HR Operations Assistant

This role will be based on site, primarily in the named location with the opportunity to work remotely available in line with our Adaptive Working Framework. We have one simple promise – to make a positive impact. Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better. The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook. Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region.

We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 – making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes. Financially strong and seriously ambitious, we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills.

In People Experience and Culture, we foster a culture of excellence which positively impacts the student experience and supports the University’s growth and success. We focus on the wellbeing of our colleagues and support our leaders to create engaged, goal-aligned teams that power our organisation and community. We bring a future-focussed approach to people and skills challenges, using data-led insights to partner our colleges and directorates in securing the right people, at the right time, with the right skills, and right culture that allow us to meet our strategic objectives.

Join our People, Experience and Culture (PEC) team as an HR Operations professional, providing first-line HR advice and support to managers and employees across the organisation. You'll play a key role in delivering an efficient, customer-focused HR service throughout the employee lifecycle, including onboarding, employee changes, payroll administration, compliance monitoring, and maintaining accurate HR records.

Working closely with colleagues across the wider PEC team, you'll resolve HR queries, ensure adherence to policies and employment legislation, contribute to process improvements, and support HR projects. This is an excellent opportunity for a proactive and organised individual who is passionate about delivering exceptional customer service, building strong stakeholder relationships, and driving continuous improvement.

This role is part-time (25 hours). The working pattern for the role is open for discussion at interview. This position is offered on a fixed-term basis to cover a period of maternity leave, with the contract due to end in late August 2027. There may be the potential for the contract to be extended beyond this date; however, this cannot be guaranteed.

We are seeking a customer-focused individual with strong organisational and communication skills. Educated to A-Level standard (or equivalent experience) with GCSE Maths and English at Grade C or above (or equivalent), you will have experience of delivering excellent customer service, handling confidential information, and adapting to change in a professional environment. The successful candidate will be solutions-focused, highly organised, and able to manage competing priorities while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.

Strong written and verbal communication skills are essential, along with proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively. Experience of working with data systems is essential, ideally with HR systems such as iTrent and Sharepoint.

Responsibilities include:

• Provide first-line advice and guidance on HR policies and procedures to managers and employees, consistently providing an exemplary and efficient service.
• Deal promptly and effectively with HR enquiries via telephone, email or in person, working to Service Level Agreements.
• Undertake key transactional HR activities including issuing employee contracts; dealing with staff changes; correctly and confidentially maintaining employees' personnel files through the inputting of information into the HR systems; onboarding of new starters; processing leavers accurately; and responding and managing reference requests.
• Follow key processes and procedures relating to HR activities, including probation review, fixed term contract end dates, visa renewals/end dates and immigration working restrictions to ensure the business receives a professional, efficient and consistent service at all times.
• Ensure the timely collation and processing of information for monthly payroll as well as year-end activities and ad hoc requests.
• Provide day-to-day administration support to the wider PEC.
• Proactively work with the HR Operations Team Leader to determine effective HR processes, highlighting issues/concerns on service delivery when appropriate.
• Own and investigate HR issues to resolve for the managers/employees, ensuring they are kept fully informed at all times, demonstrating sound judgement and initiative to immediately address and/or escalate requests in accordance with escalation procedures.
• Actively engage in process improvement efforts to increase efficiency and customer satisfaction, proactively seek improvements to processes and procedures; look for opportunities to learn, develop and share knowledge/best practice.
• Responsible and accountable for ensuring a “right first time” service is consistently delivered.
• Work to key KPI’s and SLA’s and ensure these are adhered to at all times.
• Ensure full adherence to policies and employment legislation, including but not restricted to, Right to Work legislation, UK and Visa Immigration rules and Disclosure and Barring Service requirements.
• Support managers with required training needs around the employee lifecycle by working closely with the HR Operations Team Leader to recommend trends/demands to ensure we can meet the organisational needs.
• Support/participate in HR projects as and when required.

Qualifications:

• A levels or equivalent qualification/level of experience
• GCSE or equivalent Maths and English (Grade C minimum)

Experience:

• Experience of consistently delivering customer-focused service
• Experience in adapting and embracing change
• Experience of working in a confidential manner/dealing with confidential work at all times
• Experience of working with data systems; ideally HR Systems such as iTrent and Sharepoint

Skills, knowledge & abilities:

• Solutions focused with a positive outlook to resolutions
• Proven ability to prioritise workloads and work to conflicting deadlines
• Evidence of contributing to problem solving in a range of situations
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal
• Ability to consistently produce accurate written communication
• Sets and achieves high standards of work i.e. eye for detail
• Computer literate in Microsoft Office (e.g. Excel, Outlook), and/or HR systems (e.g. iTrent)
• High level of initiative and autonomy, ability to work as part of a team and independently

Willingness to obtain CIPD qualification to Associate Level within 2 years.

Generous annual leave entitlement of 38 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata).

Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family-friendly policies, generous sick pay provision and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme.

Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers.

Discounted onsite gym.

Cycle to Work scheme.

A flexible working environment.

A commitment to personal and professional development.

For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Clare Wells, HR Operations Team Leader via c.wells@derby.ac.uk.

For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via recruitment@derby.ac.uk.

The University is unable to sponsor the employment of international workers under the Skilled Worker route for this role; however, applications are welcome from candidates who are able to demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK.

The University of Derby is committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion, regardless of age, disability, trans status, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief (or none), sex and sexual orientation. We are Disability Confident Employers, demonstrating our commitment to disability inclusion, and invite applicants to highlight adjustments they may require to ensure equitable participation in our recruitment processes.

Further, we are committed to ensuring an environment which is trans and non-binary-inclusive for all our staff, students, partners, and visitors, and continuously review our policies, guidance and training. When applying to join the University, you can choose your preferred title, including the gender-neutral title 'Mx'. We also ask our candidates if they would like to share their preferred pronouns. This is voluntary but demonstrates our commitment to inclusivity for trans and non-binary candidates. Once employed, you can add pronouns and preferred names onto our system.

The University of Derby undertakes anonymised shortlisting during the staff recruitment process. This means that, when shortlisting, panel members will not be able to see an applicant’s name and will see an applicant number instead. This demonstrates the practical steps we are taking to remove barriers to recruitment by minimising the possible impact of our unconscious bias. However you identify, we actively celebrate the knowledge, experience and talents each person brings.

Our students come from a wide range of backgrounds; therefore we are particularly interested to hear from applicants who will help our leaders and teams be more reflective of our student population.

At the University of Derby, we are passionate about embedding sustainability into everything that we do. We aim to bring environmental sustainability into all aspects of the University, including teaching, research and operational activities. In line with the University's strategic framework, we expect all our staff to embed sustainability into their working practices and support the University's objective to reach net zero carbon by 2050.

The University of Derby is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our staff, students and children. At the University of Derby, safeguarding is everybody's concern.