Associate, HR Operations in London

Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values – Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy – and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee‑focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high‑performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry.

The HR Operations team is part of the broader global Human Resources team and is responsible for serving as the functional experts in all HR‑related systems, day‑to‑day execution of HR programs and processes, management, and prioritization of technical improvements in partnership with the HRIS team, and continuous improvement for internal processes.

The ideal candidate will be responsible for assisting the HR team in performing a broad range of operational, programmatic, and project management duties. The individual will assist with new hires and related background checks/data entries/notifications and serve as the HR point of contact for new hires. The successful candidate will be process‑oriented, detail‑oriented, accuracy focused, highly organized, flexible with an ability to learn and adapt quickly, and have a systems and process mindset. This role is a great opportunity for a candidate who is eager to gain foundational experience in Human Resources and how Ares operates.

Primary Functions And Essential Responsibilities

• Serve as the first point of contact for employee, HR, and business leader inquiries and provide ad‑hoc support as needed for various requests sent to the HR Operations team.
• Partner successfully across HR, IT and other business functional teams to resolve employee inquiries/issues, provide solutions, and offer recommendations for process enhancements and improvements.
• Own the quality and accuracy of all employee data managed within Workday system and conduct regular audits to ensure data integrity; when necessary, coordinate with other team members to resolve data concerns, questions and issues.
• Manage completion of new hire onboarding tasks through Workday, and coordinate with recruitment and/or the new hire to complete all tasks prior to start date.
• Manage new hire on‑boarding communications and forms to other internal Ares functions (e.g. IT, Compliance, Payroll, Corporate Services) to ensure seamless on‑boarding across the organization.
• Manage background checks process – review progress reports, coordinate with candidates to obtain any additional information needed, consult with Ares legal on any flags that arise.
• Support New Hire Orientation for all Mumbai new hires (full‑time and temporary) – including delivering orientation presentation and maintaining current knowledge of firm structure, policies, compensation and rewards, travel and expense policies, and benefits and perks.
• Regularly review and update HR Operations SOPs to reflect changes in policies, regulations, and organizational needs.
• Maintain and administer the Education Sponsorship Program for employees – including ensuring eligible employees meet the requirements, helping them with the necessary paperwork and approval process, and administering any reimbursements or repayments as necessary.
• Other related projects and duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s Degree required. Relevant HR Certifications preferred.

Experience Required: 2–5 years business experience, preferably in financial services. Prior HR experience preferred. Prior data entry and/or experience with an HRIS system preferred. Prior Workday experience a huge plus.

General Requirements:

• Dependable, great attitude, highly motivated and a team player.
• A self‑directed individual with a can‑do attitude, willing to work in an energetic, collaborative and fast‑paced environment, proactive in nature, and a proven ability to learn quickly, display flexibility and adaptability.
• High accuracy and attention to detail.
• Strong sense of ownership and accountability.
• Strong problem‑solving and analytical skills.
• Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Outstanding communication (written and verbal), presentation, documentation, and interpersonal skills; strong customer focus and ability to confidently interact with all levels of an organization.
• Demonstrates sound judgment and decision‑making.
• Ability to successfully manage multiple complex, time‑sensitive priorities and competing demands with multiple stakeholders; strong time management and prioritization skills.
• An analytical mind and a passion/interest in bringing new ideas to increase efficiency of existing processes.
• Flexibility regarding role profile and willingness to take on new projects and learn new skills.

Reporting Relationships: Vice President, HR Operations.

There is no set deadline to apply for this job opportunity. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the search is no longer active.