HR Operations Assistant

UKRI
Salary: 29923 per annum

Band: UKRI Band C
Contract Type: Fixed Term (12 Months)

Hours: Full-time/Part Time (minimum 0.8 FTE)
Location: Polaris House Swindon Wiltshire - Hybrid working available

Closing Date: 1st October 2025

Employees applying for any opportunity which may mean being away from your substantive role for a temporary period of time please refer to theRecruitment Policy for further information in the first instance. If you are made an offer please ensure you liaise with your Line Manager and the designated HR Team as soon as possible in order that implications of any move are clear and understood prior to a move taking place.

About the role

The HR Operations teams provide high quality advice and support to people managers and employees on day-to-day HR queries key HR processes UKRI policies and employee relations cases as they arise. Working closely with the HR Advisors and with interaction from the Centres of Expertise and UK SBS you will be the first point of contact for many employees and managers. The role is busy and varied with key activities required so organisational skills are essential. This role is ideal for someone starting or returning to a HR role with development and training opportunities available.

Your responsibilities:

• Provide advice to employees and managers on UKRI policy and processes

• Review and action staff change forms and provide advice on associated policy and completion of forms where appropriate.

• Act as gatekeeper for the HR in-box ensuring queries are dealt with in a timely manner managing day-to-day queries and escalating to the appropriate person/team if appropriate
• Champion the use of HR self-service options to aid line managers and employees on generic HR policy and process queries
• Handle and manage confidential data where required

• Deliver inductions for new starters and assist with any onboarding issues including issuing of day one email / checklist to new starter and line manager.

• Support the occupational health referral process including contact with employees line managers and medical practitioners.
• Support casework which includes providing routine advice and guidance and taking notes at meetings as and when required.
• Support HR initiatives and internal projects as appropriate
• Look for opportunities to continuously improve in-house HR related processes also in conjunction with UK SBS

• Support activities such as Instant Award and In Year/ End Year Award schemes and Training Workshops.

Personal Specification

These criteria will form your CV shortlisting and also your interview criteria for the next stages of the recruitment process. You will be required to score and appoint on the basis of these criteria.

Please consider Qualifications Knowledge Skills and Experience.

The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S) Interview (I) or both (S&I).

Essential

• Experience in an administrative and customer focused role (S/I)

• Competent in the use of IT (Outlook Word Excel). (S)
• Good written and oral communication skills evidenced by both a good cover letter and CV. Ability to construct grammatical and clear e-mails meeting notes and draft simple reports (S)
• Good attention to detail able to produce clear accurate work (S/I)
• Proven track record of working within a busy team and in challenging situations (I)
• Proactive and customer focused with a can do attitude. The role requires a high level of customer care and good interpersonal skills (I)
• Able to work flexibly within the team willing to pitch in and support others at critical times (I)

• Excellent organisational role requires you to prioritise workloads and meet deadlines as required. Well-motivated and capable at times of working under pressure. Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately (I)

Benefits

We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package. We are committed to supporting employees development and promote a culture of continuous learning!

A list of benefits below:

• An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme.
• 30 days annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent).
• Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities.
• Employee assistance programme providing confidential help and advice.
• Flexible working options.

Plus many more benefits and wellbeing initiatives that enable our employees to have a great work life balance!

For further information on our benefits please see:

Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

UKRI is an Equal Opportunity & Disability Confident Employer.

Please apply online if you experience any issue applying please contact

Please note if you will require sponsorship to work in the UK as part of your sponsorship application you and any dependants travelling with you will be required to pay costs directly to The Home Office for the application before you start your role with us. UKRI is normally able to reimburse some or all of these fees after you have become an employee and this can be discussed with the Hiring Manager. For more information please visit contact.