HR Assistant

bpha; Bedford; Hybrid; GBP 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading housing association based in Bedford is searching for a dedicated HR Assistant. The role involves supporting HR operations and administration in a fast-paced environment. Candidates should have strong communication and organisational skills, alongside a L3 CIPD qualification or an eagerness to achieve this. This hybrid position offers a competitive salary and an extensive benefits package including generous holiday entitlement and a contributory pension scheme.

Benefits

28 days holiday plus bank holidays

Generous contributory pension scheme

Private health care and life assurance

Wellbeing tools and retail discounts

Qualifications

• Experience from a similar role in a fast-paced environment is required.
• Confidence in handling HR queries and administration.
• Ability to maintain employee records accurately.

Responsibilities

• Support onboarding and employee lifecycle.
• Respond to first-line HR queries from colleagues.
• Maintain accurate employee records and HR systems.
• Prepare contracts and other HR documentation.
• Assist with payroll and benefits administration.
• Administer recruitment processes, including interview scheduling.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Excellent organisation

Attention to detail

Proactive problem-solving

Education

L3 CIPD qualification or willingness to work towards it

Tools

Microsoft Office

HR systems

Job description

Salary £24,242.40 per annum

Location Bedford (Hybrid Working)

This is a Permanent, Full Time vacancy that will close in 18 days at 23:59 GMT.

The vacancy

Permanent ¦ Full Time (37 hours per week)

Role

We’re growing at bpha and expanding our People team to support our ambitious plans. We’re looking for an HR Assistant to join our operational HR team in a role that blends HR support with essential administration. This is a hybrid position, giving you flexibility while staying connected with the team. As an HR Assistant, you’ll play a key role in keeping our HR operations running smoothly.

• Supporting onboarding and the full employee lifecycle
• Responding to first-line HR queries from colleagues and managers
• Maintaining accurate employee records and HR systems
• Preparing contracts, letters, and other HR documentation
• Assisting with payroll and benefits administration
• Helping with recruitment administration, including scheduling interviews and preparing offers
• Coordinating training sessions and keeping learning records up to date

You’ll also contribute to HR projects and initiatives, monitor absence, support return-to-work processes, and ensure compliance with GDPR and DBS checks. If you’re looking to develop your HR career, we’ll support you with learning opportunities and CIPD qualifications.

About You

You’ll bring experience from a similar role and be confident working in a fast-paced, customer-focused environment. Strong communication skills, excellent organisation, and attention to detail are essential. You’ll be L3 CIPD qualified, or willing to work towards this, comfortable using Microsoft Office and HR systems, and you’ll have a proactive approach to problem‑solving.

What We Offer

In return, you’ll enjoy flexibility working between home and our Bedford office, a competitive salary of £24,242.40, and a fantastic benefits package including:

• 28 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Generous contributory pension scheme
• Private health care and life assurance
• Wellbeing tools and retail discounts

The successful candidate will need to complete a basic DBS application.

Interviews will be held throughout the recruitment campaign, so apply early to avoid disappointment.

About Us

bpha is a Housing Association located in the Oxford to Cambridge Corridor, which is committed to providing its customers with high quality, value for money services whilst continuing to develop energy efficient, sustainable and affordable housing.

We are a leading provider and developer of affordable homes – for rent, shared ownership and supported housing.

We work together with communities – to improve opportunities, independence and quality of life for our residents, and to benefit the wider community. We bring people together, and run and support a wide range of community activities.

We invest the money we make in existing homes, to enable us to build new homes, and to deliver new and improved services.

As a bpha employee, you’d be joining 500 passionate and valued colleagues. All working together, to achieve our mission and deliver quality service for over 20,000 homes and a more than 33,000 residents (and counting!).

Our vision and values

‘Quality homes. Connected communities’.

Our vision underpins our commitment to provide and maintain safe, sustainable, efficient, high standard homes for local people.

Our values underpin the work that we do and are ingrained in our culture at bpha. We are looking for people who can share these values and translate them into day‑to‑day practices for the benefit of our communities, customers and fellow colleagues. So that we can realise our vision, together.

We are ambitious

We are better together

We show empathy

We take responsibility

Benefits

We believe that benefits should be more than just perks. For us, they aren’t simply little extras added on at the end, they’re fundamental parts of what we stand for, from the very beginning. As standard.

That’s why at bpha, we reward our employees by making sure we give them a supportive and caring environment, that empowers them to be happy, healthy and inspired, every day.

• Holiday entitlement of 28-33 days a year, plus public holidays
• Contributory pension scheme
• Competitive pay
• Life assurance cover
• Private healthcare
• Mental Health First Aid
• Counselling service
• Eye tests
• Discounted gym membership
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Free annual flu jabs
• Wellbeing activities and events
• Free fruit and refreshments
• Long service award
• Annual staff recognition awards
• Discretionary reward scheme
• Annual volunteering day
• Social events, clubs and activities
• Breakout areas
• Onsite cafe/restaurant at headquarters
• Opportunities for professional training and qualifications
• Workshops and training sessions for new skills
• A fresh and modern eLearning platform

Documents

HR Assistant Role Profile - Download