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HR Operations Senior Manager - Part Time or Full Time & Flexible Working Available

Employer
Bates Wells
Location
London
Salary
Competitive
Closing date
27 Mar 2019

Job Title: HR Operations Senior Manager

Reports To: HR Director

Why Bates Wells?

Bates Wells is a professional services firm, combining a UK 100 legal practice with consultancy services in impact measurement, outcomes-based planning and strategy, and financial services regulatory compliance. Our clients are large and small, across many sectors – including established businesses, charities and social enterprises, public bodies, start-ups and high-profile individuals. 

We were founded on a very distinct set of values, which are as strong as ever today, are unique and help us stand out – combining practical, commercial legal expertise of the third sector that comes from working with more charities and social enterprises than any other UK firm.  Our rankings support this.  The commitment we show to people, environment and community is recognised through our B Corporation certification – the first UK law firm to achieve it.

We want to talk to people who wish to work in a purposeful law firm – put simply it is a place for people creating positive impact.   That means we make a difference for our clients, for our people and for the communities in which we operate.    Our values centre on 3 aspects:

We're people people - we are a team of individuals, who are generous with our time and support, and we value everyone regardless of title

We walk the walk - we live by our principles, we believe in you and we go above and beyond the role of a normal firm

We face forward - we are optimists, curious and ingenious, we seek to drive change


The role

To thrive in this role you will be a seasoned HR practitioner, with experience of working across a partnership culture, who will bring influence and best practice to all aspects of our people agenda.   You will lead a team of HR operations individuals to ensure the delivery of excellent client service, working in conjunction with our HR business partners across the firm.  Your relationship management skills will ensure the HR matrix is well co-ordinated to provide a seamless service to our clients.   We are evolving the way we provide HR support and you will be pivotal to its success.

Key responsibilities and attributes

Lead the HR operations team, which will build expertise in the HR operational delivery areas of Trainee & Experienced Hires Recruitment, Reward, Employee Relations, Learning & Development and Policy:

  • Develop the team to increase skills and competency for functional areas of responsibility and creating opportunities for enrichment and experience to work with client and business teams
  • Lead the management of the HR Operations team
  • Act as business partner to a nominated business team to ensure visibility of priorities and challenges of those in leadership roles
  • Allocate across the team and manage the key project deliverables throughout the year, as well as specific function or firm wide projects
  • Develop our key processes and policies to be in line with legislation and our firm wide strategy
  • Develop our reward strategy for our client and business teams, which are progressive and in line with our values
  • As a member of the HR management team, drive process and business change to improve the client experience
  • Work closely with the HR Business Partners to ensure service to the business is provided at the highest level of support and to maintain key relationships
  • As part of the HR Senior Management Team, support the HR Director in managing leadership activity across the function

This captures the key areas of responsibility.  Specific tasks may change over time – you will need to be adaptable and flexible as we continue to meet our clients’ needs.

Attributes we look for?

  • Qualified HR practitioner, operating at a Senior Manager level, with professional services experience
  • Experienced manager in leading experienced and junior colleagues
  • Proven ability to build, maintain and nurture relationships across all levels of stakeholders both internal and external is essential.  You will have a natural ability to engage and influence individuals across the firm
  • A client service-focused approach
  • Teamwork – there is always a place for individual effort and contribution.  Equally we value you working collaboratively with colleagues far and wide
  • You will be outputs focused – we don’t look for status quo all the time
  • We want you to be inquisitive about the business and our clients and encourage you to ask questions, test assumptions and propose options
  • The written and verbal communication skills that go with working in a professional services firm.  It includes the necessary grammar and writing skills to communicate to your audience, whether in a letter, report, presentation, meeting or seminar
  • Finally, it’s a given you will feel comfortable working in a firm, which has a strong social purpose, which considers people and planet alongside profit

The detail you’ll want to know

  • Our purpose and values help guide us.  We expect everyone to act responsibility towards their clients, their colleagues and the wider firm
  • Our working day is 9.30 – 5.30pm with an hour for lunch.  We expect flexibility and promote strong work/life blend principles
  • We operate an agile working environment – this means you may sit next to different colleagues each day, work from our rooftop garden and we encourage people to work at home one day a week (there’s no flexible working requests needed for these sorts of arrangements)
  • You’ll be on 6 months’ probation period and then 3 months’ notice
  • We will give you regular feedback and have an annual review process
  • Promotions are recognised annually in July and can happen outside these times for moves into different roles
  • Salary levels are also reviewed annually effective July
  • We recognise success and contribution at any time of the year through our Recognition Scheme
  • Our benefits and wellbeing package includes firm matching pension contributions, private medical insurance plus a medical benefit cash plan, discretionary bonus arrangements, life assurance, 25 days holiday and opportunity to buy more, subsidised gym memberships, lifestyle discount scheme, firm-wide profit sharing scheme, on site café, and Summer in the City early Friday leaving days
  • Everyone shares in the success of the firm  - a proportion of the LLP profit is distributed to everyone when we exceed our financial thresholds

About the HR team

The team comprises 7 people.   Our team has nearly doubled in size in 5 years and we are aligning ourselves to the HR business partner model as we continue to grow.

The HR Director has overall responsibility for the delivery of the HR strategy.  There are two service lines – the HR Business Partners who work extensively with the business teams and the HR Operations Team who provide expertise across a range of functional areas working with the Business Partners and business teams directly.   The two teams work collaboratively.   

The HR Director is supported by the HR Operations Senior Manager who has the Operations Team reporting to them.  The business partners and Senior Manager report to the HR Director.

Some things you may not know about us

  • BWB are a founding b-corporation.  B Corps are profit-making, purpose-driven organisations unified by one goal: to redefine success in business.  The movement aims to shift the global business culture into a direction where it focuses on the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit
  • Our staff value our approach – which is reflected in the Sunday Times top 100 firms to work for in 2018
  • BWB provides legal documents to clients through ‘Get Legal’ – an innovative online documentation portal, which provides an affordable suite of legal documents drafted by sector-leading experts but tailored to individual users
  • Our commitment to your wellbeing is reflected by having qualified Mental Health Awareness Ambassadors
  • We’ve been known to get the ice-cream van in when it gets really hot!

Preparing to meet us

Here’s some information we think it will be useful for you know as you think about whether Bates Wells might be the place for you.

  • Read about us on our website www.bwbllp.com
  • Ask around about us – as widely as you can
  • We will normally have at least 2 interviews – your skills and competencies to work with us and your alignment to our values are equally important
  • We will undertake some assessment of your skills and experience – in some cases a short exercise or written paper may be best, in others discussion at interview about a technical matter may be appropriate.   We will give you notice and time to prepare whatever it is.

We hope we get to meet with you in the future.

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