HR and Early Careers Lead

We are an AI and analytics consultancy helping organisations turndata into better decisions. Through Strategy, Solutions, Services and Support,we build and manage solutions across sectors including financial services,government, life sciences and sport. We work with leading cloud and analyticsplatforms and support customers internationally.

We are preparing to launch an Assured Skills training programme inNorthern Ireland to recruit graduates and experienced people, looking to reskill, supportingtheir transition into consultancy roles. Our growth plans could involve takingon up to 100 people over a year, through phased recruitment and trainingcohorts, subject to programme arrangements and business demand.

The role

We are looking for a CIPD-qualified HR professional who can leadgraduate and experienced staff recruitment and onboarding now, while buildingthe wider HR capability we will need as ISx4 grows. You will be our dedicatedinternal lead for HR and early careers, working closely with senior leaders,managers and external advisers.

Your immediate priority will be to get the first cohort ready:coordinate recruitment and programme partners, organise joining arrangements,support participants through training and manage the transition of successfulcandidates into employment. You will help employees settle into working lifeand prepare for consultancy assignments, with clear expectations, mentoring andregular support.

Alongside the programme, you will take ownership of day-to-day HRprocesses across the business and develop a consistent approach to the employeeexperience. This is a hands-on opportunity for someone with sound HRexperience, strong organisation and the ambition to build a function they caneventually lead.

Career progression towards Head of HR

We see this appointment as a potential starting point for a futureHead of HR role. As our workforce grows, the remit can expand into peoplestrategy, workforce planning, manager development and leadership of the HRfunction. Progression will reflect business growth, demonstrated capability andperformance, with responsibilities and development goals reviewed with seniorleadership.

Key Responsibilities

Graduate & Experienced staff recruitment and selection

• Work with relevant teams tobuild a phased recruitment plan with agreed cohort sizes, timelines, assessmentcapacity and budget; develop relationships with universities, colleges andtalent partners.
• Assist with coordination ofattraction campaigns, application screening, interviews and assessment centres,using consistent selection criteria and technical assessors.
• Assist with the management ofcandidate communications, feedback, reserve lists and applicant records;monitor conversion and withdrawals so cohorts remain on track.
• Agree eligibility and selectionresponsibilities with programme partners, and clearly distinguish academyadmission, employment interviews and job offers.

Assured Skills programme and onboarding

• Act as the operational contactfor the Department for the Economy, the appointed training provider and InvestNI where involved; maintain schedules, actions and escalation routes.
• Coordinate joininginstructions, induction, attendance and participant communications; arrangesupport and reasonable adjustments with programme partners.
• Work with technical leaders onmentoring, professional skills sessions and final employment interviews.Trainers and technical leaders will own the curriculum and technicalassessment.
• Manage the transition intoemployment, coordinating approved offers, contracts, references, right-to-workchecks, payroll information, equipment and line manager allocation.
• Help candidates prepare forconsultancy work through induction, workplace expectations, clientprofessionalism and manager check-ins; coordinate assignment readiness withdelivery leaders.
• Maintain the participation,completion and employment evidence required by programme partners and funders.

HR operations and employee support

• Be the first point of contactfor HR queries across ISx4, supporting employees and managers with onboarding,probation, absence, wellbeing, performance and development.
• Maintain accurate, confidentialemployee records and coordinate payroll inputs and changes with our payrollprovider.
• Support fair and consistentemployee relations processes within your experience and authority, involvingexternal HR or legal advisers where specialist support is needed.
• Review and develop practical HRpolicies, employment documentation and manager guidance appropriate to NorthernIreland and relevant operating locations.

Building the HR function and reporting progress

• Identify the systems, processesand resources needed to support a growing workforce, and establish a scalableapproach to the employee lifecycle.
• Work with leadership onworkforce planning, retention, career development and the evolving peopleagenda as recruitment expands.
• Produce a weekly programmedashboard covering applications, attendance, completion, interviews, offers,employment starts and early retention; report costs, capacity and deliveryrisks.
• Use participant and managerfeedback, completion rates and retention at three and six months to improvefuture cohorts and wider HR processes.

Key Requirements

What we are looking for

This role would suit an experienced HR adviser, HR generalist orpeople professional ready to take broader ownership, with the ambition toprogress into HR leadership. You should enjoy working directly with peoplewhile putting reliable processes in place.

Essential requirements

• A completed CIPD qualificationin HR or people management at Level 5 or above.
• Practical HR generalistexperience covering employment documentation, onboarding, employee relations,absence, probation and performance support.
• Working knowledge of NorthernIreland employment legislation, fair recruitment and data protection, withsound judgement on when to seek specialist advice.
• Experience coordinatingrecruitment from planning and selection through onboarding, ideally involvinggraduates, early careers or multiple hires against fixed deadlines.
• Direct involvement in NorthernIreland Assured Skills academies or comparable funded training programmes.
• Ability to manage a cohortprogramme with external education or training partners, hiring managers andsenior stakeholders.
• Strong organisation, reportingand budget management, with confidence using applicant tracking systems, HRsystems and spreadsheets.
• Clear communication, discretionand the confidence to support and challenge managers constructively.
• Ambition to develop into Headof HR, supported by a willingness to build processes, take ownership andcontinue professional development.

Nice to Have

• Experience in technologyconsulting, data, AI, software or professional services.
• Experience recruiting andonboarding large cohorts, including around 100 people across several intakes.
• Experience establishing HRprocesses in a growing business and supporting employees as they move intoclient-facing roles.
• Relationships with NorthernIreland universities, colleges or skills delivery organisations.
• CIPD Level 7 qualification orChartered CIPD membership.

What We Offer

• A competitive salary,reflective of experience, and hybrid working in Northern Ireland, withattendance at academy venues and partner events.
• The opportunity to shape agraduate talent programme and build the HR capability of a growing AI andanalytics consultancy.
• Close working relationshipswith senior leadership and a clear opportunity to progress towards Head of HRas the business and role develop.

We welcome applications from people withrelevant experience across different backgrounds. Reasonable adjustments areavailable throughout the selection process.

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