Main information
The Firm
Farrer & Co is synonymous with the highest quality legal advice and service.
We advise individuals, families, businesses, financial services, educational and not-for-profit organisations on every aspect of the law, wherever the need arises. From our offices in London we work with trusted professionals around the world to deliver a seamless international service.
Our clients present us with complex and varied challenges. Whether that's a complicated family trust issue, a multinational corporate transaction, or an emerging threat to their reputation, they need clear thinkers who can advise on the best solutions, fast thinkers when speed is of the essence and agile thinkers who can produce a fresh approach to get the job done. That's why they choose us.
Our clients value our in-depth knowledge, technical excellence and diversity of disciplines. But what really binds our long-standing relationships with them is our approach: pragmatic, plain speaking and always steadfast in our values, which we hold dear. Values which mean we gain our clients' trust, always strive to do the right thing, and aim for the best results for them.
Superb client service sits at the heart of everything we do. We are modern lawyers with timeless values.
The Team
The HR Team is responsible for developing and delivering the firm’s people strategy in line with its vision, values and commercial objectives. The team supports the firm across all areas of people management, including business partnering, employee relations, talent and succession, recruitment, learning and development, diversity and inclusion, reward, wellbeing, organisational change and HR operations.
Scope
The Senior Human Resources Business Partner (Senior HRBP) will act as a trusted and commercially astute adviser to partners, directors, managers and employees within designated client groups. The role will partner closely with senior stakeholders to understand business priorities, diagnose people issues and deliver practical, values-led people solutions that support client group performance, engagement, retention and long-term capability.
The role combines strategic business partnering with high-quality operational oversight. It will lead on complex and sensitive employee relations matters, support workforce planning and organisational change, use people data to identify trends and opportunities, and contribute to firmwide HR projects and annual people processes.
The Senior HRBP will also line manage and coach and support HR Advisers/Assistants and contribute to the continued development of a proactive, credible and commercially focused HR service.
Responsibilities
Strategic Business Partnering
- Build strong, credible and effective relationships with partners, directors, managers and employees across designated client groups, acting as a trusted adviser on people-related matters.
- Develop a deep understanding of client group priorities, commercial drivers, operating challenges and talent needs, ensuring HR advice is practical, proportionate and aligned with the firm’s strategic objectives.
- Hold regular strategic meetings with client group leaders to identify people priorities, review progress against agreed actions and provide insight on employee relations, performance, engagement, wellbeing, succession and retention.
- Constructively challenge and influence leaders where appropriate, balancing employee experience, legal and regulatory risk, commercial requirements and the firm’s values.
Talent, Performance and Succession
- Partner with leaders to identify capability, performance and succession priorities within client groups and support the development of practical people plans to address them.
- Support annual performance, salary and bonus review processes by providing balanced, evidence-based people insight and ensuring consistency, fairness and alignment with firmwide guidance.
- Coach managers to handle performance, conduct, capability and development conversations confidently, fairly and effectively.
Employee Relations and Risk Management
- Lead on complex and sensitive employee relations matters, including disciplinary, grievance, capability, performance, absence and workplace concern processes.
- Provide strategic, commercially focused advice to chairs and decision-makers, ensuring matters are managed in accordance with the firm’s policies, values, legal obligations and any relevant risks.
- Oversee the preparation of complex correspondence, scripts and case documentation, providing guidance and quality assurance to HR Advisers where appropriate.
- Identify patterns and root causes in employee relations activity and work with leaders to reduce avoidable people risk through early intervention and improved management capability.
Engagement, Culture, Wellbeing and Inclusion
- Work with leaders to interpret employee engagement, absence, wellbeing and exit interview data, identifying themes and agreeing action plans where appropriate.
- Support the firm’s commitment to an inclusive, values-led culture by advising leaders on fair, consistent and thoughtful people management practices.
- Oversee absence, wellbeing and attendance management within client groups, ensuring appropriate support is provided while balancing service, team and business needs.
Organisational Change and Workforce Planning
- Support leaders with organisational change, workforce planning and team structure discussions, ensuring people implications are identified early and managed effectively.
- Partner with Recruitment, Learning and Development, Reward, Diversity and Inclusion and HR Operations colleagues to deliver joined-up solutions for client groups.
- Provide HR input into recruitment planning for client groups, ensuring hiring decisions take account of capability gaps, succession priorities, business need and long-term team shape.
HR Projects, Policy and Continuous Improvement
- Lead or contribute to HR projects, annual processes and firmwide people initiatives that improve the employee experience, management capability and operational effectiveness.
- Review HR policies, processes, systems and intranet content, making recommendations to improve usability, consistency, efficiency and commercial relevance.
- Act as the HR representative on relevant firm committees or working groups as agreed with the HR Leadership Team.
HR Team Leadership and Coaching
- Coach, guide and support HR Advisers, HR Assistants and Apprentices/Interns, with whom you might work helping to build capability and ensure high-quality, consistent client service.
- Provide managerial and coaching support to the (Senior) HR Adviser aligned to the same client group, promoting effective prioritisation, professional development and service delivery.
- Provide cover and support across the HR team during busy periods or absences, and undertake other duties or projects as reasonably required by the HR leadership team.
Skills and Experience
- Established HR business partnering experience, ideally gained within a legal, professional services or similarly complex partnership-led environment.
- Strong commercial awareness and the ability to understand business priorities, stakeholder needs and the people implications of organisational decisions.
- Proven ability to influence, coach and constructively challenge senior stakeholders, building credibility through sound judgement, pragmatism and professional confidence.
- Excellent employee relations judgement, with experience managing complex and sensitive matters through to resolution.
- Strong understanding of UK employment law and HR best practice, with the ability to apply this knowledge in a practical and risk-aware way.
- Ability to use people data, management information and evidence to identify themes, inform decisions and recommend targeted interventions.
- Experience supporting annual people processes, organisational change, workforce planning, performance management, engagement and wellbeing initiatives.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce clear, accurate and appropriately tailored advice and documentation.
- Highly organised, resilient and able to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment while maintaining attention to detail and discretion.
- Collaborative and team-focused, with a genuine commitment to developing others and contributing to a high-performing HR function.
Education and Qualifications
- Part or fully CIPD qualified, or able to demonstrate equivalent professional experience.
Special aspects
Open to talking flexibly. This role is suitable for flexible working and applications will be accepted from individuals looking to work a minimum of 0.8 FTE pattern. Flexible working patterns will be considered within the firm’s agile working framework.
Farrer & Co is an equal opportunity employer who welcomes applications from candidates from all backgrounds. We look to employ the best candidates regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, social or economic background, religion, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, or any other protected characteristic.
We are keen to ensure candidates have the best interview experience possible. If you require any adjustments during the interview or application process please let the recruitment team know.
Comments
Farrer & Co conducts a pre-employment screening which includes a Criminal History Background and Credit Check for successful candidates.
