HR Manager

Mayer Brown is an international law firm positioned to represent the world’s major corporations, funds, and financial institutions in their most important and complex transactions and disputes. We are recognised by our clients as strategic partners with deep commercial instincts and a commitment to creatively anticipating their needs and delivering excellence in everything we do.

We are a collegial and collaborative firm where highly motivated individuals with an unwavering commitment to excellence receive the opportunity, support, and development they need to grow, thrive, and realise their greatest potential while supporting the Firm’s client service principles of excellence, strategic partnership, commercial instinct, integrated strengths, innovation, and collaboration across our international firm.

If you enjoy working with team members whose defining characteristics are exceptional client service, initiative, professionalism, responsiveness, and adaptability, you may be the person we are seeking to join our HR department in our London office as a HR Manager.

Purpose Of The Role

Working closely with the Senior Manager: Human Resources and Director: Human Resources, the Manager: Human Resources will act as a trusted partner to both fee-earner practice groups and business services teams across the London and Dubai offices. The role combines hands-on delivery with strategic input, ensuring people initiatives support client service excellence and the firm’s commercial objectives. Key priorities include building strong relationships with partners and managers, managing complex employee relations matters, overseeing core HR processes, and contributing to projects that enhance performance, engagement, and retention. This role is integral to aligning HR solutions with business needs while maintaining compliance and operational efficiency.

Hours

9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with flexibility in accordance with the needs of the business.

Responsibilities

• Act as a strategic HR business partner to practice group leaders and managers, ensuring people strategies align with commercial objectives and client service priorities.
• Provide commercially focused advice on workforce planning, talent management, and organisational design to support profitability and growth.
• Advise partners and managers on complex employee relations issues (disciplinary, performance, grievance) with a focus on risk mitigation, reputation management, and business continuity.
• Support partners and managers in managing probationary periods effectively to ensure early identification of performance issues and alignment with team and client delivery expectations.
• Partner with partners and managers to proactively manage sickness absence.
• Liaise with occupational health to implement practical workplace adjustments.
• Monitor changes in UK employment law and HR best practice, advising on implications for the firm and recommending commercially viable solutions.
• Review and update policies and procedures to ensure compliance and put forward proposals to keep in line with legislative and market changes and adapt to business needs.
• Keep up to date with pay and benefit trends and market rates; provide advice and guidance on remuneration issues.
• Conduct the annual salary review and bonus awards.
• Prepare and analyse HR data to provide actionable insights that inform business decisions and highlight opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure the annual appraisal process drives performance and development outcomes aligned with practice group and business services priorities across the London and Dubai offices.
• Oversee the new joiner induction programme for fee-earners and business services staff.
• Identify improvements for onboarding to enhance engagement and retention.
• Conduct settling-in meetings and exit interviews.
• Identify trends impacting engagement and retention; present findings to leadership with recommendations for improvement.
• Advise on family leave policies and flexible working arrangements, balancing individual needs with client service requirements and business continuity.
• Liaise with the Manager: Global Mobility on international client secondments and transfers, providing support to Practice Groups and Business Departments on UK employment law and risk.
• Contribute to Community Building and CSR initiatives that strengthen the firm’s reputation, align with client and business expectations and develop a diverse workforce.
• In conjunction with the Learning & Development team, assist partners and managers to identify capability gaps and deliver targeted interventions.
• Support the delivery of training as appropriate.
• Assist with the recruitment process and interviews where necessary.
• Respond to ad hoc queries with pragmatic, commercial solutions.
• Take ownership of personal development and actively support the development of team members.

Qualifications

Educated to degree level or equivalent.

Experience, Skills And Personal Attributes

• Proven experience as an HR Manager within a professional services or financial services environment.
• Strong understanding of current UK employment law and how to apply it in practice.
• Demonstrated ability to design and deliver HR initiatives that support business goals.
• Proactive and pragmatic approach to problem-solving, using sound judgment and initiative.
• Analytical approach, with the ability to explain issues clearly and provide practical advice.
• Skilled at building relationships and gaining buy-in from a wide range of stakeholders across the firm and with external providers.
• Flexible and adaptable, able to respond effectively to changing priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Highly organised, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong influencing skills and the ability to challenge constructively when needed.
• Resilient under pressure and able to deliver to tight deadlines.

At Mayer Brown, we are committed to creating an inclusive work environment that offers our people the opportunity and support they need to succeed. Our culture promotes mutual respect, acceptance, cooperation and productivity among people from all backgrounds and values different perspectives and ideas. One of our core values at Mayer Brown is to promote inclusion at all levels within the business which is actively supported by our Employee Resource Groups - LGBTQI+, Fusion (Race & Ethnicity), Multi-faith, Women, Enable (Disability), Social Inclusion and Opportunities Network and Work and Me (Family). We are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments that individuals may require throughout the recruitment process and once they have joined the Firm.