Job Overview
A broad administration role with real variety — around half HR and people administration, half accounts and office support. Full-time or part-time from 24 hours a week, 30 days’ holiday including bank holidays, and free parking on site in Harlow.
The role in short
This is a broad administration role, not a pure HR job. Roughly half your time will be spent on people and HR administration; the rest will be spent supporting our accounts function, keeping compliance and health & safety records in order, and handling the general office administration that keeps the place running.
If you like variety and are happy switching between an employment contract, a payroll deadline and a supplier query in the same morning, this will suit you well. If you are looking for a specialist HR career track, it probably will not.
You will report to the Accounts Manager and work alongside our HR & Health and Safety Advisor, who looks after our people and safety processes and will help you get up to speed. As the workshop grows we need HR support available across the whole week, and you will be the day-to-day point of contact for the questions that come up.
People & HR administration (around half the role)
- Be the first point of contact for day-to-day HR queries from the workshop and wider team
- Support recruitment — advertising roles, arranging interviews, onboarding new starters
- Prepare employment contracts and make sure documentation is completed, signed and filed
- Manage attendance, absence and holiday records, and oversee the clocking-in system
- Prepare and check payroll inputs each period — timesheets, absence, starters and leavers — ready for processing
- Support pay reviews and keep the related paperwork in order
- Administer disciplinary, grievance and performance processes — note-taking, letters, scheduling and record-keeping, with the Directors and our HR & Health and Safety Advisor leading on decisions
- Maintain accurate, confidential employee records in line with UK employment law and GDPR
Accounts & office support
- Provide day-to-day administrative support to the Accounts Manager
- Assist with purchase ledger, supplier invoices and statement reconciliation
- Chase outstanding customer payments and maintain the sales ledger
- Keep records, filing and documentation organised across the business
- Handle general office administration, correspondence and routine reporting
Compliance & health and safety
- Support our HR & Health and Safety Advisor by keeping health & safety records, training logs and compliance documentation up to date
- Help make sure the business meets our regulatory and audit requirements
- Take on new administrative areas as we grow — you will help us build systems that do not exist yet, not just maintain the ones that do
Hours and flexibility
We are open to both full-time and part-time applicants and will build the hours around the right person.
- Full-time: 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 8.00am – 5.00pm with a one-hour unpaid lunch break
- Part-time: a minimum of 24 hours per week, worked across at least four days — we can be flexible on start and finish times
- Because of payroll deadlines and the need for cover, we do need you in the office on Mondays and Wednesdays
Tell us in your application what pattern would work for you.
What we are looking for — essential
- Solid administration experience in a busy workplace, including some exposure to HR or people administration
- Strong organisational skills and genuine attention to detail — you notice when a number or a date is wrong
- Comfortable handling confidential information with discretion
- Confident with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word and Outlook
- Able to juggle competing priorities and switch between tasks without losing track
- Happy working in a hands-on, practical environment rather than a corporate office
Desirable
- Experience in manufacturing, construction, a workshop or another operational setting
- Knowledge of payroll processes or purchase and sales ledger work
- Experience with Xero and Staffology, or similar accounting and payroll systems
- Experience with clocking-in or time and attendance systems
- Familiarity with health & safety administration
- CIPD Level 3
What we offer
- £13.46 – £16.34 per hour depending on experience (£28,000 – £34,000 a year full-time equivalent)
- 30 days’ holiday including bank holidays, pro rata for part-time — above the statutory minimum
- Company pension scheme
- Free on-site parking
- Genuine flexibility on hours for the right person, full-time or part-time
- An experienced HR & Health and Safety Advisor on hand to support and mentor you
- A stable, long-term role in an established and growing business
- Scope to broaden the role and take on new areas of responsibility over time
About us
We are a well-established specialist in the design and manufacture of bespoke timber staircases. Operating from our own workshop in Harlow, we employ over 50 skilled production staff alongside a wider team of drivers, surveyors and sales professionals.
We pride ourselves on quality craftsmanship, strong teamwork and efficient operations. This is a role with visibility across the whole business — you will work closely with the Directors and the Accounts Manager, you will see the impact of what you do, and you will not be a small cog in a large machine. We are a practical, down-to-earth team that values people who take ownership and get things done.
Applying
Tell us in your application what hours you are looking for and what attracts you to a varied administration role. We review applications as they arrive and may close the advert early if we find the right person.
Pay: £13.46-£16.34 per hour
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
