HR Shared Services Specialist in Colchester

Company Description

At Informa, no two days and no two people are the same, and you'll find the freedom, opportunity and support of a fantastic community to make a real impact. We’re an international business that connects specialists with knowledge, helping them to learn more, know more and do more through live and on demand events, digital and data-driven services and academic research. We are home to over 10,000 colleagues across 30 countries and are a member of the UK’s FTSE 100 group of leading public companies. We’re thrilled to have earned the #3 spot in Glassdoor's Best Places to Work 2025 UK list, a recognition based solely on reviews by those who know us best - our current and previous colleagues.

In Global Support, we provide expert guidance and hands‑on support to the Informa Group and Informa’s many business teams. Across tech, finance, legal, corporate development, HR, communications, operations and many other areas, we work collaboratively and flexibly to help our brands serve their customers and help the company succeed.

This role is based in our Colchester office. The HR SSO is responsible for the full ‘Hire to Retire’ employment cycle of approx. 11,000 colleagues globally and is split into 4 areas, HR SSO EMEA, HR SSO America’s, HR SSO APAC and MI (Management Information). HR SSO EMEA is responsible for the provision of services to approx. 4,000 colleagues and is split into two further areas, Pre‑employment and Administration.

Key responsibilities

• Provide first point of contact for all colleagues on employee lifecycle enquiries. Resolving queries professionally and promptly.
• Management of the HRIS systems (SAP and Oracle) to ensure colleague profiles are maintained and accurately updated with any changes throughout the month. Ensure colleague files are maintained alongside this.
• Work with HR Business Partners, Payroll and Benefits teams to ensure all payroll deadlines are met.
• Prepare, run, and submit payroll each month to our in‑house payroll team and external payroll provider (ADP).
• Produce all change, parental leave, absence, flexible working and any other ad‑hoc letters upon request.
• Handles diverse and confidential information requiring extreme accuracy, independent judgement and discretion.

The HR SSO Specialist (Pre‑employment) is expected to assume the following key responsibilities plus any other reasonable duties as required:

• Provide first point of contact for hiring managers and candidates for vacancy and recruitment enquiries. Resolving queries professionally and promptly.
• Management of the candidate management system (Smart Recruiters) on a day‑to‑day basis.
• Work with hiring managers to obtain RTW’s prior to day 1 start.
• Initiate new starter processes on relevant systems.
• Preparation of new starter documentation including (but not limited to) offer letters and contracts.
• Ensure that new colleagues are booked into any divisional induction programs.
• Manage the reference request process for all new starters.
• Oversee recruitment of temporary staff and contractors across the business, ensuring appropriate documentation is kept and renewed when needed, IT equipment is in place and that health and safety inductions are completed.
• Handles diverse and confidential information requiring extreme accuracy, independent judgement and discretion.

Skills & Abilities

• Good communication skills with the ability to build good relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, internal departments and key contacts.
• Proficient skills in Excel, Word and Outlook are essential.
• Remain approachable under pressure.
• Knowledge and ability to use relevant internal systems.
• Ability to act with integrity, tact and diplomacy with sensitive and confidential information and handle it in a secure and safe manner at all times.
• Work as part of a team.
• Ability to complete a variety of related tasks.

Qualifications

• A good knowledge of SAP and/or Oracle system preferable.
• Good knowledge and understanding of HR/Payroll administration.
• Previous experience within an HR SSO environment desirable.

Additional Information

We believe that great things happen when people connect face‑to‑face. That’s why we work in‑person with each other, or with customers and partners, three days a week or more. When you’re not spending time together in one of our offices or other workplaces – like at an Informa event – you get the flexibility and support to work from home or remotely.

We work hard to make sure Life at Informa is rewarding, supportive and enjoyable for everyone. Here’s some of what you can expect when you join us. But don’t just take our word for it – see what our colleagues have to say at LifeAt.Informa.com

Our benefits include:

• Great community: a welcoming culture with in‑person and online social events, our fantastic Walk the World charity day and active diversity and inclusion networks.
• Broader impact: take up to four days per year to volunteer, with charity match funding available too.
• Career opportunity: the opportunity to develop your career with bespoke training and learning, mentoring platforms and on‑demand access to thousands of courses on LinkedIn Learning. When it’s time for the next step, we encourage and support internal job moves.
• Time out: 25 days annual leave, rising to 27 days after two years, plus a birthday leave day and the chance to work from (almost!) anywhere for up to four weeks a year.
• A flexible range of personal benefits to choose from, plus company funded private medical cover.
• A ShareMatch scheme that allows you to become an Informa shareholder with free matching shares.
• Strong wellbeing support through EAP assistance, mental health first aiders, a healthy living subsidy, access to health apps and more.
• Recognition for great work, with global awards and kudos programmes.
• As an international company, the chance to collaborate with teams around the world.

We’re not solely focused on a checklist of skills. We champion energy and ambition and look for colleagues who will roll their sleeves up, join in and help make things happen. If it sounds like a match and you have most – although not all – of the skills and experience listed, we welcome your application.

If you would like to request reasonable adjustments or accommodations to assist your participation in the hiring process and, or in the advertised position, please inform the appropriate Talent Acquisition Partner for the role once they have been in touch. Your request will be reviewed and considered in confidence. At Informa, you’ll find inclusive experiences and environments where all perspectives and backgrounds are welcomed. As part of this approach and our diversity and inclusion commitments, we are also formally an Equal Opportunities Employer. This means we base decisions on relevant qualifications and merit and do not discriminate on the basis of key characteristics and statuses, including all of those protected by law.