People Services Support Desk Executive

Grant Thornton UK LLP; Milton Keynes; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Hybrid work model

Job summary

Grant Thornton UK LLP is seeking a Support Desk Executive in Milton Keynes. You will provide in-depth HR policy guidance, handle contractual queries, and support managers and employees with people data and processes. The role emphasizes data accuracy, policy interpretation, and cross-system data integrity.

The successful candidate will work in a hybrid setup, engaging with managers, employees and stakeholders while supporting day-to-day HR activities and continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• Strong working knowledge of HR policy, contractual terms and people processes.
• Confident user of Workday, with the ability to investigate and correct transactions.
• High attention to detail and a focus on data quality.

Responsibilities

• Act as a knowledgeable first point of contact for people managers and employees.
• Provide policy interpretation and practical guidance on terms and notices.
• Deliver one-touch guidance to resolve queries at first contact.
• Advise on contractual terms, working patterns and changes.
• Support people managers with process tasks and responsibilities.
• Handle holiday, leaver and pay queries with care.
• Ensure data accuracy across HR systems and transactions.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes and feed back to the team.

Skills

HR policy knowledge

Data accuracy

Communication

Problem solving

Education

CIPD qualification (preferred)

Tools

Workday

Job description

Hybrid - Milton Keynes, England, United Kingdom

Aug 21, 2026

At Grant Thornton we do things differently - looking to the future, driving ambitious growth and pioneering positive change in our industry. Providing audit, tax and advisory services, we empower clients through strategic insight, curiosity, and genuine partnership. And we empower our people with real opportunity, an inclusive culture and work life balance. A true alternative.

With over 5,000 people in the UK, and a presence in 150 global markets, we're on an ambitious journey, from great to exceptional, and we need the best people to help us achieve our potential. And with that comes the opportunity to help redefine what our industry looks like, and what you want from your career.

Job Description:

MORE THAN YOU EXPECTED

Grant Thornton UK LLP is part of a global network of independent audit, tax and advisory firms, made up of some 58,000 people in over 135 countries. We're a team of independent thinkers who put quality, inclusion and integrity first. All around the world we bring a different experience to our clients. A better experience. One that delivers the expertise they need in a way that goes beyond. Personal, proactive, and agile. That's Grant Thornton.

NEWGROUND WON’T BREAK ITSELF.

Everyday our teams help people in businesses and communities to do what is right and achieve their goals.

The Support Desk Executive provides indepth, knowledgeled support to the business on people processes and contractual changes. Sitting above the administration tier, the role applies sound judgement to policy, contractual and process questionsunderpinned by knowledge ofGrant ThorntonUK LLPstructures, systems and ways of working. It acts as a trusted point of guidance for people managers,employees and helps maintain accuracy and consistency across people data and transactions.

We’rehappy to talk flexible working and consider reduced hoursand job shares,we’ll support you to balance your work and life.

Alook intothe role

AsaSupport Desk Executivewithinourteam, you will:

Advisory and guidance

• Act as a knowledgeable first point of contact forpeoplemanagers,employeesand stakeholders, resolving people queries directly where possible and applying judgement rather than simply signposting. This means understanding not just what a policy says, but how it applies to a particular situation.


• Policy interpretation and application-Read across the firm’s people policies and apply them to real situations, including the grey areas where more than one policy is in play or the answer is not immediately obvious.


• One touchpoint guidance -Resolve queries fully at first contact wherever possible, reducing the need to hand off or elevate and givingPeoplemanagers andour peoplea clear, complete answer.


• Contractual guidance-Advise on the practical effect of contractual terms for example notice periods, working patterns and changes to terms and explain what can and cannot be changed and how.


• People manager guidance-Support people managers,helping them understand processes and their responsibilities, and guiding them through tasks they complete themselves.


• Holiday, leaver and pay queries-Handle queries on holiday entitlement and balances, the leaverprocessandpayrelated questions, recognising where a query has a contractual or compliance dimension that needs care.


• Moments that matter-Provide informed support across the firm’s employee experience and wellbeing touchpoints, applying the same accuracy and consistency expected elsewhere in the role.

Systems, data and process

• Apply technical knowledge of the firm’s people systems to keep data accurate, investigate where transactions have gone wrong, and help the wider team work more effectively. This part of the role calls for an understanding of how the systems fit together, not just how to complete individual tasks.


• Understand how data connects-Recognise how people data flows through systems and the impact when something changes.


• Investigate and fix issues-Identify and resolve transactions that haven’t worked as expected, getting to the root cause.


• Take an endtoend view-Understand how processes fit together so you can diagnose issues in contextrather than in isolation


• Reporting and integrations-Produce and interpret reporting, and understand how data integrates between systems, including the impact when something changes upstream.


• Optimisation and the feedback loop-Identifyopportunities to improve and simplify processes and feed these back through the process feedback loop so the team continually improves.

Knowing you’re right for us

• Strongworking knowledge of HR policy, contractual terms and people processes


• Experience advising managers and employees on people queries


• Confident user ofWorkday, with the ability to investigate and correct transactions


• Highattention to detail and a focus on data quality


• Clear written and verbal communication


• Ability to manage a varied workload and prioritise effectively

It would be great if you had some of the following skills, but don’t worry if you don’t tick every box,we’ll help you develop along the way.

• CIPD qualification, or working towards one


• Experience of reporting, integrations or process improvement


• Experience working across a multi-location or shared services team

Knowing we’re right for you

Embracing uniqueness, the culture at Grant Thornton thrives on the contributions of all our people, we never settle for what is easy, we look beyond to deliver the right thing, for everyone.Building an inclusive culture, where we value difference and respect our colleagueshelps our people to perform at the best of their ability and realise their potential.

Our open and accessible culture means you’ll interact with leaders who are interested in you and everything you bring to our firm. The things that set you apart, we value them. That’s why we give you the freedom to bring your whole self to workand pursue your passions inside and outside of work.

Beyond the job

Life is more than work.The things you do, and the people you’re with outside of work matter, that’swhy we’rehappy to look at flexible working options for all our roles, and we’ll always do our best to keep your work and life in balance.

The impact you can make here will go far beyond your day job. From secondments, to fundraising for local charities, or investing in entrepreneurs in the developing world, you’ll be giving back to society . It’s that drive to do the right thing that runs through our every move, grounded in our firm’s values – purposefully driven, actively curious and candid but kind.

We’re looking for people who want to contribute, spark fresh ideas and go beyond expectations. People who want to be able to proudly do what’s right, for the firm, our clients, our people and themselves. It’s how it should be.

Grant Thornton UK is a leading advisory firm that combines global expertise with local insights, delivering tailored assurance, tax, and advisory services to drive sustainable growth.

30 Finsbury Square, London, Greater London EC2P 2YU, GB Priory Place, New London Road, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 0PP, GB Spinningfields, Manchester, M3 3EB, GB 115 Edmund Street, Birmingham, B3 2HJ, GB 46 Queens Road, Aberdeen, Scotland AB15 4YE, GB 80 Compair Crescent, Ipswich, Suffolk IP2 0EH, GB