data quality across our People systems, ensuring information is accurate, complete and up to date.
- Produce regular and ad hoc People reports and dashboards on key metrics such as headcount, absence, turnover, payroll and probation.
- Analyse trends and identify insights that support decision-making and continuous improvement.
- Support system testing, enhancements, integrations and new technology initiatives.
- Identify opportunities to improve system utilisation and reporting capabilities.
- Identify opportunities to simplify, standardise and improve People processes across the employee lifecycle.
- Take ownership of process improvement initiatives and support wider People projects.
- Analyse recurring queries, stakeholder feedback and operational data to identify opportunities for improvement.
- Support the implementation and optimisation of People technology, automation and AI enabled solutions.
- Develop and maintain process documentation, guidance notes and knowledge resources.
- Challenge existing ways of working and proactively suggest solutions that improve efficiency and employee experience.
- Support the ongoing development of self-service resources and knowledge management tools.
- Support monthly payroll preparation and validation activities, ensuring accuracy and adherence to deadlines.
- Assist with the administration of employee benefits, pension arrangements, wellbeing initiatives and global mobility processes.
- Act as a liaison between employees and external providers where appropriate.
- Support annual cyclical activities such as pay reviews, benefits renewals and employee engagement initiatives.
- Assist in ensuring benefits and payroll data is maintained accurately and efficiently.
- Manage the end-to-end onboarding process for all new joiners.
- Coordinate pre-employment screening, new starter paperwork, induction planning and first-day arrangements.
- Ensure all onboarding activities are completed accurately and within agreed timeframes.
- Conduct onboarding and follow-up check-ins to gather feedback and support a positive employee experience.
- Continually review and improve the onboarding journey, identifying opportunities to increase efficiency and improve engagement.
- Act as a key point of contact for new joiners, ensuring they feel welcomed and supported throughout their transition into the firm.
- Support People projects and firm-wide initiatives as required.
- Take ownership of allocated project workstreams and ensure deliverables are completed on time.
- Provide note-taking support for People meetings when required.
- Collaborate closely with People Business Partners, managers and other stakeholders across the firm.
- Contribute positively to a culture of continuous improvement, innovation and knowledge sharing within the People team.
- Support the People team during key annual activities and business-critical initiatives.
- Previous experience in an HR, People Operations, HR Shared Services or HR Administration role.
- Experience working with HR systems and maintaining employee data.
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
- Excellent attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
- Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong customer service mindset with a focus on delivering an outstanding employee experience.
- Good working knowledge of Microsoft 365 applications, particularly Outlook, Teams, Word and Excel, or Google Suite.
- Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information appropriately.
- A genuine interest in developing a career within the People profession.
- Regularly identify and implement process improvements rather than waiting to be asked.
- Enjoy finding smarter, more efficient ways of working and making better use of technology.
- Are comfortable challenging existing processes and suggesting alternative approaches.
- Use data and evidence to understand issues and recommend practical solutions.
- Take ownership of their workload and consistently follow tasks through to completion.
- Thrive in a fast-paced environment where priorities can change.
- Build strong working relationships and are seen as a trusted and reliable point of contact.
- Enjoy a varied role that combines administration, problem-solving, stakeholder support and project work.
Applicants can expect a welcoming two-way interview process, where there will be plenty of opportunities to ask questions about the opportunity and to discover more about life at the firm.
Typically, there will be two stages consisting of the following:
- First stage virtual interview with both our People Operations Coordinator and People Operations Manager. This will include a mix of motivational, role-related and competency-based questions.
- Second stage interview in our London office with our L&D Business Partner and People Business Partner. Followed by an informal chat/conversation with our People Operations Team.
If you have a disability, if you're neurodivergent, or if you have a condition that you believe may affect your performance during our recruitment process, we encourage you to share your requirements for any adjustments in the relevant section of our application form, or via your recruitment agency. A member of our recruitment team will be in touch to discuss how best we can support you during each stage of the process.
What We Offer
We offer a competitive benefits package that currently includes the following:
- 25 days’ holiday, increasing by 1 day per year up to our maximum of 28 days.
- Employer pension contribution of 5% in your first year, with a minimum 3% employee contribution, increasing to 10% employer contribution after one year’s service.
- Holiday buy scheme, with the option to purchase up to 5 additional days.
- Holiday bonus, starting at £400 per year, increasing each year up to a maximum of £2,000.
- Private medical insurance via Bupa, where you’ll be eligible to join the month following your start date. You will also have the option to add dependants, subject to a monthly cost.
- Free confidential access to 24/7 medical, mental, legal and financial wellbeing support via Health Assured and WeCare from your first day of employment.
- Access to internal Mental Health First Aiders, all of whom have completed the Mental Health First Aid England accredited training programme and champion wellbeing across the firm.
- Life assurance of 4x your base salary.
- Income protection, with cover for up to 5 years and compensating for up to 75% of your base salary.
- Cycle2Work scheme.
- Season ticket loan.
- Access to Payroll Giving or Give As You Earn (GAYE) which allows you to donate to charity through your monthly pay.
- We’re passionate about the benefits of corporate volunteering and offer all employees 1 paid volunteer day per year.