The British Academy – the UK's national body for the humanities and social sciences - is seeking an HR Assistant to join our HR team, providing key administrative and project support across the whole employee lifecycle.
ROLE PURPOSE
The HR Assistant works closely with the other five members of the HR Team to provide a range of HR services across the British Academy (180 staff). The HR Team is a friendly team, part of the Academy's Resources Directorate comprising HR, Finance, IT, Facilities and Venue Sales & Marketing services. We take great pride in supporting our colleagues in the Academy, as HR generalists and through our overarching People Strategy, which has been successful in recognising and reinforcing the structures, policies and procedures we have in place. Key to this success has been our engagement with staff.
A core duty of the HR Assistant role is supporting the onboarding process, through the preparation of offer documentation, references, and contracts, to administering Cezanne, our HR Management System. You will have a keen attention to detail and be an effective communicator to allow you to collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring new starters are set up for success.
This role often works to competing deadlines and so a proactive approach to time management, in terms of planning, prioritisation and demonstrating resilience when faced with adversity is essential.
You will also be supporting day-to-day operational recruitment, including helping line managers with scheduling interviews, booking rooms for in-person interviews and organising calls for remote interviews, and providing excellent support on interview days, ensuring a high standard of stakeholder engagement. This is a key opportunity to establish relationships and make an early positive impact.
You will also contribute to performance, learning and development activities by supporting the Employee Relations and Development workstream, such as booking rooms and emailing participants enrolled in training.
OFFICE LOCATION Carlton House Terrace, St James Park, London, SW1Y 5AH
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Recruitment & selection
Working with the HR Officer (Employee Resourcing) to provide good administrative support for hiring managers and job applicants throughout the recruitment and selection process. This includes arranging interviews, booking meeting rooms, welcoming candidates to in-person interviews, and setting up and managing online interviews and tasks.
Updating the recruitment tracker and digital recruitment and selection folders.
2. Appointments, onboarding & induction
Preparing offer documentation, sending out reference requests and drafting employment contracts and appointment letters with oversight from the HR Officer (Employee Resourcing).
Ensuring that offer, contract, and new starter documentation is completed accurately and promptly.
Liaising with hiring managers, and colleagues in the Facilities and IT Teams to ensure a smooth onboarding and induction experience for new starters on arrival.
Performing right-to-work checks for all new starters promptly and filing all associated paperwork.
3. Performance, learning & development
Supporting the HR Manager (Employee Relations and Development) with general training administration, including room bookings, emailing participants, and logging training activities on Cezanne.
Assisting the HR Manager (Employee Relations and Development) with the administration of our Insights Workshop Delivery programme, including room bookings, inviting attendees, emailing participants and issuing evaluation forms.
Supporting the HR Manager (Employee Relations and Development) with tracking performance-related issues such as probation, performance appraisals, and sickness absence.
4. HR Administration and project support
Managing the shared HR mailbox, ensuring prompt responses to routine queries from staff, and escalating more complex requests as required.
Ensuring that personal files and the HR Management Information System (Cezanne) are kept up-to-date.
Assisting with minute taking and arranging meetings where required.
Supporting the HR Officer (Employee Relations & Development) in tracking probation and monitoring absences
Contributing to the development and implementation of the People Strategy: providing ad-hoc support; researching best practice; and providing ideas and suggestions.
Key Stakeholders
Internal:
Hiring managers at all levels; staff, including new joiners; colleagues in IT, Facilities, Front of House and Digital & Marketing teams
External:
Job applicants, referees, recruitment agencies, training providers.
ROLE REQUIREMENTS
QUALIFICATIONS
Level 3 CIPD qualified or willing to work towards achieving this (Desirable)
WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
Works and communicates effectively
Is proactive in developing and maintaining effective working relationships with others internally and externally
Demonstrates a positive attitude towards helping others by providing appropriate support, using initiative and not waiting to be asked
Adopts a communication style appropriate to the situationand the audience, understanding that communication is two-way
Is sensitive to different working styles and views, adapting where appropriate
Is willing and able to compromise and negotiate, including to resolve possible conflicts
Handles difficult situations with sensitivity & respect
Communicates effectively with staff across departments
Promotes a positive impression of the Academy both internally and externally
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
Demonstrates and develops appropriate knowledge and skills
Demonstrates willingness to build on any pre-existing HR knowledge and skills with an eagerness to learn new skills
Is receptive to new ideas and change, adapting own ways of workingas appropriate
Willing to make a contribution to team discussion and put forward ideas for improvements
Is aware of own strengths and weaknesses, and prepared to admit own mistakes
Seeks and uses opportunities to learn and develop, and is quick in picking up new tasks
Shares knowledge and skills with others
PROACTIVITY AND PLANNING
Manages time and resources effectively in order to achieve own and organisational objectives
Prioritises tasks to meet deadlines
Displays resilience in coping with workload during busy periods
Keeps relevant colleagues informed with effective communication
Evaluates and manages risks effectively, knowing when to ask for advice
Takes ownership of tasks and knows when to escalate
Monitors progress effectively and adapts plans where possible
PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING
Ensures good decisions are made through a rational and methodical approach
Identifies problems and opportunities with clear communication
Has a pro-active, can do, attitude, taking personal responsibility whilst knowing when to ask for advice and/or escalate
Focuses on solutions and works openly
Works with others to problem-solve and uses initiative to pre-empt potential obstacles
Copes with the unexpected and utilises advice and resources within the team
LEADERSHIP
Gives a clear sense of direction while inspiring others with vision and actions
Is happy to support other team members during busy periods, whilst not compromising your own workload
Treats other staff members and stake holders with respect and honesty
Sets the right balance between referring decisions to the appropriate level and taking things forward without referral
OTHER
Takes a flexible approach to their work, happy to take on different responsibilities in the interests of the Academy
MUST BE COMMITTED TO THE BRITISH ACADEMY'S WORKPLACE VALUES OF:
COLLABORATION, CREATIVITY, EMPATHY, EXCELLENCE, INTEGRITY, RESILIENCE AND RESPECT
(please only apply if you have right to work in the UK)