We’re a national law firm with a local reach. Our legal experts are here for you. Whether it’s personal or business, we understand that everyone’s situation is different. But we’re more than just a law firm – we’re a team of people working together to help individuals and businesses navigate life’s ups and downs. Working here you’ll feel a part of our friendly and inclusive environment.

We’ll value you for who you are and what you bring. We support each other and push boundaries to achieve incredible things and make a real difference to our clients and communities.

We're always looking to support our colleagues to work in a way that works best for them and everyone else, including our clients, the business and the regulators. Please speak to a member of our Recruitment and Onboarding team for more information.

The Senior HR Services Manager is a senior subject matter expert with end-to-end accountability for the design, delivery and governance of HR Services across the colleague lifecycle — from hire to retire. 

Working closely with the Head of HR Operations, HR leadership and senior stakeholders across the Group, you’ll ensure our HR services are closely aligned to business priorities, compliant within a highly regulated environment and consistently deliver what the organisation and our people need. 

A core element of the role is active engagement with the business to understand evolving demand, pain points and future requirements, translating these insights into well-designed, efficient and sustainable HR service solutions that add genuine value. 

HR Services Design & Delivery 

• Own the quality, effectiveness and governance of HR services across the full colleague lifecycle. 
• Embed a right first time service delivery model, underpinned by strong data quality, clear accountability and well designed processes. 
• Lead the centralised HR Services function, ensuring accurate, timely and dependable support aligned to agreed SLAs. 
• Reduce rework and unnecessary handoffs through multiskilling, automation and continuous process improvement. 
• Use service data, insight and feedback to ensure HR Services remains responsive, relevant and value adding. 

Risk, Governance & Compliance 

• Operate as a trusted expert within a regulated environment, ensuring HR services comply with employment law, regulatory requirements and internal governance standards. 
• Embed robust risk controls, clear audit trails and high standards of data accuracy and record keeping. 
• Provide oversight, challenge and assurance across HR service delivery, acting as a key point of expertise on HR operational risk. 
• Lead internal and external audits, ensuring readiness, compliance and minimal risk exposure. 

Technology, Data & Continuous Improvement 

• Work in close partnership with HR Technology, the wider HR team and Group Services to deliver future fit, digital and data led HR services. 
• Use horizon scanning and bestpracticebest practice insight to evolve HR Services in line with changing business needs. 
• Drive a mature culture of continuous improvement, balancing risk, efficiency and colleague experience. 
• Ensure HR data, systems and reporting remain accurate, meaningful and aligned to strategic priorities. 

Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement 

• Lead, manage and develop a high performing HR services team, fostering a customer focused, accountable and inclusive culture. 
• Coach and support team leaders to deliver consistently high standards of service. 
• Build strong partnerships with senior stakeholders across the Group, representing HR in key forums and projects. 
• Contribute to wider HR programmes, cyclical HR activity and change initiatives from an operational perspective. 

Essential 

• Significant experience in HR Operations or HR Services management, ideally within a regulated or complex environment. 
• Strong knowledge of employment law, HR risk and governance. 
• Proven experience delivering high quality, SLA driven services at scale. 
• A data riven mindset with excellent attention to detail and a passion for continuous improvement. 
• Experience managing HR data, employment screening, records and audit requirements. 
• Confident engaging with and challenging senior stakeholders appropriately. 
• Strong leadership capability, with experience developing and leading operational teams. 

Desirable 

• CIPD qualification (or working towards). 
• Experience within Shared Services environments. 
• Automation, HR systems or SAP experience. 
• Strong Excel and reporting capability. 

• 25 days holidays as standard plus bank holidays - You can ‘buy’ up to 35hrs of extra holiday too.
• Generous and flexible pension schemes.
• Volunteering days – Two days of volunteering every year for a cause of your choice (fully paid)
• Westfield Health membership, offering refunds on medical services alongside our Aviva Digital GP services.

We also offer a wide range of well-being initiatives to encourage positive mental health both in and out of the workplace and to make sure you’re fully supported.  This includes our Flexible by Choice programme which gives our colleagues more choice over a hybrid way of working subject to role, team and client requirements.

We have been ranked in the Best Workplaces for Wellbeing for Large Organisations for 2024!

Our responsible business programmes are fundamental to who we are and our purpose. We’re committed to being a diverse and inclusive workplace where our colleagues can flourish, and we have established a number of inclusion network groups across our business to support this aim. 

Our commitment to Social Responsibility, community investment activity and tackling climate change is a fundamental part of who we are. It’s made up of four strands: Our People, Our Community, Our Environment and Our Pro Bono.

As part of the Irwin Mitchell Group’s on-boarding process all successful applicants are required to complete the group’s employment screening process. This process helps to ensure that all new employees meet our standards in relation to honesty and integrity therefore protecting the interests of the Group, colleagues, clients, partners and other stakeholders.

We carry out pre employment screening to establish your eligibility to work in the UK, criminal record and financial checks ­with our trusted 3rd parties.

The employment screening process will fully comply with Data Protection and other applicable laws.

Irwin Mitchell LLP is an equal opportunity employer.