We are looking for a HR Shared Services Officer to join our team in Bath. As part of HR Shared Services, you will be a key member of the team providing end-to-end HR support to regional HR Consultants and employees across Buro Happold.
The role delivers full HR lifecycle coordination and administration, supporting the Regional HR Teams to ensure a consistent and high-quality employee experience.
You will be responsible for global HR processes, administration, and continuous improvement in a generalist capacity, providing HR services to the business. This includes embracing digital tools and emerging technologies - such as AI-powered platforms and automation - to enhance service delivery, streamline processes, and support data-driven decision-making. Your contribution will help drive operational excellence, consistency, and innovation across the function.
What will Success Look like
Success in the role would involve providing timely, administration and co-ordination of HR related advice to line managers and employees, within the appropriate global HR framework, policies, and procedures. will serve as the first point of contact for employees and external partners, handling all HR-related queries with professionalism and care - whether via email, phone, face-to-face, or through the HR ticketing system ServiceNow.
Success would also involve owning the delivery of all HR process and administration, administer accurately, completely, and correctly all HR requests and processes, in a global HR Shared Services environment, ensuring process guidance is implemented and used for each request/process.
With true understanding of what we do, why we do it and that our people are fundamental to our success, this role will apply a continuous improvement and critical lens to all it works on, including raising queries and making suggestions for improvement, and implementing these.
The ability to build and maintain effective relationships with Regional HR teams, providing service to their requirements, balancing regional and global needs, whilst working collaboratively within the HRSS team, providing support and help where required.
Above all, you will be a champion of your nominated process(es), service, and improvement - advocating for consistency, clarity, and quality in everything you do. You will help embed best practices across the function, driving operational excellence and ensuring our services are delivered efficiently, accurately, and with a continuous improvement mindset. This includes embracing digital tools and emerging technologies such as AI to enhance service delivery, streamline processes, and support data-driven decision-making.
The Role
HR processes and administration:
- Full accuracy, responsiveness, and coordination of all processes to support the full employee life cycle including completion of all HR administration and co-ordination for your designated business area.
- First point of contact for employee queries via HR Ticketing System - ServiceNow, on call or face to face interaction.
- Ensure any escalated issues are handled in a timely manner and resolution is communicated.
- Working with payroll (or payroll providers) to provide timely information in line with cut offs, and any specific reports and/or data logs that HRSS need to do on a regular basis.
- Providing data for and preparing routine management information reports and documents and handle ad-hoc report requests as required.
- Provide support for audit requests ensuring that they are handled in a timely fashion and provide information as needed.
- Administrative management of HR database and systems – ensuring employee data is up to date.
- Monitor and maintain data integrity across all HR systems, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and alignment with global standards and regulatory obligations.
- Ensure compliance with internal controls, GDPR, and other relevant data privacy regulations when handling employee information.
- Manage requests within SLO (Service Level Objective) and accurately, and smaller-scale ad hoc projects to deadline, demonstrating close attention to detail.
- Support the achievement of key performance indicators (KPIs) related to SLO compliance and service quality, including the proactive prevention of breach tickets (overdue or unresolved queries in ServiceNow) through effective query management and process adherence.
- Promote consistency and standardisation of processes globally, minimising variation and workarounds, and supporting the implementation of process improvements and system enhancements.
- Support the rollout and embedding of new HR systems and tools (e.g., ServiceNow enhancements), including participating in user acceptance testing (UAT), providing feedback, and helping to train or guide users through new processes.
Continuous Improvement:
- Collaboration and working with the Global HR Shared Services Team Manager, HR Shared Services UK+ Lead and other stakeholders to ensure ongoing review and improvement of all processes, guides, templates, and other documentation to globalise wherever possible and ensure all documents are updates as and when changes take place, ensuring clarity and that changes are communicated and understood.
- As part of a continuously evolving function, you will also support the implementation of new systems and tools, including enhancements to ServiceNow and other HR platforms. This involves testing, providing feedback, supporting change communications, and helping embed new ways of working across the team and wider business.
Experience & Qualifications
- Demonstrable administration, process, and continuous improvement experience.
- HR experience (Shared Service environment advantageous).
- Well versed in Microsoft Office software (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
- Experience working in a demanding high volume environment.
- Proven ability to deliver excellent customer experience and manage multiple priorities.
Desirable Experience:
- Experience of working within the engineering sector or professional services.
- Familiarity with using HR ticketing systems such as ServiceNow (or equivalent) to manage and resolve queries.
- Previous experience of working for a Global company.
- Experience supporting or contributing to the implementation of new HR systems, including user acceptance testing (UAT), providing feedback, and helping embed new processes and tools across teams.
- Exposure to digital transformation initiatives, including the use of automation and AI-powered tools to enhance HR service delivery.
Qualifications and Accreditations:
- A globally recognised HR qualification would be advantageous but not essential.
Styles & Behaviours
- Excellent communication skills (verbal and written) – able to effectively influence peers and stakeholders, particularly in compliance with processes and in incorporating feedback for process improvement.
- Highly professional manner, with the ability to interact and communicate effectively with employees of all levels or experience and seniority, across the organisation.
- Willingness to embrace new HR technologies and changing processes.
- Exceptional attention to detail.
- Ability to work independently, manage deadlines effectively, and prioritise multiple tasks with a clear understanding of what matters most.
- Excellent organisation and time management skills.
- Ability to navigate the “grey” areas by applying judgment and thinking creatively when responding to employee, manager and stakeholder needs.
- Ability to handle confidential information professionally and appropriately.
- Proactive mindset with a strong sense of initiative - able to identify opportunities for improvement, raise ideas, and take ownership of implementing changes that enhance service delivery and employee experience.
A place for everyone
Buro Happold values an individual's flexible approaches to working patterns as an important part of how you work and achieve balance. We welcome applications from those who are seeking flexibility in their careers.
Our exceptional portfolio of projects is the result of the diversity of thought, identities, backgrounds, and experiences that shape us. Appreciating each other’s differences is key, we want employees to feel they don’t have to mask elements of their identity to thrive.
We are working to change the lack of representation of marginalised groups in the built environment. We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who feels they are underrepresented in the industry. We have much to learn from one another. Embracing differences allows us to develop the most innovative and elegant solutions.
Please let us know if there are any adjustments we could make to the application process to make it easier and more comfortable for you. Contact recruitment@burohappold.com so we can work with you to support you throughout your application.
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