Hr Assistant (Maternity Cover)

Joseph Rowntree Group; York and North Yorkshire; Hybrid; GBP 12,000 - 18,000; Part time

Job summary

Joseph Rowntree Group invites applications for a 12-month fixed-term maternity cover as an HR Assistant (part-time 28 hours per week). You will join the People Shared Services team to deliver high-quality HR administration across the employee lifecycle.

You will handle recruitment, changes, absence, and benefits, maintain confidential records, and support payroll system updates, contracts, pre-employment checks, and data audits. Flexibility and accuracy are essential in a busy environment.

Qualifications

• Solid experience of HR administration within a busy environment.
• Good understanding of employment legislation and HR processes.
• Able to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Strong communication and customer service.

Responsibilities

• Provide HR administration across the employee lifecycle, including recruitment, changes, absence, learning and development and employee benefits.
• Maintain accurate, confidential employee records and process starters/changes on HR and payroll systems.
• Prepare contracts and other HR documents and respond to queries from colleagues, candidates and managers.
• Support pre-employment and compliance checks (right to work, references, DBS) and Occupational Health referrals and data audits.
• Act as first point of contact for HR enquiries and guide on policies, escalating complex matters as needed.
• Support People Team projects and improve HR systems and processes.

Skills

HR administration

Attention to detail

Communication

Education

CIPD Level 3 (advantageous)

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

12 Months Fixed Term Contract (Maternity Cover), Part Time (28 hours per week)

We’re looking for an organised and proactive HR Assistant to join our People Shared Services team on a 12-month maternity cover contract.

About the role

Working as part of a busy People Team, you’ll provide a high-quality HR administration service across the employee lifecycle, supporting areas including recruitment, employee changes, absence, learning and development and employee benefits.

You’ll maintain accurate and confidential employee records, process new starters and changes on our HR and payroll system, prepare contracts and other HR documentation and respond to queries from colleagues, candidates and managers. You’ll also support pre-employment and compliance checks, including right to work, references and DBS checks, as well as Occupational Health referrals and regular data audits.

As a first point of contact for general HR enquiries, you’ll provide straightforward guidance on policies and processes, escalating more complex matters where appropriate. You’ll also have the opportunity to support wider People Team projects and identify ways we can continue to improve our systems and processes.

This is a varied role where accuracy, organisation and great customer service are key.

About you

You’ll have solid experience of HR administration within a busy environment and a good understanding of employment legislation and HR processes. Highly organised and able to manage competing priorities, you’ll have excellent attention to detail and be confident working accurately to deadlines. You’ll be a strong communicator who can build positive relationships with colleagues at all levels and provide a friendly, professional and responsive service.

You’ll be comfortable using Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel and Outlook, as well as HR software systems, and will be confident handling sensitive and confidential information. You’ll be proactive, flexible and willing to use your initiative to solve problems and improve ways of working.

A CIPD/Level 3 qualification would be advantageous but are not essential.

The closing date for applications is 8th November 2026

Additional Information

Applications are welcome from all, regardless of age, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief, race, sex, sexual orientation, trans status or socioeconomic background.

We positively encourage applications from people from marginalised backgrounds, including but not limited to those with experience of living in poverty.

We are committed to being an anti-racist organisation and operate an anonymised recruitment process so that bias is eliminated from the shortlisting process.

In support of our approach to flexible working, we are happy to receive applications from those seeking full-time employment, as well as those who may want to share the role on a part-time basis. When making your application, please state whether you want to be considered for either full or part-time work and, if part-time, the number of hours per week you would be looking for.

At JRF we’re at our best when we’re continually building on trust, showing we care and making a difference – and hope others will do the same. So, for those roles which allow it, we’re developing a more blended approach to how and where you work. This means you can expect to work flexibly between the office and home with an expectation of one day in the office a week.