Senior Human Resources Associate

Planet Pharma; Basingstoke; Hybrid; GBP 43,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Planet Pharma is seeking a Senior Associate - HR Operations to join a UK-wide HR function. The role involves managing UK HR processes across the employee lifecycle and providing guidance on policies to staff and managers.

You will own local processes, work with third-party providers, ensure data accuracy, and drive operational excellence. The position is a 12-month contract with potential extension, hybrid in Basingstoke, 37.5 hours per week.

Qualifications

• Degree educated or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience delivering HR administrative and operational processes in a complex organisation.
• Knowledge of UK employment legislation, including family leave, absence management, working time rules and data protection.
• Ability to improve HR processes and deliver measurable improvements.
• Strong Excel and HR data analysis skills.
• Experience identifying data quality issues and implementing solutions.
• Customer-focused, proactive and solutions-oriented.
• Ability to balance delivery with process ownership and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Operate and manage UK HR processes across the employee lifecycle.
• Provide guidance on UK HR policies to employees, managers, and HR colleagues.
• Support family leave, absence management, benefits, pensions, mobility, immigration, and car programmes.
• Own and improve local HR processes ensuring legal compliance.
• Manage relationships with third-party HR providers and ensure service levels.
• Ensure data accuracy, reporting and data feeds.
• Produce and analyse HR metrics and compliance reports.
• Identify improvements to self-service resources and processes.
• Support HR data privacy activities and records management.
• Coach HR administration colleagues and maintain resilience.

Skills

HR operations

Data analysis

Excel advanced

Stakeholder management

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Workday

HRIS

HR case management system

Job description

Length: 12 month contract (potential to extend)

Location: hybrid with minimum 3 days on site in Basingstoke

FTE: full time, 37.5 hours per week

Job Description

My client is a renowned Pharmaceutical company, seeking a Senior Associate - HR Operations to join a high-performing HR function supporting employees and stakeholders across the UK & Northern Europe Hub.

Key Responsibilities

• Operate and manage UK HR processes across the employee lifecycle, including complex and non-standard cases.
• Provide expert guidance to employees, managers, and HR colleagues on UK HR policies and procedures.
• Support areas including family leave, absence management, sick pay, benefits, pensions, mobility, immigration, and company car programmes.
• Own, document, and continuously improve local HR processes, ensuring compliance with UK legislation and company policies.
• Manage relationships with third-party HR service providers and ensure service delivery standards are met.
• Take ownership of HR data accuracy, integrity, reporting, and associated data feeds.
• Produce and analyse HR metrics, compliance reports, and operational performance data.
• Identify opportunities to improve employee and manager self-service resources and HR processes.
• Act as a key contact for HR data privacy activities, including records management and privacy impact assessments.
• Support and coach HR administration colleagues while maintaining operational resilience across the wider team.

About You

• Degree educated or equivalent professional experience.
• Strong experience operating HR administrative and operational processes within a complex organisation.
• Sound understanding of UK employment legislation, including family leave, absence management, working time regulations, right-to-work requirements, and data protection.
• Demonstrated experience improving HR processes and delivering measurable operational improvements.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel and strong HR data analysis skills.
• Experience identifying root causes of data quality issues and implementing effective solutions.
• Customer-focused mindset with a proactive and solutions-oriented approach.
• Ability to balance operational delivery with process ownership and continuous improvement responsibilities.
• Excellent judgement when handling sensitive and confidential employee information.
• Comfortable leveraging AI and technology tools to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

Preferred Experience

• Experience within a large global organisation.
• Experience within the Pharmaceutical, Biotech or Medical device industry strongly preferred.
• Workday and HR case management system experience.
• Experience managing third-party HR providers against service level agreements.
• Knowledge of pensions, benefits, or global mobility administration.
• Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement training.
• Forward-thinking mindset with a passion for improving processes and employee experience.

Why Apply?

This is an opportunity to join a collaborative HR team where you'll have real ownership of critical HR processes and the ability to influence how services are delivered across the organisation. You'll gain exposure to a broad range of HR disciplines, work closely with key stakeholders, and play a central role in driving operational excellence, process improvement, data quality, and employee experience within a complex and dynamic environment.

We are an equal opportunities Recruitment Business and Agency. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age. Planet Pharma is an Employment Business providing Global Staffing services.