Job Description

HR Services Team Leader

Role Purpose

The HR Services team within the Freshfields provides critical HR administrative and transactional services to the firm across the UK, Europe, Asia and the USA through a tiered service model.

Key processes include starter and leaver processes, employee life-cycle changes and employee HR related queries.

Reporting to the HR Services delivery manager, the HR Services Team Leader provides leadership to the HR Service Teams. Ensuring all elements of the colleague transactional cycle are undertaken within contractual, policy and legislative frameworks and in line with the department service levels and quality and customer experience expectations.

The role leads a fast-paced team delivering activities across multiple Service Centres, coordinating competing priorities and maintaining consistent service standards. The Team Leader manages service improvement projects and maximises team performance through the effective and responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) and AI technologies.

Key Responsibilities and Deliverables

• Oversee the day to day HR Services team activities to ensure services meets and exceeds the needs and expectations of colleagues and stakeholders
• Manage and deliver projects that support the continuous development and improvement of the HR Services Delivery function, working with the HR Services Delivery Manager to agree scope, milestones, resources and success measures. Coordinate stakeholders across Service Centres, manage risks and dependencies, and report on progress and outcomes.
• Continue to work with In Country HR resources to identify and transition HR Administrative activity to HR Services
• Support the delivery of key cyclical HR activities, leading the team to meet necessary milestones and quality requirements
• Coach HR Assistants and colleagues within the firm to maximise use of HR Self-Service Technology
• Maximise team performance by identifying, testing and embedding approved AI tools and AI technologies to streamline routine activities, improve accuracy and release capacity for higher-value work. Coach the team in their effective use, measure improvements in productivity, quality and colleague experience, and maintain appropriate human oversight, confidentiality and data protection controls.
• Develop departmental metrics, producing regular reporting outlining performance and where required improvements needed
• Manage and develop a team of HR Service Assistants. Motivate the team to work collaboratively and deliver the departments workload productivity, to high quality and in line with our desired colleague experience
• Lead and develop work allocation practices to enable operation to deliver successfully within expected Service Level’s
• Coordinate workloads, priorities and handovers across multiple Service Centres in a fast-paced operating environment, adapting to changing demand and working collaboratively to maintain service continuity, meet deadlines and deliver consistent quality.
• Support the HR Services Delivery Manager in streamlining processes and improving efficiencies in HR Services
• Day to day guidance for HR Assistants on specific questions, queries and escalation points;
• Identify areas for systems improvement / development whilst considering the overall strategy for the HR Services team;
• Develop relationships with In country HR colleagues and Centre of Expertise functions to enable effective delivery of HR services

Key Requirements

This role requires an experienced operational Team Leader;

• Experience in a supervisory role or equivalent;
• Demonstrable experience of working within and delivering to service level agreements;
• High level of pc/database skills including Microsoft Office;
• Experienced in analysing and reporting on departmental metrics
• Experience of managing projects, including planning delivery, coordinating stakeholders, managing risks and tracking outcomes;
• Ability to identify practical applications of AI and AI technologies to improve team performance, support adoption and assess benefits, with an understanding of responsible use, confidentiality and data protection;
• Ability to lead a fast-paced team working on activities across multiple Service Centres, balancing competing priorities, responding to changing demand and maintaining service standards.

Inclusion

Freshfields is an equal opportunities employer and all applications received by the firm will be considered on the basis of their merit alone. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background. All offers of employment will be conditional on the candidate having/securing the right to work in the UK in the role in question and providing the firm with evidence of that right (as required by the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006) prior to employment commencing.

Freshfields is a Ban the Box employer. We ask applicants to disclose criminal convictions only if and when a conditional job offer is made. A conviction does not automatically lead to withdrawal of the offer: we make decisions on a case-by-case basis and take a number of relevant factors into account (e.g. the role you are applying for and the circumstances of the offence). You would have the opportunity to discuss the matter with us before we make a decision.