Solution SME - Pay (FTC until Oct 2026)

JD Sports Fashion; Bury; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff discount on JD Group's brands

Personal development opportunities

Job summary

A leading sports retailer in the UK seeks a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for the People function to deliver a full HRIS program aimed at enhancing colleague experience. The role involves evaluating business operations, recommending technical solutions, and ensuring compliance with legislative requirements. The ideal candidate will possess demonstrable experience in people disciplines, advanced knowledge of HR systems, and exceptional project management skills. This role offers opportunities for personal development and staff discounts as part of the perks.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience as a leading Subject Matter Expert.
• Advanced ability to recommend and implement technical solutions for cross-functional projects.
• Exceptional leadership and mentorship skills.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate business operations and processes to recommend improvements.
• Identify areas for technical solutions to enhance performance.
• Manage competing priorities and legislative requirements.
• Design, build, and test integrations between HCM solutions.

Skills

Subject Matter Expert in People Discipline

Recruitment and HR systems knowledge

Experience with HCM information systems

Business operations knowledge

Project management skills

Leadership and mentorship abilities

Communication skills

Job description

Overview

Established in 1981 with a single store in the Northwest of England, the JD Group is a leading omni-channel retailer of Sports Fashion, Outdoors and Gyms with our colleagues working in stores across several retail fascias in many markets around the world. JD Sports Fashion Plc was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1996 and has been a FTSE100 publicly quoted company since 2019 and continues to grow in the UK and internationally. We want to be the leading global omnichannel retailer in the sports and outdoor industry. To be a part of this successful company and help us to achieve this you will have the desire to ingrain our strategic goals of being a people-led, innovative and customer-focused organisation which provides operational excellence whilst identifying new areas of growth as part of our day to day objectives.

Role overview: Advance the People Teams' impact by delivering and maintaining the configuration of a full HRIS programme aimed at positioning JD as an employer of choice. The JD People team puts the colleague at the heart of what we do to develop a level of service that emulates the JD brand and maximises colleague experience. We are looking for an excellent SME to help guide and improve the configuration of technical solutions to deliver a successful HRIS project. As an SME within the People function, your duties will include evaluating organisational needs and recommending suitable solutions from one or more specific areas of the People function and contributing to the development, testing, and implementation of software solutions and improvements. A successful SME should possess a good track record in evaluating organisational needs and configuration of solutions, improving organisational efficiency by applying their expert knowledge of one or more areas of the People function to resolve complex challenges.

Responsibilities

• Applying subject expertise in evaluating business operations and processes
• Identifying areas where technical solutions would improve functional performance. Consulting across various operations, providing mentorship, and contributing specialised knowledge
• Recommending technical solutions that determine software requirements or configuration
• Manage competing priorities. Maintainan understanding of legislative requirements for HCM, Time Capture and Pay
• Determining whether technical solutions meet defined requirements. Verifying technical reference information, including user guides, training manuals, and system requirements
• Design, build and test integrations between HCM solution and other product workstreams
• Synchronise with the other HR experts to complete the following activities to the best of your ability: Compliance, SKU Testing, BAU Changes, design consistency and more

Skills/Experience/Knowledge

• Demonstrable credentials as a leading Subject Matter Expert of a People Discipline
• Experience with Recruitment, and HR systems is desirable
• Experience working with HCM information systems
• Advanced knowledge of business operations and project management
• Advanced ability to recommend and implement technical solutions for cross-functional projects
• Exceptional leadership and mentorship abilities to introduce and implement technical solutions
• Excellent recordkeeping, as well as written and verbal communication skills

Benefits

We know our colleagues work tirelessly to make JD Sports the success it is today and in turn, we offer them some amazing benefits including staff Discount On JD Group and other brands within the organisation and personal development opportunities to learn and develop at work.