At a Glance
- Tasks: Resolve complex HR queries and provide expert guidance to colleagues.
- Company: Join Grant Thornton, a forward-thinking firm committed to positive change.
- Benefits: Enjoy life cover, income protection, health support, and lifestyle perks.
- Other info: Flexible working options and a culture that values diversity and inclusion.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in people's lives while developing your career.
- Qualifications: Experience in HR processes and strong communication skills required.
The predicted salary is between 29700 - 36300 £ per year.
Experienced Hire
- People Services Support Desk Executive
- Milton Keynes Leicester Manchester Leeds Liverpool Birmingham
Location
Milton Keynes, Leicester, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Birmingham
Benefits To Help You Thrive, Such As
- Core benefits including life cover, income protection and matched pension
- Supporting your health with screening, dental and eye care and Doctor@Hand
- Financial support through mortgage advice, will writing, investment accounts and more
- Lifestyle benefits including buying holiday, bike schemes, discounts and cashback
- Alternatively, Grant Thornton
At Grant Thornton we do things differently - looking to the future, driving ambitious growth and pioneering positive change in our industry.
Providing audit, tax and advisory services, we empower clients through strategic insight, curiosity, and genuine partnership.
And we empower our people with real opportunity, an inclusive culture and work life balance.
A true alternative.
With over 5,000 people in the UK, and a presence in 150 global markets, we're on an ambitious journey, from great to exceptional, and we need the best people to help us achieve our potential.
And with that comes the opportunity to help redefine what our industry looks like, and what you want from your career.
Job Description
NEW GROUND WON’T BREAK ITSELF.
Every day our teams help people in businesses and communities to do what is right and achieve their goals.
About The Role
The Support Desk Executive is the expert behind our people services support model.
Working alongside our Claude agent, which handles routine queries as the first point of contact, you will resolve the complex, contractual and sensitive questions that need human judgement.
You will apply sound judgement to policy, contractual and process questions, underpinned by knowledge of Grant Thornton UK LLP structures, systems and ways of working.
You will also help improve the quality of the guidance colleagues receive, whether it comes from you or from the agent.
- Advisory and guidance
- Complex query resolution: Take people escalated queries, resolving them fully and applying judgement rather than simply signposting.
This means understanding not just what a policy says, but how it applies to a particular situation.
- Policy interpretation and application: Read across the firm’s people policies and apply them to real situations, including the grey areas where more than one policy is in play or the answer is not immediately obvious.
- Contractual guidance: Advise on the practical effect of contractual terms, such as notice periods, working patterns and changes to terms, and explain what can and cannot be changed and how.
- Working with colleagues across People and
Culture: Work closely with the People and Culture centres of excellence and HR business partners, involving them early on complex or sensitive cases, sharing what you learn from queries, and making sure our people get a joined-up, consistent outcome.
- People manager support: Help people managers understand their responsibilities and build confidence in completing tasks themselves through self-service.
- Holiday, leaver and pay queries: Handle the more complex queries on holiday entitlement, the leaver process and pay, recognising where a query has a contractual or compliance dimension that needs care.
- Employee Experience and Wellbeing: Provide informed, sensitive support across the firm’s employee experience and wellbeing touchpoints.
- Working with AI and improving the service
- Quality assurance: Review the agent’s responses regularly, checking them for accuracy and consistency with current policy.
- Gaps and errors: Identify and flag where answers are wrong, unclear or missing, and work with policy owners to correct the underlying guidance.
- Content currency: Help keep the guidance the agent draws on accurate, up to date and owned.
- Feedback loop: Use trends in queries and escalations to identify opportunities to simplify processes and shift more routine questions to self-service.
- Systems, data and process
- Understand how data connects - Recognise how people data flows through systems and the impact when something changes.
- Investigate and fix issues - Identify and resolve transactions that haven’t worked as expected, getting to the root cause.
- Take an end to end view - Understand how processes fit together so you can diagnose issues in context rather than in isolation
- Reporting and integrations -Produce and interpret reporting, and understand how data integrates between systems, including the impact when something changes upstream.
- Optimisation and the feedback loop - Identify opportunities to improve and simplify processes and feed these back through the process feedback loop so the team continually improves.
- Knowing you’re right for us
- Strong working knowledge of HR policy, contractual terms and people processes
- Background and experience in HR administration, including people transactions and data
- Experience advising managers and employees on complex people queries
- Confident user of Workday, with the ability to investigate and correct transactions
- Hands-on experience of AI tools in an HR or support setting and keen to help test, challenge and improve them
- High attention to detail and a focus on data quality
- Clear written and verbal communication
- Ability to manage a varied workload and prioritise effectively
It would be great if you had some of the following skills, but don’t worry if you don’t tick every box, we’ll help you develop along the way.
- CIPD qualification, or working towards one
- Experience of reporting, integrations or process improvement
- Experience working across a multi-location or shared services team
- Experience in a professional services environment
- Knowing we’re right for you
Embracing uniqueness, the culture at Grant Thornton thrives on the contributions of all our people, we never settle for what is easy, we look beyond to deliver the right thing, for everyone.
