Junior Human Resources Assistant in Dunstable

Entry-level HR role at our Dunstable head office. £27,000 a year, full training, and support towards a CIPD qualification.

This is an entry-level role in a busy group of private dental clinics, and a chance to start a career in Human Resources.

You will provide day-to-day administrative support across the full employee lifecycle, from recruitment and onboarding through to employee changes and leavers.

You will be the first point of contact for many routine HR queries, and you will help keep employee records accurate, confidential and compliant with UK employment law and GDPR.

Full training will be provided. There is scope to grow into an HR Administrator or HR Advisor role and to study for a CIPD qualification.

Reports to: COO and Head of Operations. Department: Human Resources. Salary: £27,000 per annum. Holiday: 20 days plus UK bank holidays.

• Recruitment and CV screening
• Post job adverts on job boards and the company careers page and manage applicant responses.
• Screen CVs and application forms against the job description and person specification and draw up shortlists for hiring managers.
• Carry out initial telephone screening calls with shortlisted candidates.
• Schedule interviews and liaise with candidates and hiring managers.
• Send outcome emails and letters to successful and unsuccessful candidates.
• Prepare offer letters and contracts of employment from approved templates.
• Carry out Right to Work checks and request references and any required background checks (e. g. DBS).
• Onboarding
• Send welcome packs and pre-start paperwork, and chase outstanding documents (bank details, P45, emergency contacts).
• Set up new starters on HR and payroll systems, and arrange IT equipment, system access and uniform with the relevant departments.
• Coordinate and deliver first-day inductions, covering the employee handbook, key policies and health and safety.
• Track completion of onboarding checklists and mandatory training.
• Schedule probation reviews at 1 and 3 months and remind managers when they are due.
• Gather feedback from new starters to help improve the onboarding process.
• HR administration and records
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date employee records in the HR system and in personnel files.
• Process employee changes such as promotions, pay changes, changes in hours, transfers and leavers.
• Prepare standard HR letters, e. g. confirmation of employment, contract variations and reference requests.
• Record and monitor absence, holiday and sickness, and flag trigger points to managers.
• Support the monthly payroll cut-off by collating and checking starter, leaver and change information.
• Employee support
• Act as the first point of contact for general HR queries by phone, email and in person, escalating where appropriate.
• Help managers find and use HR policies, forms and templates.
• Investigations and disciplinary hearings
• Support managers with investigations into conduct, capability and grievance matters, including arranging investigation meetings and collating evidence and witness statements.
• Prepare invitation letters for investigation, disciplinary, grievance and appeal meetings from approved templates, giving the correct notice and the right to be accompanied.
• Arrange hearings and appeals, book rooms and coordinate attendees.
• Take accurate, detailed notes at investigation meetings, disciplinary and grievance hearings and appeals.
• Prepare outcome letters and keep case files complete, confidential and in line with the ACAS Code of Practice.
• Track case timelines and the expiry dates of warnings.
• Liaising with our external HR provider
• Act as the day-to-day contact with our HR provider, Dencorp's external HR consultancy.
• Refer employee relations cases and policy queries to the provider for advice and share the documents they need securely.
• Put the provider's advice into practice under the HR Manager's direction, e. g. updating letters, contracts and policies.
• Keep a log of advice received, case references and agreed actions.
• Book and attend calls or meetings with the provider and report back to the HR Manager.
• Compliance and reporting
• Handle all personal data in line with UK GDPR and company data protection policy.
• Help monitor probation reviews, contract end dates and Right to Work expiry dates.
• Produce basic HR reports (headcount, turnover, absence) for the Head of Operations and Chief Operating Officer.
• Help keep HR policies, handbooks and templates up to date.
• General
• Support HR projects and engagement initiatives, e. g. training sessions, staff surveys and wellbeing events.
• Carry out any other reasonable duties requested by your line manager.

Essential

• GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and Maths at grade 4/C or above.
• Strong organisational skills and close attention to detail.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Confident with Microsoft Office, particularly Word, Excel and Outlook.
• Able to handle sensitive information with complete discretion and confidentiality.
• Able to prioritise a varied workload and meet deadlines.
• A friendly, approachable and professional manner.
• A genuine interest in starting a career in HR.

Desirable

• Previous experience in an office, administrative or customer-facing role.
• Some exposure to HR or recruitment administration.
• CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practice, or willingness to work towards it.
• Experience using an HR information system such as Bright HR.
• Basic knowledge of UK employment law, GDPR and the ACAS Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures.

What we offer

• 20 days' annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Workplace pension scheme.
• Support towards a CIPD qualification after probation.
• On-the-job training and a clear development path.

Dencorp Ltd is an equal opportunities employer.

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified people, whatever their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

If you need any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.

• Schedule: Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:30, 37.5 hours a week