HR Assistant

We are recruiting a HR Assistant to join our Human Resources (HR) department on a permanent basis.

About Macfarlanes

We are a distinctive London-based law firm with a unique combination of services built and shaped around the needs of our clients. Our unrivalled blend of expertise, agility and culture means we have the flexibility to meet their most challenging demands and adapt to the changing world around us. While many of our services can be found at other firms, the mix cannot.

We find, recruit and train talented people from all backgrounds, building careers for the long term, to one day shape and lead the firm. We know each other personally which means we work together with more cohesion, and less formality. Our culture is thoughtful, challenging and supportive, and we are a place where everyone, at whatever level, can thrive. We remain focused on equal treatment in recruitment, retention and promotion.

What this means for you

Joining Macfarlanes means being part of a collaborative, approachable team who want you to succeed. You’ll be encouraged to get involved and recognised for your contribution.

We take your development seriously. Our learning and development programmes are second to none and are designed to help you strengthen your skills.

Above all, you’ll be part of a firm where we all work together as part of a cohesive and supportive team, value your efforts and help you to thrive.

The team

Macfarlanes’ HR department consists of 45 employees which fall into several different teams; Operations, Advisory, Early Careers, Recruitment, Learning & Development, and Inclusion & Corporate Social Responsibility.

This position is based within the Operations team. This team provides administrative support to the wider HR department and firm. The team consists of Head of HR Operations, HR Operations Manager, HR Assistant and HR Administrator. The role reports into the HR Operations Manager.

The role

The HR Assistant will provide efficient and professional support across the full spectrum of HR operations. Key duties will include:

Employee administration

acting as the first point of contact for HR queries received via the central HR inbox, ticketing system, telephone, and in-person channels, and ensuring that each query is addressed promptly and professionally, with appropriate escalation where necessary;

• maintaining accurate and up-to-date employee records on the HR system;
• administering leaver processes, including the preparation of all relevant documentation and updates to the HR system and payroll;
• processing payroll instructions within the HR system, ensuring employee changes are accurately reflected in the monthly system generated payroll report and submitted to the HR Systems team and outsourced payroll provider;
• preparing correspondence and documentation for contractual changes and issuing these via DocuSign; and
• monitoring and tracking expiring probationary periods and fixed-term contracts to ensure timely action is taken.

Onboarding

Managing the new joiner onboarding process from offer through to first day, including:

• assisting the Recruitment team with ad hoc duties, including drafting offer letters;
• managing pre-employment checks for future joiners in partnership with our screening provider; 
• liaising with hiring managers and relevant teams to ensure that the new joiner has a positive and smooth onboarding experience;
• conducting new joiner inductions; and
• managing the visa process for future new and existing employees and liaising with our Immigration team as required.

Advisory support

• supporting those going on maternity leave, including conducting maternity chats and managing related scheduling;
• conducting exit interviews and collating feedback;
• processing Occupational Health assessments;
• supporting the HR Advisory team with workplace adjustment reviews; 
• administering employee benefits, such as fitness allowance and eye care vouchers;
• assisting with the administration of probation extensions; and
• preparing and distributing HR Partner updates. 

Process improvement and systems

• contributing to the ongoing improvement of the HR service delivery, including identifying efficiencies in how HR Operations collaborates with other HR teams; and 
• producing HR reports and assisting with data presentations in Excel. 

This job description encompasses the main duties of the role and is by no means exhaustive. It is anticipated that duties may vary from time to time according to the needs of the department.

During the first six months of employment, you may be required to attend the office four days per week to support onboarding, training and collaboration. Your line manager may adjust this requirement based on your progress and business needs. 

The candidate

The successful candidate will be confident in their communication skills (both written and oral), flexible, professional and possess a team-orientated attitude. In addition, they will meet the following requirements:

• a minimum of one year’s experience in an HR administration or HR operations role, ideally within a professional services environment; 
• a minimum of five A*-C GCSEs (or equivalent) including English and Mathematics; 
• good working knowledge of Microsoft Office packages, including Excel
• strong attention to detail and data accuracy;
• ability to build a strong rapport and effective working relationships with people at all levels across the business;
• a methodical approach to work, with the ability to prioritise and manage multiple tasks simultaneously; 
• a forward thinker with a pragmatic ‘can do’ attitude with a focus on task completion;
• excellent organisational and time management skills;
• strong problem solving ability;
• a customer focused approach to service delivery; and
• an interest in the businesses they support.

Application screening

Any offer of employment with us is subject to our pre-employment checks which are conducted by a third-party screening provider. These may include but are not limited to your professional and academic qualifications, any criminal records and employment references. These checks will be initiated with your consent and your offer will be subject to the successful completion of these checks.

Our commitment to inclusion

Inclusion is one of our key priorities and it is a goal we are actively working towards. We believe that an inclusive, forward-thinking culture is intrinsically important and enables us to provide innovative solutions to our clients.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, bringing different perspectives and experiences, making Macfarlanes an exciting and stimulating place to work. We seek to recruit the best candidates, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, social or economic background, religion, disability, sexual orientation or any other characteristic.

As part of this commitment, we will ask you certain diversity data questions. We would really appreciate you and/or your recruiter completing these questions when submitting an application to Macfarlanes as this data enables us to measure our progress and identify any actions needed to continue to support an inclusive culture. This data is anonymised to maintain the privacy of applicants. If you have any questions relating to how this data is used, please contact a member of the recruitment team.

Should you require any adjustments during the application and/or interview process, please do not hesitate to inform your recruiter or a member of the recruitment team. Please note, the job description is available in other accessible formats (for example, large print).

We are a Disability Confident Employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who best meet the essential criteria for the role. If you would like to apply through the Disability Confident Interview Scheme, please email the recruitment team at [email protected].