People and Culture Advisor

Medical Research Council; Greater London; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading medical research institute in Greater London is seeking a People and Culture Advisor to manage HR administration and recruitment processes. This role involves providing support for policies and ensuring compliance with UK legislation. The ideal candidate will have an HR diploma or degree, strong teamwork skills, and experience in HR environments. This full-time, permanent position offers a salary between £36,072 and £39,845, inclusive of London allowance.

Qualifications

• HR Diploma or degree or pursuing CIPD qualification.
• Experience as an HR Advisor handling policies and team training.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information.

Responsibilities

• Provide HR administration support for recruitment and immigration.
• Act as point of contact for People and Culture queries.
• Manage end-to-end recruitment processes for the team.

Skills

Teamwork

Communication Skills

HR Policies Understanding

Attention to Detail

Education

HR Diploma or Degree

CIPD Qualification

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

HR Systems

Job description

Open Date 15/01/2026, 08:30

Close Date 15/02/2026, 23:55

Research Institute MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences

As this job does not fulfil the UK Government minimum salary criterion for obtaining sponsored migrant worker status we will be unable to apply for sponsorship for anyone not eligible to work in the UK. At interview, all shortlisted candidates are required to bring with them identification documents and original documents that prove they hold or can obtain the right to work in the UK. You can check your eligibility here: Research Institute / Unit Information

The LMS is a world‑class research laboratory where scientists and clinicians collaborate to advance the understanding of biology and its application to medicine. Funded by the MRC as part of UK Research and Innovation, the LMS has a collaborative working culture and new state‑of‑the‑art building based in the heart of West London in the Hammersmith Hospital Campus (W12).

The LMS aims to deliver transdisciplinary team science, in synergistic interaction with Imperial College and the wider national research environment. Part of achieving this, is to recruit new talent and support postdoctoral scientists to become world leaders in their area of science.

UK Research and Innovation is a new entity that brings together nine partners to create an independent organisation with a strong voice for research and innovation, more information can be found at

Band MRC - 5

Location London

Salary £36,072 – £39,845 per annum inclusive of London allowance

Contract Type Permanent

Job Type Administration & Management

Employment Full Time

Overall Purpose

The LMS People and Culture team supports the LMS Director, LMS and IC (Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London) Group Heads in all aspects of staff management, including recruitment and retention, performance management and motivation, reward, restructuring and change management.

The People and Culture Advisor is responsible for:

• Providing an efficient and professional people administration support service to meet the requirements of the MRC and Imperial College London
• Act as a local specialist for all aspects of recruitment and immigration
• Support the Head and Deputy Head of People and Culture in the application and communication of People-related policies and procedures to Group Heads, Managers and employees

Working Relationships

• Reports to the Deputy Head of People and Culture
• Liaises with LMS Administration colleagues, UKSBS, UKRI, Imperial College London Teams and Imperial College NHS Trust, and other outside bodies as appropriate

Main Duties

• Act as point of contact for email or in-person queries entering the People and Culture department, resolving where possible and escalating when needed
• Liaise with Group Heads for LMS / IC to manage the recruitment of staff by co-ordinating the end-to-end recruitment process and ensuring the relevant people (Imperial / UKRI Recruitment teams) are informed at every step.
• Issue, organise and review contracts of employment ensuring they are sent to successful candidates promptly and ensure records of all new starters are maintained
• Organise and run the LMS Induction programme for all new starters within LMS. Coordinate the ‘New Starters Lunch’ and follow up on any queries raised or support required
• Provide advice to managers for general People and Recruitment issues, ensuring adherence to UKRI/MRC policies and UK employment legislation
• Support and assist with SAS Awards panels and Promotional Panels
• Liaise with staff on maternity and paternity leave and provide information and assistance on the application of policy. Have 1:1 meetings with employees as required and ensure the Maternity Leave Tracker is up to date and any actions for payroll are appropriately actioned
• Ensure an effective leaver process is adhered to
• Monitor sickness absence levels, highlighting to managers when employees exceed the MRC sickness absence monitoring point. In conjunction with the Deputy Head, provide assistance, advice and support to managers in managing sickness absence supporting meetings and discussions
• Ensure accurate records are kept for all starters and leavers for the LMS / IC on a monthly basis and any changes are notified to payroll in a timely manner
• Provide on-the-job training and day-to-day supervision / support to the People and Culture Administrator
• Support the Head and Deputy Head of People and Culture in the implementation of all People-related policies
• Advertise training and development opportunities or information to staff
• Support with the administration of training programmes and conduct/deliver training sessions and workshops if needed
• Act as People and Culture representative or as note-taker for recruitment interview panels, exit interviews, promotion and award panels and formal hearing meetings for LMS / IC when nominated by the Deputy Head of People and Culture
• Support the Head and Deputy Head of People and Culture with arrangements for restructuring and proactively ensure that any related payroll enquiries & actions are delivered on time
• Organise OH referrals in conjunction with the Deputy Head of People and Culture and manage the return-to-work process
• Manage requests for Studio
• Work closely with the UKSBS and Imperial College to ensure that SLAs are met and service delivery is exemplary
• Undertake project work and casework as required improvement projects, writing protocols, developing posters, writing information booklets and staff communications, note-taking and report writing for ER cases
• In conjunction with the Deputy Head of People and Culture analyse monthly reports to ensure all fixed-term contracts and leavers are dealt with according to LMS / Imperial policy and current legislation and the appropriate process is followed
• Regular updating of the LMS Intranet and website
• Coordinate recruitment of contractors via the Public Resourcing Sector, approving timesheets and arranging payments via Fieldglass
• You will follow best practice, and keep yourself updated on changes, whilst always maintaining our culture
• Any other duties as deemed job-related by the Head and Deputy Head of People and Culture

Person Specification

Education / Qualifications / Training required (will be assessed from the application form)

Essential:

• HR Diploma / HR Degree educated

or

• Studying towards a CIPD qualification or part-qualified CIPD

Desirable:

• Strong numerical skills

Knowledge and experience (will be assessed from the application form and at the interview)

Essential:

• Experience of working in a team at HR Advisor level
• Experience of providing on-the-job training
• Providing advice and guidance on the application of policies and practices in a busy and complex environment
• Knowledge of current UK legislation and HR practices
• Experience of producing accurate minutes and meeting notes
• Practical experience of interpreting People-related policies and practices and applying them to different scenarios
• Ability to produce timely and accurate reports

Desirable:

• Proven Administrative experience
• Supervisory experience
• Previous experience of working in science/academia / healthcare / NHS
• Experience of working with a Shared Services Centre
• Experience of ER

Administration & Communication Skills

Essential:

• Experience in taking formal minutes
• Proactive approach, capable of identifying and implementing improvements to admin processes and services.
• Excellent communication skills both oral and written
• Strong attention to detail and focus on high-quality work
• Ability to apply diplomacy and patience in difficult situations or where there are competing needs

Desirable:

• Experience in writing reports

Organisational Skills

Essential:

• Ability to organise time effectively, prioritise and work to deadlines
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team
• Ability to use own initiative and work with minimal supervision
• Experience in building and maintaining strong relationships

IT Skills

Essential:

• Intermediate level skills in the use of Microsoft applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook) and the internet
• Proven experience working with HR systems

Desirable:

• Confident with updating the website and Intranet
• Working knowledge of Fusion

Personal skills / behaviours / qualities (will be assessed at the interview)

Essential:

• Strong customer service focus
• Reliable and responsible attitude
• A committed individual with proactive and flexible attitude to work and keen to learn
• A professional manner capable of working confidentially and dealing with sensitive information