EMEA HR Operations Specialist: Onboarding & Payroll in London

The HR team helps protect the firm’s largest investment, our people. This position will support the EMEA HR Operations and HR Business Partner teams with exposure to multiple areas such as onboarding, HRIS, training, benefits, payroll, and employment law. This position will interact closely with cross‑functional teams such as Talent Acquisition, Talent Development, Legal, Compliance, various internal business leaders, and external vendors.

What you’ll do:

• General Coordination: Support the HR Operations and Business Partner teams by handling administration, employee inbounds and process coordination, enabling smooth and efficient day‑to‑day operations. Own the employee‑facing onboarding experience and administration, serving as first point of contact for HR queries, conducting orientation sessions, and managing Workday and benefit enrolments. Champion HRIS optimisation and automation initiatives. Proactively identify gaps and process improvement opportunities to reduce manual touchpoints and enhance operational efficiency, particularly through the use of technology/AI. Manage employment verification processes and right to work checks. Maintain compliance with jurisdictional employment and benefits laws and regulations. Other duties, reporting and project coordination as needed.
• HR Operations Support: Partner with the Payroll team on monthly EMEA payroll processing, ensuring accuracy and compliance with local tax regulations. Own backend Workday business processes such as onboarding and off‑boarding with high accuracy. Manage benefits administration and information sources including external vendor relationships and communications, employee communications and annual compliance filings. Maintain benefits data and provide updates to payroll and brokers, with a focus on data integrity. Carry out regular invoice reconciliations to ensure accuracy. Support audit queries and reporting requirements across HR operations.
• HR Business Partner Support: Execute employee lifecycle transactions and audits in Workday, including organisational changes, end of probations, employment verifications, relocations, performance review cycles and terminations. Maintain regional employee handbooks and policy updates on company intranet systems. Partner broadly with People Ops team – including Recruiting and Talent Development teams – to continuously enhance the full employee experience. Own HR administrative processes, such as document drafting.

Skills you’ll need:

• Exceptional attention to detail, critical thinking and creative problem‑solving abilities.
• Proven experience in process improvement and challenging existing workflows to drive operational efficiency.
• Ability to communicate and interact effectively across all management levels, functions and regions whilst maintaining discretion around confidential and sensitive matters.
• Ability to thrive independently in a fast‑paced, complex environment while managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Self‑starter with intellectual curiosity and resilience, who is reliable and willing to manage ambiguity.
• Prior experience with Workday or other major HRIS platforms is preferable.
• Healthy sense of humour and enthusiasm for working in a high‑performing and global team.
• Reliable and predictable availability.

Benefits include:

• Private Medical, Vision and Dental Insurance
• Travel Medical Insurance
• Group Pension Scheme
• Group Life Assurance and Income Protection Schemes
• Paid Parental Leave
• Parking and Commuter Benefits