Operations Executive

HR and Operations Executive

Location: London – 4 days office-based

Function: People & Culture

We are a high-end search business operating across North America and Western Europe, specialising in the Financial sector.

We connect the leadership teams of hedge funds, trading firms and alternative investment management businesses to the highest calibre talent across investment, research, and technology.

We’re a value-driven company based in the heart of London.

We utilise innovative tech and take a data driven, systematic approach to what we do. Everyone in the business champions our culture of collaboration, ideas sharing and continuous improvement.

Since being established in December 2017, we’ve had exceptional year-on-year growth that has surpassed our imaginations.

This is a result of hiring well and carefully selecting the right clients. We’re continuing to invest in scaling the business both in London and with an office opening in Miami in 2026.

Role Overview: As our HR Specialist, you will be a key strategic partner to our senior leaders and team managers, driving performance, culture, and engagement across the London business.

You will play a critical role in embedding high standards, developing people, managing change, and ensuring that our people strategy is aligned with business goals.

Key Responsibilities: Business Partnering & Performance Culture

• Partner with business leaders and managers to develop high-performing teams that deliver against sales and growth targets.

• Coach managers on driving high performance, setting expectations, holding people accountable, and managing underperformance.

• Provide insight and challenge to support data-driven decision-making in people-related matters.

• Act as a trusted advisor to leaders on HR best practices, culture, engagement, and organization design.

• Ensure reviews and promotions happen across the business within the prescribed review cycle timeframes. Employee Relations & Policy

• Own ER casework (e.g., disciplinary, grievance, absence, probation) with a commercial and people first lens.

• Ensure compliance with employment law, while balancing pragmatism and pace in decision making.

• Demonstrate and advise on local employment and labor laws, ensuring compliance

• Embed HR policies that reflect our high-performance standards, equity, and values.

• Partner on initiatives to reduce attrition, particularly in early tenure and mid-performers.

Change & Organisational Design

• Support structural and role changes, acting as a project partner across people change initiatives.

• Help design and embed initiatives that support scale, such as new career frameworks, management standards, and org design work.

Data, Systems & HR Ops

• Provide workforce insights to leaders and track people KPIs including attrition, engagement, performance and headcount.

• Use HRIS to maintain up-to-date people data and drive automation of people processes.

• Work closely with Talent Acquisition for onboarding, exits, and systems maintenance.

• Support in probation period review for new hires.

• Administer payroll updates each month.

• Coordinate reward schemes.

Culture & Environment

• Organise team socials, trips, and celebrations, managing the budget for these activities.

• Mark key employee milestones such as birthdays, anniversaries, and promotions.

• Keep track of employee well-being and suggest ways to improve how we support the team.

• Make sure the office runs smoothly, is well-stocked, and provides a good working environment.

• Arrange domestic and international travel for employees when needed.

Requirements:

• Proven experience in an Operational role ideally within recruitment, sales, or consultancy.

• Demonstrated ability to coach managers and influence senior stakeholders.

• Commercial mindset with the ability to balance people impact and business outcomes.

• Highly autonomous, fast-paced, and adaptable – thrives in a scale-up or entrepreneurial environment.

• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills.

• CIPD Level 5 (or equivalent experience); tech-savvy and HR systems confident.