At Browne Jacobson, we’ve always worked across business and society, and this expertise sets us apart. Social and environmental impact are at the top of our business agenda. We champion fairness, make the complex simple and forge connections between clients to find creative solutions. This is how we improve outcomes for every person, community and business we serve.

With offices in Birmingham, Dublin, Exeter, London, Manchester and Nottingham, we’re a UK & I based law firm with an international reach. Our sectors include: health; real estate and construction; education; energy and infrastructure; financial services; government; insurance; manufacturing and industrials; and retail, consumer and logistics.

We nurture talent at all levels and from every background and celebrate what makes people individuals. Law needs all voices to reflect the society it serves and we’re working towards social mobility, diversity and inclusion in our firm - and our profession. We strive to create meaningful personal and professional development opportunities and offer flexible working in support of a good work-life balance. We focus on wellbeing and individuality, so that all our people can thrive.

What is the working practice for this role?

The firm operates a set of core principles that guides our working practice. It’s called ‘One Firm, Wherever You Are’.

You might have enjoyed working from home and would like to split your time between there and the office/ other work locations. Others may be eager to return to the office on a more regular basis. We believe that a regular level of in-person contact is an important way to build connections with your colleagues, enhancing knowledge and idea sharing and enabling all of us to benefit from the vibrant office culture Browne Jacobson has to offer.

Our expectation is that, on average, you’ll work from home for no more than three days per week, with the remainder of your time either spent with your colleagues in the office or working from other locations as work demands dictate, e.g. courts, client offices, conferences etc. This is an average expectation over time and we know that there will be variations from week to week. Equally, there will be individual circumstances in which a different pattern of work is needed, for example as an agreed reasonable adjustment for colleagues with a disability or long-term medical condition.

We believe this approach:

• fits with our values and personality;
• will enhance our performance through greater flexibility;
• advances our ambitions as an inclusive employer – helping you better balance work and family/life commitments;
• offers opportunities to reduce our carbon footprint (travel, office services etc.), a key ambition underpinning our corporate sustainability plan.

Why is this role important and how does it fit into the team, department and wider firm?

To provide accurate and timely administrative support, covering a broad range of HR activities and processes.

What does the role actually involve?

• Acting as the first point of contact for the HR function, owning queries from initial contact through to resolution, educating the firm on self-service options and escalating queries as needed
• To maintain and update the HR system and electronic filing systems, ensuring data is accurate and held in line with GDPR regulations
• To offer sound generalist HR advice to the firm in relation to its policies and procedures
• To provide HR administrative support and generation of written correspondence across the employee lifecycle:
  • Onboarding and induction, including offer letters, offer packs, pre employment checks and HR induction
  • Recording of sickness absence and other types of leave
  • Monitoring end of probation reviews, including generation of probation letters
  • Monitoring fixed term contracts, consultancy and contractor arrangements, including generation of contract extension letters
  • Processing changes to terms and conditions of employment, including flexible working requests
  • Benefits administration, including preparation of loan agreements and ordering of gifts
  • Responding to requests for references
  • Processing of leavers, inc. resignation acknowledgement, leavers letters and exit interviews
• Processing of family leave, including maternity meetings, providing guidance on policy and process, and liaising with payroll
• Accurate and timely submission of payroll related changes on a monthly basis
• Reconciling and coding invoices to ensure accurate payments to all third parties
• Working with and supporting our HR Advisors with secondments and employee relations matters as needed
• Supporting the HR Services Team Leader and HR Delivery Manager with annual and ad hoc project work as needed, including the trainee seat move process and annual intake of new trainee solicitors
• Representing the HR function positively and professionally, building its' reputation as an integral business function - adding value across all areas
• Keeping up to date with developments in employment legislation and HR best practice and sharing knowledge and ideas within the team to ensure continuous development and improvement

What technical skills are required for someone to be successful and enjoy the role?

• Skilled in MS Office including: Word, Excel and Outlook
• Experience of using HR systems for maintaining and updating information and generating reports

Who would be a good fit for this role?

As part of the HR team, you would be expected to have the following skills and experience:

• Previous experience of working in a fast-paced HR team
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written
• Strong organisational skills and a proactive approach to work
• Confident in managing multiple tasks and the initiative to effectively prioritise in a busy environment with a high volume of work
• Able to build and maintain professional relationships with colleagues
• High levels of attention to detail
• Passionate about proving a high-quality, professional service at all times