HR Assistant

HR ASSISTANT

Full Time 37 Hours per Week – Permanent

Salary: Cognus Band 1B STARTING SALARY £ £28,275

Location: Cognus Office, First Floor, Cantium House, Wallington, SM6 0DZ

PLEASE NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED USING OUR APPLICATION FORM - ,

Cognus Limited is a Local Authority Traded Company, which is commissioned by the London Borough of Sutton to provide education services to early years providers, mainstream schools and specialist education settings in Sutton. Wholly owned by the local authority, we deliver a wide range of high-quality services to deliver excellent practice that improve the lives of children, young people, and families in Sutton and beyond.

We are looking for an experienced HR Assistant to be the backbone of our HR operations. In this pivotal role, you will ensure our processes and systems run seamlessly. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment, enjoy variety, and want to make a genuine impact, this is the role for you.

You will bring proven experience as an HR Assistant or Administrator, along with confidence, proactivity, and the ability to work across multiple departments. Strong attention to detail, excellent communication skills, and a solid understanding of confidentiality and discretion are essential. You should be comfortable using HR portals, SharePoint, PowerPoint, and Excel, and familiarity with AI tools is a bonus.

You will report directly to our HR Advisor and work closely with our outsourced HR partner, giving you fantastic exposure and opportunities to develop your knowledge and skills. It is a varied and rewarding position where you will play a key role in supporting the business.

Key Responsibilities

Your day-to-day will be diverse and fast-paced, including:

· Maintaining holiday and sickness records

· Supporting payroll, pensions, and benefits administration

· Assisting with recruitment: drafting job specs and adverts, and coordinating interviews

· Conducting right-to-work, visa, and DBS checks

· Managing starters and leavers checklists

· Preparing contracts, reports, presentations as required

· Maintaining employee records and training logs

If you are ready to bring your HR expertise and enthusiasm to a dynamic organisation, we would love to hear from you.

You will give us great commitment and in return we offer an excellent package including:

i) Starting salary of £28,275 per annum

ii) Workplace pension scheme 4% to 8% matched contributions

iii) 28 days annual leave pro rata (plus Bank Holidays)

iv) Regular manager support and supervision

v) Hybrid and flexible working with a minimum of 50% office-based

vi) Staff benefits package; currently including Employee Assistance Programme, life insurance, employee benefits platform and (upon completion of probation) health care Cognus reserves the right to adjust these additional discretionary benefits to improve quality of their services provided, maintain affordability for the Company and to ensure benefits remain fit for purpose with staff needs.

vii) Variety of staff groups including Staff EDI group, events committee and many more

viii) Cognus Coaching Programme

ix) An ambitious culture with friendly and supportive colleagues

If you are interested and would like to be considered for this role, please apply to with the completed application form, downloaded from , outlining your suitability. The deadline for receipt is Midnight on Sunday 7th December 2025. Candidates are requested to be available for interview on Thursday 18th December 2025.

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Helen Gasparelli, Operations Director at

All offers of employment are subject to successful completion of recruitment formalities which includes an enhanced DBS check. These checks must have been completed before the commencement of employment. We expect our staff to have due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and to follow the child protection procedures adopted by the Company and Sutton's Local Safeguarding Partnership.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

JOB DESCRIPTION

POSITION: HR Assistant

DIVISION: Human Resources

REPORTS TO: HR Advisor

GRADE/PAY: Grade 1B starting at £28,275

LOCATION: Cognus Office, First Floor, Cantium House, Wallington, SM6 0DZ

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting to and working alongside the HR advisor, you will provide proactive and professional HR administrative support throughout the business, including payroll, recruitment, employee relations and management.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

· Provide HR administrative support within the HR team, consisting of an HR Advisor and a HR partner organisation.

· Full day-to-day administration processes include new starter processing including administering contracts, onboarding, induction, leaver processes, probation reviews, sickness absence, exit interviews.

· Supporting payroll, pensions, coli, and benefits administration, working alongside finance to ensure smooth and timely processing

· Provide advice on current and existing remuneration and benefits for employees and managers.

· Assisting with end-to-end recruitment, including job evaluation and benchmarking, reviewing job specs and adverts, coordinating applicants, interviews and outcomes, conducting right-to-work, visa, and DBS checks ensuring safer recruitment practice is adhered to.

· Maintaining employee records and training logs, including ensuring team specific and mandatory training is completed

· Act as first point of contact for queries in the central HR mailbox, responding in a timely manner or escalating as appropriate.

