HR Officer in Suffolk

Churchgates is a unique and powerful combination of Accountants, Tax Advisors, Solicitors, Financial Planners and Investment Managers under one roof. We believe that all people should be treated with respect and our culture is to maintain a friendly, professional environment where traditional values still count. We are looking to recruit an HR Officer to support the day-to-day delivery of HR across the firm. It is a varied, hands‑on role that sits at the heart of the business, supporting colleagues and managers across all departments and helping ensure our people processes are consistent, compliant and well‑managed.

The Role

Reporting to, and working under the direction of, the Operations Director, you will provide practical day‑to‑day HR support across the full employee lifecycle. You will follow established policies and procedures and can provide first‑line advice on routine HR matters, escalating non‑routine, complex or high‑risk matters to the Operations Director (and/or external advisers) for direction and approval. The role does not carry final decision‑making authority for employee relations outcomes, and will include:

• Developing / maintaining an up‑to‑date working knowledge of employment legislation and HR best practice, using this to support compliant processes.
• Providing first‑line guidance to managers and colleagues on routine HR matters in line with policy and agreed processes, and escalating complex cases or any matter requiring judgement to the Operations Director.
• Monitoring developments that may affect the business and supporting updates to HR policies, templates and processes to help the firm remain compliant.
• Coordinating recruitment activity, including drafting job descriptions/adverts, arranging advertising, managing candidate communications, scheduling interviews and supporting offer processes.
• Managing onboarding and induction administration, ensuring pre‑employment checks are completed (for example, right to work documentation), and that new starters have a smooth and welcoming start.
• Supporting employee relations matters by preparing documentation, coordinating meetings, taking notes where appropriate, and ensuring matters are progressed consistently and confidentially under the guidance of the Operations Director.
• Coordinating absence administration using Cintra People (Cintra HR), ensuring sickness absence is recorded accurately, documentation is in place, and managers have the right HR support at each stage.
• Supporting the administration of annual leave and other leave types (e.g., family‑related leave), ensuring records are accurate and kept up to date.
• Maintaining accurate employee records, including contracts/variations, job title changes, salary review letters and general HR correspondence.
• Supporting performance and development processes (probation reviews, appraisal cycles, training records and CPD logging where appropriate).
• Assisting with policy administration and development: issuing updates, supporting consultation steps where required, and ensuring staff have access to current versions.
• Supporting staff engagement and wellbeing initiatives (as agreed), including events, communications and recognition initiatives.
• Using Microsoft 365 tools (e.g., Word, Excel, Forms, SharePoint, Lists/Planner) to manage and improve HR administration and workflows.
• Carrying out any other duties to meet the needs of the business, aligned with the nature and level of the role.

About you

This role would suit someone who is organised, approachable and enjoys working in a professional environment where confidentiality and attention to detail matter. You will:

• Ideally, part or fully qualified Level 3 CIPD.
• Have previous experience in an HR role, with confidence handling a broader range of HR queries.
• Be able to handle sensitive situations calmly, communicate thoughtfully, and adapt your style to suit different people and circumstances.
• Be confident and compassionate when dealing with HR queries, balancing empathy with consistency and professionalism.
• Have strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks, deadlines and competing priorities.
• Communicate clearly and confidently, both in writing and verbally, with colleagues at all levels.
• Be practical and solutions‑focused, with the confidence to take ownership of tasks and follow them through to completion.
• Have excellent IT skills, particularly in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook); experience with wider Microsoft 365 tools is helpful (training can be provided).
• Be detail‑oriented, with a high level of accuracy in documentation and record keeping.
• Enjoy working as part of a collaborative team and contributing to a positive workplace culture.
• Be confident maintaining a working knowledge of employment legislation and best practice and knowing when to elevate matters for specialist advice.

What you will receive

• A competitive salary
• Minimum 22 days holiday, plus bank holidays
• Birthday Leave
• Holiday purchase scheme
• Matching employer pension contributions up to 6% of salary
• Salary sacrifice available for pension contributions
• Income Protection if you are off work due to long‑term illness or injury equal to 50% of salary until State pension age
• Death in service benefit (4x basic salary)
• Private Health Insurance – Individual cover available
• Employee Assistance programme
• Length of service recognition
• Social events paid for or subsidised by the firm