HR Administrator

Solent Group work with a diverse portfolio of Retailers and supply bespoke products within various categories, including Health & Beauty, Household Impulse Snacking and Reusable Bags. We are proud to be best-in-class when it comes to own-label product innovation. Our Categories are fast-paced with ever-evolving trends and a host of ground-breaking products coming to market on a regular basis - we add value to retailers by leading and owning each category

Here at Solent we want people to be extraordinary. We pride ourselves on creating and producing amazing products and brands for our Global Customers. You will be joining a company with offices globally across South Africa, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Vietnam, and the UK

Location: Hybrid (2-3 days per week in Christchurch, Dorset)

Purpose of the role

This role owns People & Culture administration end to end, so it gets done on time, every time

We support around 230 people across 7 offices worldwide. The volume is manageable because our systems already do a lot of the work: e-signature, HRIS self-service, digital onboarding and a shared team inbox

You will be the first point of contact for day to day People queries and the person who keeps our data, documents and processes accurate

Key Responsibilities

Inbox and queries

• Own the People & Culture inbox. Triage, answer or route every query, and hit agreed response times
• Answer routine questions on policy, leave, benefits and process without escalating
• Escalate anything involving conduct, performance, health or legal risk to the right Business Partner the same day

Employee lifecycle

• Issue offer letters, contracts and contract variations through e-signature, using approved templates
• Run pre-employment checks: right to work, references and any role-specific checks
• Manage digital onboarding so every new starter has their paperwork, system access requests and induction booked before day one
• Process changes to hours, pay, role, location and reporting line
• Process leavers: acknowledgement letters, final pay inputs, exit paperwork and record closure
• Track probation reviews and fixed-term end dates. Chase managers before they fall due

HRIS and data

• Keep the HRIS accurate and complete. You own data quality
• Push managers and employees to use self-service rather than doing it for them
• Run regular data audits and fix gaps
• Produce standard reports: headcount, starters and leavers, absence, turnover

Payroll and pensions support

• Prepare and check monthly payroll inputs (starters, leavers, changes, absence) and send them to the external payroll provider by the deadline
• Check pension auto-enrolment and opt-out information is passed on correctly
• Reconcile payroll queries with the provider and close them out

Absence and leave

• Record sickness absence and flag trigger points to managers and Business Partners
• Administer family leave: maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental and related letters and pay calculations
• Manage fit notes and return to work paperwork

Employee relations support

• Take notes in investigation, disciplinary, grievance and redundancy meetings
• Prepare letters and case packs from templates for Business Partner review
• Keep case files complete, confidential and secure

Compliance and documentation

• Maintain personnel files in line with UK GDPR and our retention schedule
• Keep policies, templates and the employee handbook version controlled and current
• Support audits, right to work re-checks and any statutory reporting

Projects

• Support team projects such as engagement surveys, talent and succession reviews and integration work, mainly with data, logistics and comms

What success looks like in your first 6 months

• The inbox is clear and every query gets a response within 2 working days
• Payroll inputs go to the provider complete and on time every month, with no missed submissions
• Every new starter has a signed contract and completed right to work check before their first day
• HRIS data is clean enough that standard reports run without manual fixes.
• No probation or fixed-term end date is missed
• Business Partners spend their time on advice, not admin

About you:

Essential

• At least 1 year in an HR administration or HR support role
• Working knowledge of the UK employee lifecycle: contracts, right to work, starters, leavers and changes
• Experience preparing payroll inputs or working closely with a payroll provider
• Confident user of an HRIS and Microsoft 365, especially Excel and Outlook
• High accuracy. You check your own work and spot errors in other people's
• Organised
• Discreet with confidential and sensitive information
• Clear, direct written communication

Desirable

• CIPD Level 3 qualification, or working towards it
• Experience in a multi-site or international business
• Experience with family leave, absence management and statutory pay
• Note taking in formal ER meetings
• Experience of HR during acquisitions or TUPE transfers

What we offer

• Competitive salary with annual salary reviews
• 25 days holiday per annum, increasing to 27 days after 3 years' service and 30 days after 5 years' service
• Extensive benefits programme including buying additional holiday, medical cash plan, access to mental health support and many other benefits
• Flexible hours and work from home available to all staff with an office presence ideally once a week
• Great learning and development and progression opportunities
• Yearly bonus structure (based on company targets)
• Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Leave
• Generous Company Sick Pay
• Pension Scheme Contribution
• Annual social events
• Cycle to Work scheme