Senior Human Resources Officer - London

English Path; Slough; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

English Path is seeking a Senior Human Resources Officer to partner with leaders across multiple entities and support the employee lifecycle in a fast-paced, international environment. You will manage complex Employee Relations matters, influence organisational change, and drive HR best practices in a fully on-site role based in the UK.

You will collaborate with payroll providers, ensure legal compliance, and deliver high-quality HR support while partnering with senior stakeholders to shape

Qualifications

• Minimum 4–5 years' experience in a broad HR Generalist role within a fast-paced, complex organisation.
• Demonstrable experience managing a wide range of Employee Relations cases, including disciplinary, grievance, performance management, absence management, restructures and Employment Tribunal preparation.
• Excellent working knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice.
• Experience supporting geographically dispersed and/or international workforces, with an appreciation of differing employment practices and cultural environments.
• Sound understanding of payroll processes and statutory compliance, with experience working alongside outsourced payroll providers.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to build credibility and develop effective working relationships at all levels.
• Commercially aware with a pragmatic, solutions-focused approach to HR.
• Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver high-quality work in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce professional HR documentation and correspondence.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with professionalism and discretion.
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, or equivalent relevant experience.

Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted HR advisor to managers across multiple business entities, providing pragmatic, commercially focused HR guidance on the full employee lifecycle.
• Manage a broad range of complex Employee Relations cases, including disciplinary, grievance, capability, absence management, probation, flexible working, family leave and performance management, ensuring legal compliance and best practice.
• Oversee the end-to-end onboarding process, working closely with managers and Talent Acquisition to ensure all pre-employment checks, documentation, inductions and probation activities are completed in a timely, compliant manner and a seamless and engaging experience from offer acceptance through to successful integration into the business.
• Support the preparation of Employment Tribunal (or equivalent) documentation and work closely with the GEDU HR Manager and external legal advisers where required.
• Build strong, credible relationships with managers and employees, providing coaching and guidance to develop management capability and drive consistent people practices.
• Partner with senior stakeholders to support organisational change, workforce planning, restructures and other people initiatives.
• Provide expert advice on UK employment legislation, HR policies and procedures, ensuring consistent application across all sites.
• Work collaboratively with third-party payroll providers and internal stakeholders to ensure accurate and timely payroll inputs, resolving payroll queries and supporting statutory compliance.
• Analyse HR data and trends to identify risks, recommend improvements and support informed business decisions.
• Support the implementation and continuous improvement of HR policies, procedures and processes, ensuring they remain compliant, efficient and aligned with business objectives.
• Act as an escalation point for complex HR queries, providing timely, practical and customer-focused solutions.
• Work closely with the wider HR team to ensure a consistent, high-quality HR service across all business areas.
• Maintain accurate HR records and ensure all records are updated.
• Contribute to HR projects and continuous improvement initiatives that enhance the employee experience and operational effectiveness.

Skills

HR Generalist

Employee Relations

UK Employment Law

Stakeholder Management

Payroll Knowledge

Analytical Skills

Attention to Detail

Communication Skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources

Job description

English Path is a rapidly growing international language school delivering immersive English, French, and German learning experiences across the UK, Europe, North America, and the Middle East.

About the role:

Are you an experienced HR professional who thrives in a fast-paced, international environment? Do you enjoy partnering with leaders, influencing business decisions, and making a real impact on the employee experience? If so, we'd love to hear from you. As our Senior Human Resources Officer, you'll report directly to the GEDU HR Manager and play a pivotal role in delivering a proactive, commercially focused HR service across the EP Brand, which operates in 10 countries worldwide, including the UK, alongside three additional UK legal entities across multiple locations.

This is an exciting opportunity to work as a trusted HR partner, collaborating with senior leaders to support business growth, shape people strategies, and deliver exceptional HR support across the entire employee lifecycle. You'll have the autonomy to manage complex employee relations matters, influence organisational change, and drive HR best practice within a dynamic and evolving business.

This role is based fully On-site, 5 days per week.

Role and responsibilities:

• Act as a trusted HR advisor to managers across multiple business entities, providing pragmatic, commercially focused HR guidance on the full employee lifecycle.
• Manage a broad range of complex Employee Relations cases, including disciplinary, grievance, capability, absence management, probation, flexible working, family leave and performance management, ensuring legal compliance and best practice.
• Oversee the end-to-end onboarding process, working closely with managers and Talent Acquisition to ensure all pre-employment checks, documentation, inductions and probation activities are completed in a timely, compliant manner and a seamless and engaging experience from offer acceptance through to successful integration into the business.
• Support the preparation of Employment Tribunal (or equivalent) documentation and work closely with the GEDU HR Manager and external legal advisers where required.
• Build strong, credible relationships with managers and employees, providing coaching and guidance to develop management capability and drive consistent people practices.
• Partner with senior stakeholders to support organisational change, workforce planning, restructures and other people initiatives.
• Provide expert advice on UK employment legislation, HR policies and procedures, ensuring consistent application across all sites.
• Work collaboratively with third-party payroll providers and internal stakeholders to ensure accurate and timely payroll inputs, resolving payroll queries and supporting statutory compliance.
• Analyse HR data and trends to identify risks, recommend improvements and support informed business decisions.
• Support the implementation and continuous improvement of HR policies, procedures and processes, ensuring they remain compliant, efficient and aligned with business objectives.
• Act as an escalation point for complex HR queries, providing timely, practical and customer-focused solutions.
• Work closely with the wider HR team to ensure a consistent, high-quality HR service across all business areas.
• Maintain accurate HR records and ensure all records are updated.
• Contribute to HR projects and continuous improvement initiatives that enhance the employee experience and operational effectiveness.

What you'll need:

• Minimum of 4–5 years' experience in a broad HR Generalist role within a fast-paced, complex organisation.
• Demonstrable experience managing a wide range of Employee Relations cases, including disciplinary, grievance, performance management, absence management, restructures and Employment Tribunal preparation.
• Excellent working knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice.
• Experience supporting geographically dispersed and/or international workforces, with an appreciation of differing employment practices and cultural environments.
• Sound understanding of payroll processes and statutory compliance, with experience working alongside outsourced payroll providers.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to build credibility and develop effective working relationships at all levels.
• Commercially aware with a pragmatic, solutions-focused approach to HR.
• Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver high-quality work in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce professional HR documentation and correspondence.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with professionalism and discretion.
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, or equivalent relevant experience.

Desirable

• CIPD Level 5 qualification (or working towards) or equivalent professional qualification.
• Experience supporting HR operations across multiple legal entities or international locations.
• Experience in managing workforces in France, Germany, Ireland, Canada or Australia would be beneficial.
• Experience of organisational change, TUPE, or restructuring projects.

We are looking for an experienced and confident Senior HR Officer who is passionate about delivering high-quality, people-focused HR support while balancing commercial priorities. You will be a trusted advisor to managers, bringing sound judgement, credibility and a proactive approach to solving complex people challenges.

You will have a strong generalist HR background with proven experience managing complex employee relations matters, interpreting employment legislation and partnering with stakeholders to deliver practical, business-focused solutions. Comfortable operating in a fast-paced and evolving environment, you will be highly organised, adaptable and able to manage competing priorities without compromising on quality or compliance.

Safeguarding Commitment:

English Path is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be required to undergo relevant background checks.