Role summary
We are seeking an HR Services Assistant to join our HR Services team, delivering high-quality, end-to-end support across a broad range of employee lifecycle, wellbeing, early careers and workforce planning activities. You will help ensure processes are efficient, compliant and accurately administered, while also contributing to process improvements, including automation and the use of AI in HR, in collaboration with HR colleagues and stakeholders across the firm.
Key responsibilities and deliverables
1. Process and administer a wide range of HR operational activities, including role and salary changes, flexible working, contract variations, secondments, family leave, leavers and immigration administration (visas, ILR, Right to Work).
2. Manage UK wellbeing administration end-to-end, including reasonable/workplace adjustments, Occupational Health referrals, UNUM rehab referrals, Group Income Protection and Critical Illness claims, and sickness absence management and reporting.
3. Support the UK Early Careers / Trainee Associate Programme, including seat moves, performance and salary changes, secondments and promotions to NQ Solicitors.
4. Maintain accurate HR data and internal movement trackers (for Business Services and fee-earners), providing early visibility of movers, leavers, family leave, Occupational Health referrals and secondments.
5. Produce and use routine HR reports to support decision-making and contribute to process innovation, including automation, AI-related changes and continuous improvement, working closely with UK and international HR colleagues.
Key requirements
Essential:
6. Experience in HR operations, HR administration or a similar HR support role, with exposure to core employee lifecycle processes.
7. Strong attention to detail and accuracy when processing HR data and documentation, with a high level of confidentiality.
8. Good organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
9. Clear written and verbal communication skills, with confidence in dealing with employees, managers and HR colleagues.
10. Competent IT skills, including MS Office (particularly Excel and Outlook) and HR systems.
Desirable:
11. Experience supporting wellbeing-related processes (e.g. Occupational Health referrals, reasonable adjustments, sickness absence management).
12. Experience supporting early careers, graduate or trainee programmes.
13. Familiarity with workforce planning tools or headcount/movement trackers.
14. Exposure to process improvement, automation or HR technology/AI initiatives.
15. Basic knowledge of UK employment law in areas such as leave, flexible working, immigration Right to Work and absence management.
Inclusion
Freshfields is an equal opportunities employer and all applications received by the firm will be considered by the firm on the basis of their merit alone and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background. All offers of employment will be conditional on the candidate having/securing the right to work in the UK and providing the firm with evidence of that right (as required by the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006) prior to employment commencing.
Freshfields is a Ban the Box employer. We ask applicants to disclose criminal convictions only when a conditional job offer is made. A conviction does not automatically lead to withdrawal of the offer: we make decisions on a case by case basis and take a number of factors into account (eg the role you are applying for and the circumstances of the offence). You would have the opportunity to discuss the matter with us before we make a decision.