Building an inclusive culture, where we value difference and respect our colleagues helps our people to perform at the best of their ability and realise their potential.
Our open and accessible culture means you’ll interact with leaders who are interested in you and everything you bring to our firm.
The things that set you apart, we value them.
That’s why we give you the freedom to bring your whole self to work and pursue your passions inside and outside of work.
We’re also committed to supporting you through different life stages, with a range of family friendly and wider leave policies.
You can find full details of our reward, benefits and leave policies on our website: Reward and benefits.
Beyond the job
Life is more than work.
The things you do, and the people you’re with outside of work matter, that’s why we’re happy to look at flexible working options for all our roles, and we’ll always do our best to keep your work and life in balance.
The impact you can make here will go far beyond your day job.
From secondments, to fundraising for local charities, or investing in entrepreneurs in the developing world, you’ll be giving back to society.
It’s that drive to do the right thing that runs through our every move, grounded in our firm’s values – purposefully driven, actively curious and candid but kind.
We’re looking for people who want to contribute, spark fresh ideas and go beyond expectations.
People who want to be able to proudly do what’s right, for the firm, our clients, our people and themselves.
It’s how it should be.
- Celebrating our inclusive culture
- Stonewall LGBTQ+ Inclusive Employer
- Working Families Top 10 Employer
- Employee Index Top 75 Employer
- Black Talent Charter
- Top 10 Muslim Employee Networks
- Disability Confident Employer
- Inclusive Employers
- Menopause Workplace Pledge
- The Prince's Responsible Business Network
- Women in Finance Charter
People Services Support Desk Executive in Milton Keynes employer: Grant Thornton Cyber Defence Centre
Grant Thornton is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and collaborative work culture in the heart of London. With a strong emphasis on employee growth, you will have the opportunity to lead innovative valuation projects while enjoying flexible working arrangements that promote a healthy work-life balance. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking team that values your contributions and supports your professional development.
Contact Details:
Grant Thornton Cyber Defence Centre Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land People Services Support Desk Executive in Milton Keynes
✨Join HR Networks
Get involved in HR-specific communities, like the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and local HR meetups. This is a fantastic way to connect with industry professionals and learn about job openings before they even hit job boards!
✨Make Your Presence Known
Attend HR conferences and workshops in your area to network with potential employers. Don't be shy—introduce yourself, exchange business cards, and let them know you're keen on a full-time role in HR. Who knows, you might just land a friendly face at Grant Thornton Cyber Defence Centre!
✨Leverage Your University Connections
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✨Showcase Your HR Passion
Create content around HR topics you’re passionate about, like employee engagement or diversity initiatives. Share articles or insights on LinkedIn to demonstrate your knowledge and get noticed by recruiters. It’s a subtle yet effective way to show you’re the right fit for a full-time role at Grant Thornton Cyber Defence Centre.
We think you need these skills to ace People Services Support Desk Executive in Milton Keynes
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your HR Skills:When you’re crafting your CV, make sure you highlight specific HR skills that are relevant to the role at Grant Thornton Cyber Defence Centre. Include any experience with recruitment processes, employee relations, or performance management, and don’t forget to mention your familiarity with HR software or tools that could give you an edge.
Tailor Your Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine, so tailor it to Grant Thornton Cyber Defence Centre and the specific HR role. Highlight your passion for people management and how your unique approach can help foster a positive workplace culture. Be sure to sprinkle in examples from your past experiences that illustrate your problem-solving abilities and interpersonal skills.
Include Relevant Certifications:If you’ve got any HR certifications or relevant training under your belt, be sure to showcase them! These qualifications can really set you apart from other candidates when applying for this full-time HR position at Grant Thornton Cyber Defence Centre. List them prominently on your CV to catch the hiring manager's eye.
Align with Company Culture:Make sure your application speaks to Grant Thornton Cyber Defence Centre's values and culture. Research the company and align your experiences or values with what they stand for. This will show them that you're not only a fit for the role but also for the overall vibe of the team and organisation.
How to prepare for a job interview at Grant Thornton Cyber Defence Centre
✨Brush Up on HR Best Practices
As you're diving into human resources, it’s crucial to be well-versed in the latest HR practices and legislation. Get familiar with key topics like employee engagement, talent acquisition, and diversity initiatives, as these could easily pop up in your interview with Grant Thornton Cyber Defence Centre.
✨Know Your Recruitment Tools
Most HR roles involve using various recruitment tools and ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems). Make sure you can comfortably discuss platforms like Workday or Greenhouse. If you've had direct experience, share those examples; if not, show your eagerness to learn!
✨Highlight Your People Skills
A full-time HR role at Grant Thornton Cyber Defence Centre will require strong interpersonal skills. Prepare to share stories that demonstrate how you’ve successfully navigated conflicts or supported team members in past experiences. Authenticity goes a long way in this field.
✨Stay Current with HR Trends
Being up to speed with current HR trends, like remote working protocols or mental health initiatives, can set you apart. Be ready to discuss how these trends could impact Grant Thornton Cyber Defence Centre and how you would contribute to adapting HR strategies.