HR Administrator in Ipswich

About us

Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, we have more than 700 lawyers and legal professionals and over 600 staff based in Bristol, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: Real Estate, Corporate Services, Dispute Resolution and Private Client.

The team you will join

Our HR team sits within our wider Business Services Division. The team provide expert guidance and advice to managers and employees to support the effective delivery of HR processes across the firm.

The work you will be doing

• Responsible for the administration of employee onboarding including drafting contracts, conducting right to work checks and pre-screening process, liaising with candidates and internal stakeholders.
• Use of HRIS system to maintain employee records and changes including job changes, personal detail changes, holiday.
• Log sickness and ensure completion of employee certification process.
• Preparation of reports including for new joiners, leavers, role details and frequent ad hoc reports.
• Create and maintain electronic employee files and archive when required in line with GDPR requirements.
• Process changes to terms and conditions for employees.
• Undertake the leaver process including system updates, drafting of documentation and notification to relevant internal stakeholders.
• Respond to all employer reference requests.
• Jointly responsible for managing the shared HR inbox and responding to enquiries in a timely and effective manner.
• Assist with monthly payroll administration.
• Provide administrative support on HR projects as required.
• Administration of the firms benefits such as car parking, eye care, gym membership, private medical insurance and season ticket loans.
• Production of scheduled and ad hoc letters e.g. probation confirmation, ad hoc award letters.
• Assist with the administration of the annual salary review process including updating the HRIS system, drafting and sending letters.
• Ad hoc notetaking for formal meetings.
• Support the Talent Acquisition Administrator when required.

Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.

What we are looking for

• Previous experience of working in an administrator role.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office packages (Excel and Word).
• Strong communication skills.
• Excellent time management skills.
• Proven organisational skills.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Strong planning and organisational skills with a 'can-do' approach to managing a varying workload.
• A positive attitude as well as being a strong team player.
• Experience of working in a law firm or professional services would be advantageous.
• Professional qualification/education related to HR such as undergraduate degree or CIPD is preferable but not essential.

Hybrid Working

Birketts is a flexible business which has embraced a hybrid working model where our colleagues enjoy a mix of home and office working. During your 6 month probation period, there will be a requirement to be in the office full time whilst you are developing in the role. Once you have successfully passed probation, this role attracts a split of 60% office days and 40% working from home days per week. We welcome applications from people looking for flexible, agile, and part-time roles and we are happy to explore your preferred working patterns as part of your application.

Benefits

As a Birketts colleague, you will be eligible to receive a wide range of benefits:

• 25 days holiday (FTE) plus Bank Holidays.
• Long Service holiday award - 1 extra week every 10 years continuous service.
• Private Healthcare with BUPA (offered after probation is passed).
• Scottish Widows Pension Scheme (5% employer / 5% Employee).
• Staff Profit Share and Individual Performance Bonus Scheme.
• Salary sacrifice (Pensions, Staff Profit Share).
• Life Assurance - 4 x salary / Permanent Health Insurance.
• Paid CSR Day.
• Enhanced Maternity/Paternity Leave.
• Subsidised gym membership.
• Electric car scheme.
• Dress for your Day Policy.

Inclusivity and Culture

At Birketts, our culture is driven by ambition and a commitment to positively impact all the communities we serve. We are dedicated to the success, development, and wellbeing of our colleagues, helping them achieve their goals and seize the opportunities that come with our growth. Birketts is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is unequivocal: we do not tolerate discrimination based on age, disability, sex, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, or sexual orientation. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation that actively promotes equality of opportunity for all, valuing the right mix of talent, skills, and potential. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates, and selection for roles is based solely on individual merit.

If you require this advert in an accessible format, please visit https://diversityjobsgroup.com/company/birketts/

Artificial Intelligence

At Birketts, we recognise the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the legal profession and recruitment. We welcome innovation and understand that candidates may use AI tools to support their job applications. However, we expect all applicants to use AI responsibly and ethically. Our expectations regarding AI use in applications:

• Your application should reflect your own voice, experiences, and insights. AI may assist in structuring or refining your responses, but it must not replace your personal input.
• Do not use AI to misrepresent your qualifications, experiences, or skills. Any form of exaggeration or fabrication may result in rejection from the process.
• If you have used AI tools to assist with your application, be prepared to discuss how and why you used them during the interview process.
• Do not submit content generated by AI tools that may include personal or sensitive data not intended for public disclosure. AI-generated content should be reviewed and edited by you to ensure accuracy, relevance, and alignment with the role and our firm’s values.

We are committed to fair and inclusive recruitment practices. The use of AI should enhance, not compromise, your application. We encourage candidates to demonstrate critical thinking, commercial awareness, and a genuine interest in our firm. If you have any questions about our expectations or the use of AI in your application, please contact our Talent Acquisition Team via talent@birketts.co.uk