HR Officer- Generalist - London, N17 (Hiring Immediately)

About Outward. For 50 years, Outward has been providing high-quality support and care services to vulnerable people across London, predominantly in North East London. Established by families seeking alternatives to institutional care, we’ve grown into a respected provider of person-centred support for adults with learning disabilities, autism, mental health needs, and complex needs. We support over 1,000 people across nine boroughs, guided by our core values: engage, enable, and empower. Outward is proud to be an accredited Living Wage Employer. This means we are committed to paying the Real Living Wage – not just the government minimum or national living wage – to our frontline Support Workers and other eligible staff. We recognise the value of the work our teams do, and we are committed to ensuring fair pay that reflects the true cost of living.

About the Role. We are looking for a proactive, detail‑focused and people‑centred HR Officer (Generalist) to join our small and busy HR team. In this varied role, you will support the full employee lifecycle, ensuring high‑quality HR operations, accurate data management and consistent application of policies. You’ll act as the first point of contact for HR queries, support managers with routine employee relations matters, and help maintain and develop our HR systems, including iTrent, Workable, Zinc and Sona. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys both people‑focused and data‑focused work, is passionate about good HR practice, and thrives in a collaborative environment. Your work will help ensure our staff teams are supported to deliver exceptional services to the people we support.

Requirements. As an HR Officer (Generalist), you will play a key role in ensuring smooth, efficient and compliant HR operations across Outward. Your responsibilities will include:

• HR Operations & First-Line Advice: Provide day‑to‑day HR support and first‑line advice to managers and staff, ensuring queries are dealt with promptly, accurately and professionally. Support employee relations matters, including performance, conduct, informal concerns and sickness management. Assist managers during formal ER processes by coordinating investigations, preparing documentation, drafting letters and taking minutes at meetings.
• Recruitment, Onboarding & Lifecycle Processes: Support recruitment activity, including advertising roles, shortlisting coordination and ensuring compliance with safer recruitment practices. Administer the onboarding process, ensuring all pre‑employment checks (including DBS and Right to Work) are completed accurately and on time. Coordinate lifecycle changes including contractual amendments, probation reviews, role changes and offboarding activities. Produce employment documentation such as contracts, offer letters and variations to contract.
• HR Systems & Data Management: Administer and support core HR, recruitment, screening and time‑and‑attendance systems (currently iTrent, Workable, Zinc and Sona). Maintain accurate and compliant employee records, ensuring data integrity, correct workflows and timely updates. Support system developments, new features, integrations and improvements that enhance HR processes and user experience.
• People Data, Reporting & Analytics: Produce accurate HR data and reports using Excel (including formulas and data manipulation) and system reporting tools. Support statutory and internal reporting, including workforce data for senior leaders, regulators and auditors. Monitor trends relating to absence, turnover, recruitment and workforce activity, escalating issues where appropriate.
• Payroll, Benefits & Compliance: Support payroll processes by ensuring all changes are correctly recorded and communicated in a timely manner. Administer employee benefits such as eye‑care vouchers, long‑service awards, buy-sell annual leave, refer-a-friend, DSE arrangements and wellbeing‑related schemes. Ensure compliance with GDPR, safer recruitment, DBS and safeguarding requirements.
• Teamwork & Continuous Improvement: Provide support and cover for HR and payroll colleagues during periods of absence. Contribute ideas to improve HR processes, systems.