HR Officer in Belfast

JOB DESCRIPTION

DATE September 2026

JOB TITLE Human Resources Officer

DEPARTMENT Finance

REPORTS TO Financial Controller

DIRECT REPORTS None

SALARY AND BENEFITS Salary dependent upon experience
Company auto enrolled pension
Healthcare

LOCATION Caldwell Consulting, Unit 6, Forestgrove Business Unit, Newtownbreda, Belfast, BT8 6AW

WORKING HOURS Monday – Friday - 37.5 hrs per week. Flexible start time from 8.00 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. and flexible finish time from 4.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. (or from 1.00 p.m. on a Friday). Lunch window from 12 noon to 2.00 p.m. and all staff must take a minimum of 30 mins unpaid lunch.

Main purpose of the job

This is a new position within the business. The Company has never had an internal HR function. You will be responsible for theHR function of a £9M turnover business employing more than 120 (full time equivalent) team members. Caldwell Consulting is headquartered in Belfast , with smaller regional offices in Derry | Londonderry, Magherafelt and London. You will plan, manage, direct and control all the activities and resources necessary to ensure that the HR function is fit for purpose and supports the business.

You will contribute at an operational level in order to identify HR priorities and recommend appropriate people management solutions which support business aims, in addition to providing a customer-focused HR service. You will provide expert professional advice and support to the Senior Management Team on all aspects of people management, which fully reflects the Company's ethos and culture, HR best practice and current employment legislation. You will also provide direct “hand on” support to our Line Managers. We need a customer focused individual with the energy, drive and commitment to make it happen. You must have strong leadership, problem solving and communication skills.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Functional Responsibility

Manage and be responsible for the respective HR functions. This includes Inductions/on boarding, objective setting and appraisals, key talent management development and planning, Senior Management and Line Management support, recruitment and selection, absence management, performance management, discipline and grievance, Management HR training (inc coaching and mentoring), Internal communications, statutory returns, payroll, HR Information System administration, management of statutory Health & Safety training.

Budgetary Control and responsibility

• Full HR and training budgetary control.

Recruitment and selection. Talent acquisition, talent development and management

• Lead and direct the HR function to ensure the recruitment and selection of suitably qualified staff in accordance with policy, legislation and best practice.
• Provide support and training to the Senior Management Team and Line Managers in all aspects of recruitment and selection, talent acquisition, talent development and management.
• Manage and run recruitment exercises.
• Lead and direct the HR function to ensure they manage the relationships with third party external recruitment agencies (if their use is appropriate).
• Responsible for apprenticeship, trainee and graduate development programmes.
• Lead and direct the HR function to ensure they manage the relationships with third party external organisations i.e. Schools, Colleges, Universities, professional awarding bodies etc

Management Support and Guidance

• Work closely with the Senior Management Team and Line Managers , providing them with expert guidance, coaching and support on the full range of HR activities in order to ensure a consistent and fair approach to people management throughout the business sites.
• Keep up to date with legal developments and advise the Senior Management Team and Line Managers on compliance and risk factors.
• Lead and direct the HR function to ensure investigations, disciplinary and grievance matters are managed in conjunction with Line Management and/or Senior Managers
• Provide advice and guidance to the Senior Management Team and Line Managers on individual employee relations cases, ensuring that these are well managed and meet the requirements of the Company’s policies, best practice and employment legislation.
• Ensure that the Senior Management Team and Line Managers are aware of HR policies and procedures and able to operate them effectively.
• Provide support to the Senior Management Team and Line Managers on HR issues, as and when required.
• Provide advice to the Senior Management Team and Line Managers on performance appraisals and objective setting ensuring that annual appraisals and objective setting are carried out in a timely manner and followed up.
• Ensure that monthly HR Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) are provided to the Senior Management team.

Absence Management

• Ensure that the HR team monitor sickness and absence levels and provide monthly management reports. The HR team will also train and liaise with line management ensuring compliance and execution of the absence policy.
• The HR function will manage occupational health issues and medical referrals.

Payroll and benefits

• Manage the payroll process to ensure the timely collation of information that impacts on payroll processing is completely accurately and on time.
• Lead and direct the HR function to ensure the processing of new hires, temporary workers, transfers, promotions and terminations is accurate and timely.
• Manage and ensure audit recommendations are incorporated into the HR practices.

Headcount Budgetary Control

• Ensure that headcount is maintained within the budgeted allocation and update the respective Senior Managers as and when required.

Human Resource Information System (HRIS)

• Ensure that the information held on the HRIS and personnel files is updated in a timely and accurate manner and complies with any legal and/or data protection policies.

Human Resource Legal Compliance

• Ensure that contracts of employment, HR policies and procedures and company handbook are accurate, up to date and comply with statutory legal minimums and HR best practice.
• Ensure that contracts of employment, HR policies and procedures and company handbook are distributed to all team members.

UK Immigration and Work Visa

• Provide advice and guidance to the Senior Management Team and Line Managers in regard to UK immigration and work visa matters
• Lead and direct the HR function to ensure they manage the relationships with third party external organisations i.e. Home Office, Immigration Lawyers, Recruiters
• Responsible for all aspects of UK Immigration and work visa application, approval and continued legal compliance.
• Conduct audits and “right to work” checks etc

HR Training, Learning & Development

• Actively engage in individual HR Management development and training.
• Actively engage in the continuous improvement programme.
• Ensure HR training has been received in relation to specific Senior Managers and Line Managers.

Health & Safety

• Understand and follow the company’s Health & Safety policies.
• Organise and monitor statutory Health & Safety training.

Quality

• Comply with all aspects of the Company Quality System.
• Ensure that a ‘quality culture’ and an appreciation of the quality system are installed within the HR function.

Company Ethos and Culture

• All employees are expected to work towards the company vision and adhere to the core principles of building strong teams of empowered people, communicating effectively, demonstrating trust and respect, developing people’s knowledge and expertise, demonstrating excellence in leadership and exhibiting a positive attitude.

Other Duties

• Assist with other office functions and/or administrative duties as and when required.

The above job description is not exhaustive and is not intended to give a definite list of all duties and responsibilities. It is a guideline within which the individual job holder works. It is not intended to be rigid or inflexible. There will be additional duties and responsibilities in accordance with the job role.

PERSONNEL SPECIFICATION

Essential Criteria, experience and skills.

• A minimum of five years previous experience as a HR Officer.
• Educated to third level (degree level standard or above)
• Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
• A strong working knowledge of NI and UK employment legislation and HR best

practice

• Be IT literate, with a strong working knowledge and application of HRIS and the usual Microsoft packages including PowerPoint, Word and Excel.

• Be able to work within a team, as well as on your own initiative, with minimal supervision in an environment that is fluid with constantly changing priorities.
• The capability to consistently deliver high quality work against tight deadlines
• The ability to keep organised and focus on priorities when working on several projects simultaneous
• High attention to detail in order to keep information accurate and organised
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Confident and articulate in meetings and formal presentations.
• A “can do” attitude with a strong work ethic and execution skills

Desirable experience

1. Experience of working within the Professional Services Sector (i.e. Architecture Practice, Consulting Engineering Practice, Accountant Practice, Solicitor Practice) although not essential would be an advantage.