HR Advisor

Shakespeare Martineau is a leading law firm that combines creativity, commerciality and clarity. We work with blue-chip companies, leading organisations, high street brands and individuals across the country.

Our multi-disciplinary team delivers a broad range of specialist legal services, and particularly stands out for its expertise across sectors including, but not limited to: energy, education, banking and financial services, investment funds, healthcare and advanced manufacturing. 

We’re proud of our people’s varied backgrounds and expertise. Our different qualities stand out and make us interesting to our clients.

We firmly believe in working hard and being ambitious. We look to recruit and develop talented people to achieve their potential - and who will contribute to achieving ours too.

Here you can fulfil your ambitions, whatever they are and however rapidly you want to achieve them. Together, and individually, we create exceptional results.

To provide truly outstanding client service we work as one team.  Our Business Operations Group is made up of business professionals who work with our legal professionals to provide market leading expertise to our clients.  The Groups include; Finance, Operations, HR, Marketing, IT, Risk and the Executive Leadership team.

The HR Talent and Development team supports the goals of the business by building a high performance culture with strong engagement and a reputation for developing talent at all levels.  The team has around 20 members comprising HR Business Partnering, Learning & Development, Recruitment, and HR Operations functions.  This is a dedicated team of individuals all passionate about helping our people succeed.

The role:

We are looking for an HR Advisor to join our Birmingham-based HR team, part of the firm’s Business Operations group. 

The role is to provide a quality and responsive HR service across the firm, to work closely with other members of the HR team and to have involvement with all aspects of HR.

Your key duties will include:

• providing the business with front-line HR advisory support in relation to employee relations matters
• actively managing specific projects and/or supporting the HR Business Partner team in order to deliver the HR plan
• managing flexible working applications, maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoption matters from start to end, including KIT (Keep In Touch) days and applying the relevant policies and legislation
• providing support to the development and delivery of key people plans and KPIs within each team to help achieve their business plans
• supporting the HR Business Partner team with the training and coaching of managers within the teams, providing them with effective tools and knowledge to help them in their roles
• developing business-wide HR policies, processes and initiatives that are fit for purpose
• supporting the HR Business Partner team with the people aspects of organisational change to improve costs, efficiencies and empower delivery of great client service
• attending meetings and influencing outcomes within the recruitment process ensuring that the firm attracts and appoints talented individuals that match the firm’s culture and values
• preparing for and attending meetings, influencing outcomes within disciplinary, grievance, performance and absence situations
• supporting the Head of HR as and when required.

Skills and experience you will have:

• a minimum of 2 years’ previous experience in an HR Advisor / Officer role is essential
• prior exposure to an HR function in a law firm is desirable; experience in professional services will be considered
• completed or be studying towards CIPD qualification
• a degree or equivalent qualification

Key competencies you will need:

• a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail
• the ability to work autonomously
• to embrace changing processes and continuous improvement
• the ability to be flexible in working location and hours as and when appropriate
• strong organisational and effective prioritising skills
• strong communication skills with the ability to interact with key stakeholders at all levels with confidence and credibility

About you - you will be:

• highly enthusiastic and willing to go the extra mile
• espectful towards others and have a positive, willing and ‘can do’ attitude
• keen to learn, interested in driving your own career progression and be proactive in taking ownership of this

Due to the nature of the work undertaken, confirmation of employment will be subject to a variety of checks which will be carried out once an offer of employment is accepted. Details of the checks can be found here.

Shakespeare Martineau is a committed equal opportunities employer. We seek to attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. We value and respect individuality and encourage a culture within our business where people can be themselves and be valued for their strengths and experiences. Everyone who either applies to or works for the firm is treated equally, regardless of their gender, age, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.