People Data & Operations Specialist in Belfast

About Waystone

Waystone is a leading asset-servicing solutions provider of institutional governance, administration, risk and compliance services to financial institutions. With over 25 years’ experience and a comprehensive range of specialist services, Waystone helps clients structure, operate and grow through expertise, innovation and digitisation, backed by the operational scale to support global expansion.

Role Overview

The People Data & Operations Specialist is an experienced HR operations professional with a strong specialism in People data, analytics and operational problem-solving. The role involves working with large, complex and imperfect datasets from multiple systems and sources. The successful candidate will cleanse, reconcile, interrogate and analyse data that may be inconsistent, incomplete or poorly structured. This role goes beyond producing reports. The individual will interpret HR and business data, identify anomalies and emerging patterns, investigate root causes and translate findings into practical insights, controls and actions. The role combines People data and analytics expertise with broad HR operational experience, supporting workforce reporting, payroll governance, absence, Working Time Act compliance, performance management, employee relations administration, immigration, HR systems, operational governance and People projects. The successful candidate will be an experienced HR professional rather than a pure data analyst, with an understanding of how data connects to employees, HR processes, payroll, compliance and business decision-making.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• People Data, Analytics & Insight
  • Take ownership of large-volume People datasets, including complex, inconsistent and unstructured information from multiple systems and business sources.
  • Extract, combine, cleanse, structure, reconcile and validate data to create accurate and usable datasets.
  • Investigate discrepancies and anomalies, tracing issues to their source and identifying root causes.
  • Manipulate and analyse datasets using advanced Excel functionality, including PivotTables, XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, nested formulas, conditional logic, data validation and reconciliation techniques.
  • Analyse data to identify trends, exceptions, risks, themes and opportunities for intervention.
  • Produce workforce analytics, management information, dashboards and operational reporting.
  • Undertake analytical reviews across headcount, absence, performance, payroll, compliance and other workforce matters.
  • Develop repeatable datasets, reporting processes and controls.
  • Improve the quality and integrity of People data held across HR systems.
• People Operations
  • Provide operational HR support across the employee lifecycle.
  • Manage Tier 2 HR activities relating to sickness absence, performance management and employee relations case triage, escalating where appropriate.
  • Manage sickness absence reporting and associated operational follow-up.
  • Support Working Time Act monitoring, reporting and follow-up.
  • Maintain performance improvement plan reporting and associated governance.
  • Support HR activities requiring accurate employee data and documentation.
  • Maintain procedures, process maps, guidance documents, templates and operational controls.
• Payroll, Governance & Compliance
  • Support payroll governance through data validation, reconciliation, exception reporting and analytical review.
  • Analyse payroll datasets to identify discrepancies, trends, unusual movements and potential control issues.
  • Support payroll and HR audits through reporting, supporting evidence and data analysis.
  • Identify gaps in existing processes and recommend sustainable operational controls.
  • Use data and reporting to identify potential compliance risks and areas requiring intervention.
  • Investigate exceptions through to resolution.
• Immigration & Visa Operations
  • Manage end-to-end visa and immigration administration.
  • Maintain visa trackers, systems, employee records and supporting documentation.
  • Monitor visa expiry dates, renewals, sponsorship requirements and associated compliance actions.
  • Produce management reporting covering upcoming renewals, risks, exceptions and required actions.
  • Coordinate with employees, managers, immigration providers and relevant stakeholders.
• Systems, Process Improvement & Projects
  • Become a subject matter expert in BambooHR and other People systems from an operational data and reporting perspective.
  • Identify opportunities to improve data capture, reporting, system utilisation and operational workflows.
  • Investigate recurring errors and inefficiencies to determine root causes.
  • Support the design and implementation of improved processes, controls and reporting.
  • Lead or support People operational projects across Ireland and contribute to global initiatives where required.
  • Provide analytical and project support for HR technology, operational, compliance and transformation initiatives.

Experience Essential

• Minimum five years’ experience within HR/People Operations, HR analytics, HR systems, payroll operations or a closely related People function.
• Strong practical understanding of HR operations and the employee lifecycle.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel capability, demonstrable as part of the recruitment process.
• Significant experience working with large, complex, inconsistent or unstructured datasets.
• Experience extracting data from multiple sources and independently cleansing, combining, reconciling, validating and analysing it.
• Advanced practical experience with PivotTables, XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, nested formulas, conditional logic, data validation and reconciliation.
• Proven ability to investigate discrepancies and identify root causes.
• Experience translating detailed data analysis into business conclusions and recommendations.
• Experience producing workforce/HR management information and operational reporting.
• Experience identifying data quality issues and process weaknesses.
• Experience supporting payroll, audit, compliance or HR governance activities.
• Experience handling sensitive employee information and confidential HR matters.

Desirable

• Experience with Power BI or similar visualisation/reporting tools.
• Experience with payroll data and payroll reconciliation.
• Experience supporting employee relations and absence/performance processes.
• Experience with visa and immigration administration.
• Experience with process improvement or HR transformation initiatives.