• Job Description

  Req#: 250000A5

  UK Research and Innovation

  Salary: £29,923 per annum.
  Hours: Full/Part time (Min 0.8 FTE)
  Contract Type: Fixed Term (12 Months).
  Location: Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, Oxon.

  Closing Date: 8th June 2025

  Employees applying for any opportunity which may mean being away from your substantive role for a temporary period of time, please refer to the Recruitment 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.

  Job Description

  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.

  Roles and 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 inbox, 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.

  Essential Skills/Qualifications/Experience

  (S) – Assessed at shortlisting
  (I) – Assessed at interview
  (S&I) – Assessed at both shortlisting and interview

  Essential Criteria

  • Experience in an administrative and customer focused role (S&I)
  • Competent in the use of IT (Outlook, Word, Excel). (S&I)
  • Good written 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)
  • Excellent oral communications and interpersonal skills (I)
  • 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 (S&I)
  • Proactive and customer focused with a ‘can do’ attitude. The role requires a high level of customer care (S&I)
  • Able to work flexibly within the team – willing to pitch in and support others at critical times (I)
  • Excellent organisational skills. The role requires you to prioritise workloads and meet deadlines as required. Well-motivated and capable at times of working under pressure (I)
  • Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately (I)
  • Ability to work under own initiative (I)
  • Ability to take a continuous improvement approach (I)
  • Discrete and diplomatic (I)

  About UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

  UKRI launched in April 2018, UKRI is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

  Our organisation brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England, which is responsible for supporting research and knowledge exchange at higher education institutions in England, and the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK. Together we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision to ensure the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation. More information can be found at www.ukri.org.

  Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit Benefits of working for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

  The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.

  How we support EDI in the workforce

  At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit ‘How we support EDI in the workforce’.

  Disability Confident Employer

  As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
  
  How to apply

  Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application.

  UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.

• About the company

  UK Research and Innovation is a non-departmental public body of the Government of the United Kingdom that directs research and innovation funding, funded through the science budget of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

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