People Assistant

ITV plc; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

ITV plc in Manchester is seeking a People Assistant on a 12-month fixed-term contract to deliver first-class HR advice and administration. You will support end-to-end employee lifecycle tasks and work closely with the People Operations team to apply policies and processes lawfully.

The role is hands-on and requires handling pre-employment checks, contracts, HR documentation, and incident escalation while maintaining confidentiality and service standards.

Qualifications

• Proven experience of working within a structured administrative environment.
• Experience working in line with established Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
• Experience dealing directly with multiple stakeholders of all different seniorities.
• A professional approach that is supportive, respectful, reliable, resilient, and accountable.

Responsibilities

• Processing contracts for new and existing colleagues, ensuring signed documentation and forms are returned promptly for payroll processing.
• Ensuring critical pre-employment checks are thoroughly carried out, specifically covering proof of Right to Work and DBS checks.
• Overseeing the management of the employee life cycle by processing and issuing key HR documentation to colleagues.
• Maintaining the HR Help Desk and providing exceptional People operational support, covering key processes such as family leave, time off, and leavers in line with Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
• Providing high‑quality, consistent, and proactive advice to colleagues, managers, and Approved Engagers on internal policies, processes, and legislative requirements (including non‑employee contracting, freelancers, and PSCs).
• Driving continuous improvement across the function through data reporting and active systems testing.
• Ensuring the strict integrity, confidentiality, and security of all personal, contractual, and financial information.
• Supporting administrative tasks for People Business Partners on specific employee issues and attending key People meetings.

Skills

Administrative experience

Experience with SLAs

Stakeholder management

Professional approach

Job description

Workplace: ITV Manchester, Media City + Hybrid (2 days per week in office)

The team..

ITV has a collaborative, flexible and fun company culture, full of warm, brilliant people. In HR, we’re here to support and encourage that culture - partnering with teams to add real value and helping everyone reach their full potential. From recruiting the best candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds to helping them grow and develop their career at ITV - and supporting them with a range of wellbeing tools - we’re here to make sure everyone can be their best at ITV.

The role..

We’re looking for a People Assistant to join the team on a 12-month fixed-term contract basis. Reporting into the People Services function, you will provide a first-class, front‑line HR advice and administration service to colleagues and managers, while supporting the end‑to‑end management of the employee and non‑employee lifecycle.

This is a busy, hands‑on operational role where you will partner closely with the wider People Operations team to ensure that all policies, processes, templates, and documentation are applied effectively and lawfully. It is an exceptional opportunity to build relationships across a leading media business, develop your operational HR expertise, and make a tangible impact on our people.

Some of your key day‑to‑day responsibilities will include:

• Processing contracts for new and existing colleagues, ensuring signed documentation and forms are returned promptly for payroll processing.
• Ensuring critical pre‑employment checks are thoroughly carried out, specifically covering proof of Right to Work and DBS checks.
• Overseeing the management of the employee life cycle by processing and issuing key HR documentation to colleagues.
• Maintaining the HR Help Desk and providing exceptional People operational support, covering key processes such as family leave, time off, and leavers in line with Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
• Providing high‑quality, consistent, and proactive advice to colleagues, managers, and Approved Engagers on internal policies, processes, and legislative requirements (including non‑employee contracting, freelancers, and PSCs).
• Driving continuous improvement across the function through data reporting and active systems testing.
• Ensuring the strict integrity, confidentiality, and security of all personal, contractual, and financial information.
• Supporting administrative tasks for People Business Partners on specific employee issues and attending key People meetings.

Skills you’ll need (minimum criteria)

• Proven experience of working within a structured administrative environment.
• Demonstrable experience working in line with established Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
• Previous experience dealing directly with multiple stakeholders of all different seniorities.
• A professional approach that is supportive, respectful, reliable, resilient, and accountable.

Other things we’re looking for (key criteria)

• Previous experience working within a dedicated HR environment is highly advantageous.
• A self‑motivated individual who is eager to take the initiative.
• The ability to adopt a flexible and fluid way of working as priorities change or differ.
• A commitment to promoting good practice and positivity in supporting the principles of Equality and Diversity.
• The ability to demonstrate absolute confidentiality and discretion at all times.
• A calm, structured, and organised approach when working under pressure or managing a busy workload.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with the ability to connect with people easily.
• A foundational understanding of IR35 regulations is desirable.