HR Administrator in Kidlington

At Essentra we are growing and looking for a proactive, detail-oriented HR Administrator to support day-to-day HR activities for the UK workforce.

Responsibilities

• Support and coordinate the end-to-end onboarding process for all new starters, ensuring a smooth and positive experience.
• Prepare contracts, offer letters and onboarding documentation, including processing contractual changes.
• Update HR systems to track new starters and keep managers informed throughout the onboarding journey.
• Support induction activity and help ensure compliance and documentation requirements are met.
• Coordinate probation administration, tracking reviews, prompting managers and issuing outcome letters.
• Maintain accurate records of employee changes such as sabbaticals, parental leave and contractual amendments, ensuring HRIS and payroll data are aligned.
• Monitor shared inboxes, triage incoming queries and provide timely, professional responses, escalating where appropriate.
• Support the right-to-work checking process, ensuring documentation is recorded and maintained in line with legal requirements.
• Administrator of global reward processes, including annual salary review, bonus cycles and benefit renewals.
• Administrator of global mobility policies, processes and documentation.
• Ensure the HR Information System is consistently updated with accurate employee data, including new starters, leavers, contractual changes, personal details, annual leave, sickness and other types of absence.
• Produce HRIS reports as required to support business and HR team needs.
• Provide administrative support for HR projects and initiatives.
• With guidance, review existing administrative processes to identify inefficiencies, duplication or manual workarounds.
• Support process improvement activity by identifying opportunities to improve forms, templates, workflow triggers, self-service enhancements or system processes.
• Help create and maintain standard operating procedures and guidance documents.
• Build positive working relationships with HR colleagues, employees, managers and other stakeholders.
• Support cross-functional projects and HR initiatives such as engagement activities, policy updates and employee communications.
• Support HR processes in line with legal, regulatory, audit and GDPR requirements.
• Support internal and external audit activity by preparing required documentation.

Skills and Experience

• Excellent administrative and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities.
• High attention to detail and accuracy in data entry, documentation and record keeping.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with confidence to engage with colleagues at all levels.
• Ability to manage a varied workload, prioritise effectively and work to deadlines.
• Prior experience of working in an HR administration role is preferable but not essential.
• Confident using Microsoft Office, particularly Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Good knowledge of HR management systems and Microsoft Office packages (desirable).
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
• A proactive, solution-focused approach with willingness to learn and take initiative.
• Strong teamwork skills and ability to collaborate effectively across departments.
• Awareness of HR policies, employment legislation or HR best practice is desirable but not essential.

What we offer

• Competitive salary
• Discretionary annual bonus
• Up to 5% matched pension contribution
• 4x annual salary life assurance
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Employee discounts through MyDiscounts
• Salary sacrifice car scheme
• Eyecare vouchers
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee assistance programme

This is a hybrid role with expectation of working in our Kidlington office 2/3 days per week.