HR Business Leader in City of Westminster

Core Responsibilities

• Manages the implementation of the office’s Talent strategy as part of the HKS strategic plan.
• Assists in collaborating on special projects with the global Talent team by identifying and clarifying issues and priorities, coordinating requirements, and ensuring completion.
• Develops and updates policies, manuals and guidelines to keep up with business and regulatory changes in line with HKS values and guide office leadership and employee actions.
• Ensures compliance with national legal requirements, industry regulations and trade union requirements by studying legislation and advising leadership.
• Supports office leadership by providing human resources advice, counsel and decisions based on data and professional knowledge.
• Coaches employees through the entire employee lifecycle from recruiting to onboarding to inquiries to termination.
• Partners with leadership and employees on handling employee relations and sensitive personnel matters.
• Coordinates the office’s Talent Acquisition processes and prepares necessary paperwork for employment contracts, onboarding, exit, flexible working, contract changes, disciplinary and grievance procedures.
• Completes compensation research and benchmarking for new and existing employees in collaboration with the HR manager.
• Counsels leaders and employees on performance management strategies and plans for the office in collaboration with the Talent team.
• Implements and administers a benefit plan that supports the attraction and retention of talent.
• Leads on office immigration matters and maintains country-specific sponsorship licenses and records.
• Provides periodic reports to leadership on employee metrics and data, such as turnover.
• Ensures compliance with payroll, pension and benefits legislation and collates Talent data for statutory and benefit reports.
• Stays current with human resources trends and best practices and provides feedback to HR leadership.
• Endorses the firm’s cultural values, including a commitment to quality, innovation, learning and growth.
• Facilitates team self‑evaluation and distributes lessons learned within the firm.
• Invests in professional development of staff through mentoring, performance management and career planning, developing office‑specific programs with the Professional Development team.
• Develops, recognizes, recruits and grows diverse talent.
• Mediates and manages conflict effectively and encourages a healthy team environment.
• Provides direction and feedback to team members and collaborates with team leaders.
• Collaborates to develop policies and programs that support JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion).
• Fosters a green workplace through sustainable work practices.
• Coordinates office‑specific HR budgets across benefits and professional development.
• Works with the Payroll team to provide office input and country‑specific compliance advice for the payroll system.
• Assists in resource management and may deliver projects on defined budget requirements.
• Develops compelling responses to Talent related questions for office marketing and business development bids and competitions.
• Participates in conferences, cultivates speaking opportunities and raises the firm’s profile.
• Participates in professional organizations, acting as an ambassador for HKS.
• Collaborates with leadership to support business growth and maintains essential relationships.

Qualifications

• Degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Local HR certification required; International HR certification preferred.
• Typically 8+ years of related experience.

Experience & Skills

• Experience in MS Office Suite, including Excel.
• Knowledge of Adobe software, including InDesign and Illustrator, to create and edit presentations and reports.
• Strong knowledge of multiple human resource disciplines: compensation practices, organizational diagnosis, employee relations, diversity, performance management and employment laws.
• Experience in logistics management connecting people and resources to the right place at the right time.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to interact with all levels of staff.
• Strong organizational skills with ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Ability to hold sensitive information with a high level of confidentiality and integrity.
• Ability to communicate and present ideas clearly, concisely and professionally, verbally and in writing.
• Ability to proactively problem‑solve, collaborate on innovative solutions, and work both independently and in a team.
• Ability to effectively meet deadlines at expected quality.