HR Business Partner, Digital Legal Delivery (Digital) & AI in Belfast

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer – Digital & AI HR Partnership role – Belfast

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a primary HR contact for the Digital practice group and AI team across the UK and EMEA, delivering business‑focused HR services.
• Business partnering and day‑to‑day operations: work closely with Digital & AI teams to understand how HR can support their people and operational priorities.
• Provide trusted HR advice on a wide range of generalist issues, taking into account operational impact, and allocate tasks to the People Operations Team.
• Support change‑management initiatives and, with the HR Manager, communicate organisational change to practice areas and teams.
• Deputise for the HR Manager when required, attending management meetings and handling ad‑hoc management requests.
• Support the Practice Manager and other business services teams such as Business Finance with ad‑hoc requests and projects.
• Employee Relations: act as first contact for Digital & AI teams, guiding employees and managers on resolving issues, policy improvements, and new policy implementations.
• Advise on performance management, conduct straightforward disciplinary and grievance processes, manage flexible working requests and monitor sickness absence including Occupational Health referrals.
• Manage maternity, shared parental leave and adoption processes; support People Operations in long‑term sickness and PHI claims.
• On‑boarding and off‑boarding: coordinate induction for new joiners, conduct exit interviews, oversee probation reviews, and manage client/in‑office secondments in collaboration with the International Mobility Team.
• Recruitment support: coordinate and deliver lateral recruitment processes, interview candidates, and manage the Belfast trainee recruitment cycle.
• Reward and performance: partner with the HR Manager to deliver moderation, performance review, talent sessions, salary reviews, and bonus processes.
• Learning & Development: work with L&D to arrange internal and external coaching, and generally act as first point of contact for all HR issues.
• Monthly payroll oversight and project management: ensure accurate payroll processes and lead small‑scale HR projects for the Digital & AI team.

Qualifications, skills and experience

• Sound understanding of current employment legislation for Northern Ireland and England & Wales.
• Minimum of three years’ HR generalist and business‑partnering experience at adviser level, preferably in professional services.
• Track record of building strong client relationships with technical HR knowledge and excellent interpersonal skills.
• Project and stakeholder management skills – confident in advising, influencing and negotiating with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Strong influencing and negotiating skills, with a thorough understanding of employee relations legislation and performance management processes.
• Experience in case management involving performance, grievances, disciplinary matters and health & well‑being.
• Experience in lateral and retained recruitment at all levels.
• PC literate (Microsoft Office suite).
• Innovative mindset, curiosity about AI and emerging technologies.

Competencies

• Personal Leadership – positively impacts colleagues, develops personally and professionally, builds authentic relationships, treats people with respect and fairness, and collaborates across the firm.
• Client Experience – creates opportunities to enhance the client experience and behaves consistently with firm values.
• Results Orientation – maintains focus and drive to achieve quality outcomes, anticipates responses, and seeks effective solutions while maintaining optimism.

Additional Information

• Team: People
• Working pattern: Full time
• Location: Belfast
• Contract type: Permanent contract

Diversity & Inclusion

We are committed to attracting people from all backgrounds and creating a respectful and inclusive culture where everyone thrives.

Closing date for applications: Thursday 25 June 2026 at 12:00pm.