Interim HR Operations Specialist | Fixed Term Contract (Parental Cover)

Reports to: Global HR Operations Director Location: London (with flexibility for US-aligned hours) Status: Fixed term contract till 31st December 2026, covering a period of parental leave. Job purpose: The Interim HR Operations Specialist is responsible for driving high-quality HR service delivery across the employee lifecycle. Acting as a key point of contact, this role will provide first-line support for US-focused and global employee queries and manage non-complex employee relations cases in partnership with HR Business Partners (HRBPs). During this fixed term contract, the focus will be on operational excellence: leveraging systems (HiBob), managing end-to-end employee lifecycle processes, ensuring payroll and benefits alignment, and improving day-to-day service levels for colleagues . Principal accountabilities: Employee Query Resolution & Relations Support: First-Line Support: Act as the first-line contact for employee and manager queries (specifically supporting the US workforce), ensuring timely, helpful, and high-quality resolution of day-to-day inquiries. Employee Relations (ER): Manage and resolve non-complex employee relations cases, providing practical guidance to managers and escalating complex matters to HR Business Partners (HRBPs) where appropriate. Stakeholder Collaboration: Partner closely with HRBPs to ensure a joined-up approach to supporting employees and operationalizing team changes. Policy Development & Operationalisation: Lead the research, drafting, and regular review of global HR policies, ensuring they are market-competitive and aligned with the Foundation’s values. Translate complex policies into clear, actionable Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and user-friendly guidance for HR, managers and employees. Take ownership of the "operationalisation" phase of any new policy, ensuring all administrative workflows, system updates, and communication plans are executed to a high standard. US HR Operations & Compliance: Act as the internal subject matter expert for US HR operations, ensuring all processes (onboarding, benefits, leave management, and terminations) comply with federal and state-specific labor laws (e.g., FLSA, FMLA, ADA). Manage the operational nuances of a multi-state US workforce, ensuring payroll inputs and benefits administration are handled with precision. Liaise with US-based legal counsel and benefits brokers to ensure the Foundation’s US offering remains compliant and effectively administered. Process Implementation & Improvement: Identify inefficiencies in current HR workflows and lead process improvement initiatives to streamline delivery and reduce manual intervention. Ensure that the HRIS (HiBob) is fully leveraged to automate policy-driven processes, maintaining high data integrity. Establish "gold standard" execution for HR administrative cycles, ensuring the team delivers a seamless experience across the employee lifecycle. Operational Execution & Support: Provide high-level operational support to the Global HR Operations Director on complex cases and large-scale HR initiatives. Collaborate with HR Business Partners to ensure that operational processes support the specific needs of different business units. Oversee the maintenance of employee records and templates, ensuring they reflect current policy and legal requirements. Collaboration and Communication: Work closely with the Payroll and Finance teams to ensure that policy changes are accurately reflected in financial and compensation workflows. Develop clear internal communications and training materials to help employees and managers understand and adopt new HR processes. Serve as a key point of escalation for complex US-related operational queries. Qualifications: Proven experience in an HR Operations role within a global organisation, with a strong track record in policy development. Experience supporting US-based employees, with good understanding of US employment law, benefits, and compliance requirements. Demons…