The Department

The People team play a key role in enabling the firm to attract, develop and retain great people, and giving them the tools and support needed to develop and fulfil their potential, and that of the firm. The team is welcoming, inclusive, driven by providing a 'high touch' level of service, and collaborative in terms of how we work. The team consists of c.40 people in both business-facing, generalist roles (Advisory) alongside specialist teams (Data & Systems; Reward; Diversity, Inclusion & Wellbeing; Employment, Policy & Engagement; Talent Acquisition, as well as our Academy, which consists of Academy Learning, Academy Tech and Early Careers).

The Role

The People Advisor role is a key part of the Advisory team, which acts as the key interface between the business and the wider People function. This role will work closely with a range of people of all levels of seniority across the areas they support, including Partners, and others with co-ordination/team leadership responsibilities focussing on fee earning and group businesses.

Duties and Responsibilities

The role will include the following:

Talent Management

• Have a deep understanding of your client groups' practice areas, business plans and on-going objectives and the role the People team plays in meetings these objectives.
• Effectively support the Head of People Advisory/ People Advisory Manager in devising and implementing People policies and initiatives which support these objectives.
• Keep abreast of relevant employment legislation and assist with the management of any disciplinary, grievance or performance-related issues, in conjunction with the Head of People Advisory/ People Advisory Manager and Head of Employment, Policy and Engagement.
• Support the Head of People Advisory/ People Advisory Manager on all aspects of resourcing and development including implementation of our approach to continuous, informal feedback, assessment of training requirements and identification of high potential candidates for promotion.
• Manage the process for employees taking family-friendly leave including production of all related paperwork, and advising the employee on their benefits and entitlements.
• Work closely with our People Hub team to ensure all systems are updated and the relevant instructions are given to Reward, Payroll and Finance teams.

Wellbeing

• Ensure that Connect conversations are taking place and be a point of contact for wellbeing conversations and supporting employees.
• Coach and support managers in their conversations with employees.
• Be the point of contact for those going on and returning from family leave and coach them on their transition.
• Provide support on all aspects of absence management, including sickness and return to work guidance, occupational health referrals and follow ups, and work with the wider team to ensure the right support is in place, including Income Protection claims.
• Support the Diversity and Wellbeing Manager on all projects / initiatives, being a key driver in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Reward

• Assist the Head of People Advisory/ People Advisory Manager with data preparation, analysis and admin support for the remuneration processes.
• Work with the Reward team to ensure Willis Towers Watson benchmarking is complete and up to date.
• Work with the People Hub and Reward team on the monthly Payroll submission, ensuring accurate and timely submission.

Recruitment & On-boarding

• Work in partnership with the Talent Acquisition team to support recruitment for roles within your portfolio. This may include scoping out the business rationale and securing necessary approvals, drafting the job description, managing internal stakeholders and candidates, and identifying key internal talent.
• Take an active role in ensuring all new joiners are properly inducted and supported upon joining the firm and manage the probation process through liaising with Managers seeking feedback and implementing personal development plans where needed.

Reporting & Analysis

• Analyse the output of regular and ad hoc management information reports including (but not limited to) sickness, turnover, raising points of interest as appropriate.
• Work in partnership with the Head of People Advisory/ People Advisory Manager to proactively identify areas of improvement and focus and support the implementation of any initiatives put forward.
• Assist the Head of People Advisory/ People Advisory Manager with the development of organisational charts and evaluation of team structures, operations and working practices.

Development

Responsible for the delivery of development programmes across all three entry channels and business areas, including:

• Maintaining strong relationships with the graduate and apprenticeship Training Principals.
• Building a network with key stakeholders, at all levels, from across the Firm.
• Designing and managing the delivery of the Trainee and Apprenticeship development programmes.
• Delivering Supervisor Training and supporting Supervisors in their role.
• Managing the Graduate and Apprenticeship and intern/wexp feedback process and providing additional support where needed. Meeting with apprentices/interns to discuss development more generally.
• Managing the Graduate and Apprenticeship seat move process, liaising with key stakeholders regarding seat availability, allocation of seats, communication with supervisors and apprentices.
• Managing relationship with Graduate and Apprenticeship (legal and non-legal) training providers. Facilitating the relationship between providers, line managers and Apprentices.
• Providing HR support to apprentices on employee relations issues, such as performance, health and wellbeing or personal issues, working with the People Advisory team.
• Overseeing the payment of educational fees and maintained grants.
• Making recommendations and implement process improvements.

General

• Support and lead where necessary on ensuring that effective processes and procedures are being followed in relation to the employee life-cycle (i.e. recruitment, joiner and leaver process, implementation of family friendly policies). Ensure that best practice is followed and proactively identify improvements.
• Act as a role model within the team and seek ways to support the continuous development of your colleagues.
• Provide cover for the other People Advisors in the team and provide support when necessary.
• Contribute and actively lead on People projects and other team initiatives as and when requested.
• Continuously identify ways to add value within the team.
• Build strong and effective relationships across the team, including specialist areas of Reward, the Academy, Early Careers, Talent Acquisition and Diversity, Inclusion & Wellbeing.
• Take responsibility for own continuous professional development, ensuring up to date knowledge of employment law and HR best practice.
• Positively embrace change and strive for continuous improvement in all that the People team do, including the team's work on embedding the firm's Equality, Diversity & Inclusion strategy.

Skills and Experience

• Significant experience as a generalist with proven experience working as an Advisor or at a similar level.
• Experience of working in a professional services environment.
• Experience of independently managing a range of disciplinary, grievance and performance-related issues with minimal assistance.
• Experience of adding value and actively managing business-related and People projects and initiatives.
• Confidentiality in all sensitive and confidential issues.
• Ability to solve problems quickly and creatively.
• Good working knowledge of People processes and policies.
• Strong IT Skills in Word and Excel, proficiency using People databases, analysing data and using it to present key findings/recommendations.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Excellent organisational skills.
• Ability to develop effective relationships at all levels within the People team and the firm.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Resilient and calm under pressure.
• Adaptable and flexible approach.
• Pro-active and takes initiative.

Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.

About The Mishcon de Reya Group

The Mishcon de Reya Group is an independent, international professional services business with law at its heart, employing over 1450 people with over 650 lawyers. It includes the law firm Mishcon de Reya LLP and a collection of leading consultancy businesses that complement the firm's legal services.

Mishcon de Reya LLP is based in London, Oxford, Cambridge, Singapore and Hong Kong (through its association with Karas So LLP). The firm services an international community of clients and provides advice in situations where the constraints of geography often do not apply. Its work is cross-border, multi-jurisdictional and complex, spanning six core practice areas: Corporate; Dispute Resolution; Employment; Innovation; Private; and Real Estate.

The Mishcon de Reya Group includes consultancy businesses MDR Cyber, MDR Discover, MDR Mayfair (in London, Singapore and Dubai), MDR One, MDRi and MDRx. The Group also includes MDR Lab, which invests in the most promising early stage legaltech companies as well as the Mishcon Academy, its in-house place of learning and platform for thought leadership.

Earlier this year, the Group announced its first strategic acquisition in the alternative legal services market, flexible legal resourcing business Flex Legal. It also acquired a majority stake in Somos, a global group actions management business.

We strive to create a fully diverse and inclusive workplace where all our people are empowered to fulfil their potential. We are proud of our agile working culture and are always happy to talk flexible working.

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