Senior HR Administration Advisor - Manchester

Addleshaw Goddard LLP; Manchester; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Addleshaw Goddard LLP in Manchester is seeking a Senior HR Admin Advisor to lead the HR Admin team and deputise for the HR Admin Manager. The role focuses on operational HR excellence, lifecycle management, and strategic HR delivery across the firm.

You will mentor a team of Advisors and Assistants, drive process improvements, manage stakeholder expectations, and ensure compliance with employment laws. This is a globally supporting, centre-of-excellence role within HR Operations.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in HR administration and HR processes.
• Excellent leadership and people management skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities.
• Strong relationship-building across teams in a professional services environment.
• Global mindset with ability to adapt to jurisdictional requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor the HR Admin team to align with firm objectives and SLAs.
• Oversee day-to-day HR administrative operations from onboarding to offboarding.
• Contribute to HR strategy development and implementation with stakeholders.
• Act as deputy to the HR Admin Manager and provide guidance to the Admin team.
• Maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders to meet HR service needs.
• Ensure compliance with employment laws and policies, updating processes as needed.
• Support larger HR initiatives and drive operational efficiency improvements.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Stakeholder engagement

Communication

Global mindset

Prioritisation

Job description

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Senior HR Admin Advisor is a key leadership position within the Admin team, designed to support the firm's growth and the strategic objectives of the HR Operations team as well as deputising for the HR Admin Manager whilst also leading their own Admin team. The purpose of this role includes:

• Leadership and Team Management: Providing direction and support to the HR Admin team, ensuring that all members are aligned with the firm's objectives and are working efficiently towards common goals. This involves mentoring team members, identifying training needs, and fostering a positive and collaborative team environment.
• Operational Excellence: Overseeing the day-to-day HR administrative operations with a keen focus on optimising processes and ensuring the smooth execution of HR tasks. This includes managing the employee lifecycle, from onboarding to offboarding, and everything in between.
• Strategic Implementation: Actively contributing to the development and implementation of HR strategies that support the firm's objectives. This involves working closely with the HR Manager and other key stakeholders to identify innovative solutions and improvements to current HR practices.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Building and maintaining strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure that HR services meet their needs and expectations. This requires excellent communication skills and the ability to understand and address the diverse needs of different departments and individuals.
• Compliance and Risk Management: Ensuring that all HR practices comply with relevant laws, regulations, and policies. This includes staying informed about changes in employment law and implementing necessary adjustments to HR processes and policies.
• Performance and Quality Assurance: Monitoring and evaluating the performance of the HR Admin team against established standards and SLAs This involves implementing quality control measures to ensure high standards of work and identifying areas for continuous improvement.

THE TEAM

The HR Operations team is now 30+ people. They are a highly motivated and committed team who work together to find the most efficient solutions and aspire to be recognised as a centre of excellence.

The Admin team currently has 4 Advisors, 7 Assistants and 1 Administrator. The current structure has been in place for c2 years, and all Advisors have a strong background in HR Admin having worked in various roles in the firm.

The Admin team are responsible for the efficient delivery and management of the full employee lifecycle globally. The firm has exciting growth plans for the next 5 years and HR delivery to the business is instrumental in those plans.

Whilst the team are based in Manchester, it supports the firm globally and everyone has a responsibility to build and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders across the firm..

WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS ROLE/DUTIES

This role will work across all workstreams to:

• Ensure adherence to key processes across the team, perform control checks (audits), and maintain high-quality standards within the relevant SLAs.
• Use MI to efficiently allocate work among the team members, ensuring a balanced workload and high-quality outcomes. Monitor and evaluate team performance to meet departmental goals.
• Ensure deadlines are met for all key processing (i.e. payroll) allowing for timely and accurate payments to be made either through AG or through a third-party provider.
• Identify training needs and opportunities for team development. Mentor and coach team members to enhance their skills and performance.

The role will also provide support to the wider Admin team, including:

• Responsibility for implementation of larger/complex and innovative solutions to streamline/enhance operational efficiency.
• Take full accountability for the delivery of key cyclical HR processes throughout the year, ensuring they are completed accurately, on time and in line with stakeholder expectations.
• Act as the first point of escalation for HR Admin Advisors (and their applicable teams), providing guidance and support.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with all internal stakeholders, including department heads, employees, and external third parties the teamwork with. Ensuring the HR Admin team meet their requirements and expectations.
• Championing a culture and mindset to be a centre of excellence within the team and ensuring the highest standards at all times.
• Supporting other HR Operations Managers as needed, representing the Admin team.
• Work closely with the HR Admin Manager, acting as their deputy when required and making decisions on their behalf to ensure smooth running of all operational activities and processes.
• Support developing, updating, and enforcing HR policies and procedures, ensuring they are in line with current laws and best practices. This may also involve communicating policy changes to various stakeholders and ensuring compliance.

YOUR AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Proven experience in HR administration, as well as strong knowledge of HR processes and best practices.
• Excellent leadership and people management skills, with a proven track record of leading a team.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities.
• Great relationship building experience across various teams and roles, ideally within a professional services environment.
• Demonstrate a global mindset, with the ability to consider various jurisdictional requirements and flexing your approach to deliver a solution that fits the region's needs. Strong problem-solving skills and independence in decision-making
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with individuals at all job levels within the firm.

OUR FIRM

Our story of international growth is built on a performance mindset, innovation and true collaboration. We believe results follow relationships, so we work closely with each other, and develop deep client connections to deliver.

Our award-winning culture balances high standards and hard work with genuine care – looking out for each other, supporting professional development, in a down to earth and inclusive environment. We do the right things in the right ways, combining commercial excellence and innovative thinking with teamwork. Together, we deliver excellence, achieve stand out solutions, and enable career-defining opportunities.