HR Assistant

William Reed Ltd; England; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A global media group is seeking an HR Assistant to join their team in Gatwick, UK. This full-time, permanent role involves supporting various HR processes including onboarding, payroll preparation, and employee benefits management. Ideal candidates should have strong communication and administration skills, with a collaborative approach to enhancing workplace culture. The position offers hybrid working opportunities and a range of employee benefits including annual leave, wellbeing programs, and a contributory pension.

Benefits

25 days annual leave

Cultural celebration day

Volunteer day

Contributory Pension

Wellbeing benefits

Cycle to Work Scheme

Qualifications

• Previous experience in an administration role in a busy work environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel for HR administration tasks.
• Ability to manage tasks effectively and meet competing deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Onboarding new employees and ensuring documentation completion.
• Assisting with monthly payroll preparation.
• Handling reference requests and processing leavers.
• Contributing to HR projects like digitizing employee records.

Skills

Microsoft Office skills

Strong communication skills

Excellent organisation

Attention to detail

Interpersonal skills

Job description

Who we are

We are William Reed.

We are a global media group delivering exceptional content through events, digital, data & insight.

From agribusiness, ingredients and food processing, to retail, hospitality & fine dining – we provide the inspiration, insight and connections to power our customers’ success.

We have offices in Gatwick, Brighton and London, UK; Montpellier, France; Singapore and Chicago, US. In line with the Company’s current Agile Working Policy, the successful candidate would be eligible to work part of the week from our Gatwick office and to work remotely for the rest of the week.

Position

Position: Full time – permanent

Location: Gatwick / Hybrid

Are you someone who thrives in a collaborative environment and has a knack for organisation and detail? Are you looking to leverage your strong communications and administration skills to build a career in HR? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for an HR Assistant to join our supportive team, dedicated to shaping an inclusive workplace culture.

In this role, you’ll be involved in a range of HR processes that support the full employee journey, from onboarding and probation tracking to payroll preparation and managing leavers. You’ll be working closely with the wider HR team, gaining insight into how HR supports the business and contributes to employee experience.

What you’ll be doing

• Onboarding new employees, ensuring all pre‑employment checks and documentation are completed on time.
• Processing leavers, issuing relevant communications, and handling reference requests.
• Supporting internal moves by updating records and ensuring follow‑up actions are completed.
• Monitoring the HR inbox, responding to queries, and directing messages to the appropriate team members.
• Assisting with monthly payroll preparation, including data entry and benefit processing.
• Managing employee benefits such as Cycle to Work and health schemes, and responding to related queries.
• Tracking probation reviews, escalating overdue actions, and issuing completion letters.
• Handling casual and freelance worker administration, including agreements, timesheets, and onboarding.
• Contributing to HR projects such as digitising employee records.
• Generating routine and ad‑hoc HR reports including absence, headcount, and payroll data.
• Organising wellness events and liaising with external providers.
• Maintaining training records, booking sessions, and managing learning platform access.
• Providing recruitment team support during busy periods or absences.

Requirements

• Previous experience of working successfully in an administration role in a busy and complex work environment.
• Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel, to support data handling and day‑to‑day HR administration.
• Excellent organisation and prioritisation to manage tasks effectively and meet competing deadlines.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate confidently across teams and with stakeholders.
• Attention to detail and the ability to manage a varied workload with competing priorities.
• Confident working independently, taking initiative and contributing to process improvements.
• Excellent collaboration and stakeholder engagement to build strong working relationships across the business.
• Confident speaking with individuals from diverse backgrounds and varying levels of expertise, and able to adapt communication style to suit different audiences and situations.

Company Benefits and Initiatives Include

• 25 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays – increasing by one additional day after 6 years, up to a maximum of 30 days.
• An additional day of leave for you to take on a cultural celebration day or on your birthday if you like. A day for you! At William Reed, we call this our “MeDay”.
• A volunteer day to take for supporting a chosen charity and giving back to the community.
• Opportunity for hybrid working
• Contributory Pension
• Life Assurance Scheme
• Group Income Protection
• Enhanced family‑friendly leave pay entitlements
• Wellbeing benefits, including: A health care cash plan, Employee assistance programme, Virtual GP service and Access to health & wellbeing resources and tools.
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Electric Car Scheme

Why work for us

We provide a supportive work environment and are committed to maintaining a healthy work/life balance for all of our employees. Working for William Reed means that you will be joining a stable organisation that is committed to developing its employees and brands.

We warmly welcome and encourage applications from talented individuals of all backgrounds and characteristics.

If you need any support in accessing this opportunity, please do not hesitate to discuss this with us.