Job Title: HR Shared Operations Consultant
Grade and Salary: Grade 5, £26,707 – £31,236
FTE and Working Pattern: Full time, open-ended
Organisation: Human Resources
Purpose of Role: This role complements an existing team of 1 HR Shared Operations Supervisor and 3 HR Shared Operations Consultants headed up by the Head of HR Shared Operations. Working in close collaboration with Recruitment and Payroll divisions you will provide senior administrative and advisory support through all aspects of the employee journey and ongoing operational projects and initiatives. You will work closely with the wider Employee Relations team to support case management and change management activities, as well as with the Immigration and Global Mobility Advisor to provide assistance for Right to Work requirements for new and existing staff. The Operational ‘Business as Usual’ activities vary from day to day and often involve tight deadlines, requiring adaptability and flexibility while maintaining service excellence and aligning with the University Values.
Key Duties And Responsibilities
* Draft and issue contracts for permanent and temporary staff across a number of Academic Departments and Professional Support Services, including Professorial Appointments using existing templates.
* Provide pre‑onboarding support and existing staff support with Immigration and other Right to Work enquiries.
* Ensure all relevant pay and contract data is entered into our Cloud ERP Information System in line with Payroll requirements and deadlines.
* Assist with Skilled Worker Visa and Global Talent Visa applications, and advise and support staff on Right to Work Visa enquiries, including verification checks and visa expiry monitoring.
* Calculate and advise on family leave entitlement (maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental, etc.).
* Monitor contract end dates and support HR colleagues in issuing changes to terms and conditions using existing templates.
* Be the first point of contact for all HR related queries from the general public, employees and line managers via telephone, email, face‑to‑face and the HR Helpdesk.
* Provide advice and guidance on contractual queries, including annual leave entitlement and sickness absence.
* Research and gather data from different University systems, manipulate and interpret data for Strategic People Partners or People Partners, and present the data in a useful manner to internal HR customers and external customers such as Executive Deans and Directors.
* Collaborate with the HR Operations team to ensure processes are well documented and understood, improving team efficacy.
* Carry out data reconciliation for annual pay element changes, such as pay award, increments, real living wage, and additional processes.
* Perform any other duties reasonably requested within the grade and level of responsibility of the post.
Education, Qualifications & Experience
* Educated to SCQF Level 6 or equivalent experience.
* Considerable experience in a similar role, particularly with various terms and conditions.
* Considerable experience with UKVI Immigration and Visa requirements.
* Competent in the Microsoft suite of applications including Teams, SharePoint, OneNote, Outlook and Excel.
* Well‑developed interpersonal skills.
* Demonstrable professional approach with the ability to work quickly, flexibly and accurately in a dynamic, changing and pressured environment.
* Good written and oral communication skills, with ability to interact with stakeholders at all levels.
* Ability to convey information to a non‑technical audience in a clear and concise way.
* Accuracy and attention to detail.
* Professional approach to work, maintaining confidentiality when handling sensitive personal data.
Desirable Skills
* Experience of UKVI legislation and compliance.
* Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and digital proficiency.
* Experience of working with Oracle HR system and ability to troubleshoot or find workarounds.
About Our Team
Covering all University Campuses internationally, the HR Directorate provides a range of strategic and operational HR support and guidance. This role will provide high‑quality, accurate, confidential and timely administrative support for employees throughout their time at Heriot‑Watt, from issuing contracts to advising on employment wellbeing, remuneration, family leave and annual leave, and managing their departure from the University.
Benefits
Salary: Grade 5; £26,707 – £31,236 per annum. Annual negotiated Pay Award applied annually in August.
Hours of Work: 35 per week, Monday to Friday, standard 9am to 5pm with 1 hour for lunch, flexible around start/end times, and hybrid working with 2–3 days per week working from home.
Annual Leave: 28 days (pro rata) plus 9 Building closed days per year (plus Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday).
Pension: Auto‑enrolment to Local Government Pension Scheme. The university contributes 23.8% of an employee’s annual salary; the employee contributes between 5.5 and 11.2% depending on salary.
Sick Pay: Based upon length of service, rising to a maximum of 6 months full pay and 6 months half pay.
Additional Benefits: Free parking, discounted sports provision, career development opportunities, access to internal only vacancies, a host of staff discounts ranging from software purchasing to travel services, Childcare Vouchers, Cycle to Work scheme, Give as you earn, and remission of fees (criteria applies).
Heriot‑Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to creating an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.
Equal Opportunity Statement
Heriot‑Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from under‑represented groups.
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