Lewis Silkin works with leading businesses to protect and enhance their most important assets - their ideas, their people, their brand and their future. We call it: Ideas. People. Possibilities.
With offices in London, Oxford, Manchester, Cardiff, Belfast, Dublin and Hong Kong, we are recognised by clients and industry alike as being distinct for our unique culture, market-leading practice areas, sector focused approach and for providing solutions to complex, multijurisdictional business challenges, with a pragmatic and human touch. We have two things at our core: people — both ours and our clients’— and a focus on creative, tech and innovative businesses.
Our culture is encapsulated by an ethos of bravery and kindness, guided by our values of Integrity, Clarity, Unity and Excellence (our ‘I-CUE’). We aim to provide a supportive environment for our people, clients and wider community and embrace diversity & inclusion, ensuring people are able to bring their full selves to work.
This role sits within the HR team which comprises 20 people specialists based in our London and Cardiff offices, working closely together to provide excellent employment conditions for the firm’s people, covering all aspects of the employee lifecycle. The main emphasis of the role will be to support the Employment, Immigration and Reward Division from an HR perspective.
Main purpose of the role
The primary focus of this role will be to support the EIR HR Manager and HR Officer to effectively and efficiently deliver the full employee life cycle for fee earners and support staff across the division. The post holder will also have the opportunity to support the wider HR team on firm-wide HR projects.
- Working alongside the Recruitment team, support the recruitment process for roles within the division including shortlisting and interviewing as required.
- Having oversight of, and working with the HR Assistant, to ensure the joiner and leaver procedures are effectively implemented within the division, liaising with central teams as required.
- Co-ordinating with the other HRO the on-boarding process for new joiners and conducting exit interviews for leavers.
- Carrying out a variety of induction sessions, for example, leading day one, and six-week catch ups for new joiners across the division.
- Co-ordinate the management of the Career Development Partner (CDP) process for EIR associates and paralegals.
- Support the HR Officer with day-to-day contact for the Secretarial Co-ordinator/Deputy Secretarial Co-ordinator and Office Managers, who have overall management responsibility for the division’s secretarial support function; acting as their key divisional HR support dealing with, or escalating as required, all of the HR lifestyle.
- As above, supporting the HR Officer with any HR matters arising from the EIR paralegal group; supporting partners and Talent Partners as required.
- Liaising with the central Learning and Development function to input into the design and delivery of relevant high-quality training across all roles within the division.
- Supporting the Divisional HR Manager and HR Officer on day-to-day employee relations issues.
- Supporting the Divisional HR Manager and HR Officer on performance management issues and providing HR support and best practice guidance to line managers regarding performance management.
- Advising divisional employees and line managers on matters of HR policy.
- Responsible for managing maternity and paternity leave and ensuring the appropriate maternity support and coaching is given to employees before, during and after maternity leave.
- Assisting the HR Officer with absence management and follow up as required, such as conducting return to work interviews where sickness absence trigger points have been reached and making occupational health referrals where necessary.
- Own the divisional processes for fee earner secondments; acting as the point of contact for associates and paralegals on secondment; executing the required paperwork and liaising with the Co-Coo/Divisional Business Manager to ensure client contracts are in place and internal teams are updated.
- Ensuring payroll changes are given to the appropriate central team members (responsible for payroll) in a timely and efficient manner and ensuring employment paperwork and changes to terms and conditions are updated as required.
- Supporting the EIR HR Manager, the EIR Co-COO, divisional management team and Talent Partners with statistics, data or other relevant information to input into the divisional management priorities and activities.
- Working with the Divisional Business Manager to input into regular reports and papers as required by the EIR management team, or firm wide leaders, such as the capacity chart reports, the EIR Guide and any other updates.
- As part of the firm wide HR function, ensuring the timely delivery of the firm’s appraisal, salary review and bonus processes, supporting the HR Officer with the secretarial appraisal and bonus review activities.
- Assisting with slide preparation and information for the EIR monthly Divisional meetings and the EIR People Bubble meetings.
- Assist with the co-ordination of the monthly EIR Reps Meetings and taking responsibility for managing the agenda items and circulating the meeting notes as appropriate.
- Assisting the HR Officer with the Flexible Working process - reviewing and responding to divisional flexible working applications, including liaison with the appropriate line manager/Talent Partner; People Bubble group and Flexible Work Committee as appropriate.
- Keeping the divisional HR Manager up to date with all HR activity across the division, providing regular updates on activity and on-going matters.
- Additional ad hoc projects as required.
- Any other reasonable duty in line with the level of the role.
Person specification
The successful candidate must have a professional manner and first-class communication skills.
They must be highly organised and be able to demonstrate a pro-active approach to their work, and have the ability to work autonomously when required. They must enjoy working in a busy team environment and have a flexible and co-operative nature; as well as excellent stakeholder management skills.
Academic Achievements/Specialist Skills
- Educated to degree level (or equivalent by experience), and ideally CIPD qualified.
- At least two years’ experience of working at HR Administrator/Assistant level within a law firm or professional services environment.
- Experience of using employee database software.
- Intermediate Excel skills
Abilities and desired qualities:
- Excellent organisational, attention to detail and prioritisation skills with the ability to manage a varied and demanding workload often to tight deadlines.
- Client focused and ability to maintain discretion and confidentiality at all times.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to build successful relationships at all levels.
- Team player with a flexible and willing attitude.
- Flexibility to work additional hours where resource requirements dictate and travel to our other offices when required.
At Lewis Silkin our ethos is simple. We strive to do the best for our clients, our people and the communities in which we operate. We recognise that an inclusive workplace allows for all kinds of ideas and thoughts, a variety of points of view that can trigger discussions or deliver innovative results, and a wide range of versatile skills and expertise. We are proud of the diversity within Lewis Silkin and of our culture that allows people to be themselves at work, ensuring we provide the best possible service to our clients. We are committed to finding the right person for this role and are open to discussing flexible working patterns and office location.