Interim HR Policy & Compliance Consultant

Catalyst Partners; Slough; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Catalyst Partners seeks an experienced HR Policy and Compliance Advisor to review and update HR policies, ensuring alignment with UK employment legislation and European requirements. You will establish a governance framework, policy matrix and schedules to drive compliant and consistent practice across the organisation.

The role involves collaboration with Legal and Data Protection, stakeholder engagement, and the delivery of practical guidance to managers on policy interpretation and escalation

Qualifications

• Proven ability to draft clear, accessible and legally informed HR policies, procedures and guidance.
• Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to translate complex employment law and policy requirements into practical guidance.
• Strong analytical capability, attention to detail and risk awareness.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver high-quality work within agreed deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Audit existing HR policies for UK and European compliance with employment law and case law.
• Draft, update and standardise policies reflecting legislation and regulatory requirements.
• Develop and maintain a policy governance framework including a policy matrix and review schedule.
• Collaborate with Legal and Data Protection to ensure alignment with wider compliance frameworks.

Skills

Policy drafting

Stakeholder management

Governance & control

Risk awareness

Written communication

Education

CIPD Level 5 or above

Employment law qualification (advantageous)

Job description

Our client is a large, established global trading and investment organisation operating across a diverse portfolio of industries. With an extensive international footprint, the organisation operates within a complex, highly regulated and multicultural environment.

The organisation is seeking an experienced HR Policy and Compliance Advisor to ensure its people policies, procedures and supporting guidance remain legally compliant, current and aligned with organisational values and best practice.

Main Purpose of the Role

The HR Policy and Compliance Advisor will undertake a comprehensive review of existing HR policies, identify gaps and update or develop policies in line with current UK employment legislation and relevant European requirements.

The role will also support the development and maintenance of a proportionate policy governance framework, including a policy matrix and review schedule, to enable effective compliance oversight and consistent implementation across the organisation.

Position Within the Organisation

The role has no direct reports.

Key Responsibilities

Policy Review and Development

• Conduct a comprehensive audit of existing HR and people policies, procedures and guidance to assess compliance with UK and applicable European employment legislation and case law.
• Identify gaps, inconsistencies and areas of risk within the existing policy framework and recommend appropriate solutions.
• Draft, update and standardise HR policies to reflect legislative developments, regulatory requirements and organisational strategy.
• Ensure policies incorporate best practice across equality, diversity and inclusion, employee relations, wellbeing and data protection

Governance and Compliance

• Create and maintain an HR Policy Matrix, mapping each policy to its owner, review date, approval route, legal or regulatory driver and associated guidance.
• Maintain a Policy Review Schedule covering agreed review cycles, progress updates, approval checkpoints and evidence of implementation.
• Monitor relevant UK and European employment law developments, assess their potential policy implications and escalated material risks or decisions to the appropriate senior stakeholder.
• Work collaboratively with Legal, Data Protection and other relevant stakeholders to validate policy content and ensure alignment with wider compliance frameworks, without providing formal legal advice.
• Maintain accurate records of policy approvals, version control and review outcomes.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Collaborate with HR Business Partners, Employee Relations, Reward, Talent and other relevant teams to ensure policies are practical and effectively implemented.
• Lead or support consultation processes where required in relation to policy changes.
• Provide practical advice and guidance to managers and HR colleagues on policy interpretation, application and appropriate escalation routes.
• Build effective relationships with stakeholders at all levels of the organisation.

Implementation and Communication

• Support the implementation of new and revised policies through clear communication plans and accessible guidance materials.
• Develop manager toolkits, FAQs and training resources to promote understanding and consistent application.
• Monitor policy effectiveness through stakeholder feedback, audits and employee relations trends.

Reporting and Continuous Improvement

• Prepare regular policy compliance updates for senior stakeholders, covering review progress, approvals, priority risks, upcoming legislative changes and implementation status.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement across HR governance and people practices.

Additional Departmental Support

• Support wider People and HR projects as required.
• Assist with quarterly GDPR-related processing.
• Present departmental updates at quarterly People team meetings.

Qualifications

• CIPD Level 5 or above, or equivalent professional experience.
• A qualification in employment law or compliance would be advantageous.

Skills and Competencies

• Proven ability to draft clear, accessible and legally informed HR policies, procedures and guidance.
• Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to translate complex employment law and policy requirements into practical guidance.
• Strong analytical capability, attention to detail and risk awareness.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver high-quality work within agreed deadlines.
• Strong governance discipline, including version control, review tracking, stakeholder approvals and compliance reporting.
• Effective influencing and stakeholder-management skills at all organisational levels.
• A high level of discretion and professionalism when handling sensitive information.

Experience

• Demonstrable experience of HR policy development and employment law compliance within the UK.
• Strong working knowledge of UK employment legislation, with awareness of relevant European directives and case law.
• Experience conducting policy audits and implementing effective governance frameworks.
• Previous experience within a complex or regulated organisation would be advantageous.