· To assist with producing the HR Dashboard as part of the Board Reports and other ad hoc reports as required.

· Organise relevant training for employees, including annual safeguarding training.

· Maintain an up-to-date awareness of current employment law and HR best practice.

· Under the guidance of the HR Advisor identify and complete regular and relevant CPD and training.

· To have due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and to follow the child protection procedures adopted by the Cognus Limited, and Sutton Council's Safeguarding Children's Board.

· To follow the Company's policies and procedures at all times.

· Carry out any other duties as reasonably required

COMPETENCIES

The main duties and responsibilities of the postholder are indicated below although other duties of an appropriate level and nature will also be required.

a) Have relevant qualifications or demonstrable knowledge, professional development and experience relevant for the role.

b) Have experience of recruitment and ideally experience of working in a generalist HR support role.

c) Have a good knowledge and understanding of employment legislation, relevant ACAS guidance and best practice in relation to human resource management.

d) To have understanding of pensions schemes to deliver monthly and annual returns.

e) Be highly organised with excellent administrative skills and able to work harmoniously, efficiently and often under pressure.

f) Be flexible, with a 'can-do' approach and the ability to work independently or as part of a team.

g) Have the ability to prioritise and work accurately with attention to detail.

h) Have excellent communication skills, and proactively work with colleagues across Cognus and externally, building effective working relationships.

i) Be highly proficient in Word, Outlook, SharePoint and Excel and ideally have experience of using database systems.

j) Have experience and knowledge or working with HR payroll systems and processing.

k) Have experience in monthly pension returns and annual reports.

l) Understand and respect the sensitivity of HR information and employee records and ensure confidentiality of all written and verbal communications.

m) Understand the importance of safeguarding and safer recruitment.

REPORTS TO: HR Advisor

SUPERVISES: None

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES: Processing Payroll and Pensions for the business.

Maintaining subscriptions to relevant HR recruitment and benefit packages. May be required to purchase items with oversight from line manager.

CONTACTS: Wider Cognus team, HR partner Organisation, wider Cognus teams and board, schools and other professionals.

GENERIC OBJECTIVES:

Contribute to Cognus Limited's business objectives at the appropriate level by ensuring every child matters and has access to education and learning opportunities, including:

a) Health and safety

b) Safeguarding and protection of children

c) Equal opportunities and management of diversity

d) Data protection

e) Outstanding Customer care

GENERAL:

SAFER RECRUITMENT:

Cognus is committed to safeguarding and protecting the children and young people that it works with. An offer of employment is subject to safer recruitment practices which include an enhanced DBS check, two professional references acceptable to Cognus Limited, proof of qualifications, proof of right to work in the UK, proof of personal address and employment history covering 5 years and, fitness to work with children (occupational health assessment). These checks must have been completed prior to commencement of employment. We have a range of policies and procedures in place which promote safeguarding and safer working practices across the organisation.

PROCESSING OF DATA:

a) You ("the employee") consent to the holding and processing of personal data provided by you to the Company ("the Company") for all purposes relating to your employment, but not limited to administering and maintaining personnel records, paying and reviewing salary and other remuneration and benefits, undertaking performance appraisals and reviews, the compulsory Disclosure and Baring Services check (DBS) details in line with its statutory responsibility to safeguard and protect children and vulnerable service users; maintaining sickness and other absence records and taking decisions as to your fitness for work.

b) You hereby acknowledge and agree that the Company may, in the course of its general and statutory duties as an employer be required to disclose personal data relating to you for legislative purposes during or after the end of your employment. This does not affect your statutory rights under the General Data Protection Regulation 2018.

CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT:

During the course of your employment, you will have access to and knowledge of Company confidential information and trade secrets.

a) Disclosure of any of this confidential information and/or trade secrets could have serious financial consequences and/or create serious competitive disadvantages for the Company. There may be material damage, financial or otherwise, deliberate or otherwise, to the Company's legitimate business interest.

b) Under the terms of this confidentiality agreement, you agree to keep secret and shall not at any time, either during employment or post-employment, use, communicate or reveal to any person any trade secret or confidential information relating to the Company or any Associated Company.

c) You are aware of the Company's policies in relation to compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation and undertake to act in accordance with these at all times. Any breach of these policies will be dealt with under the Company's disciplinary procedure and action taken can include dismissal without notice.

This job description and person specification outlines the summary of key accountabilities and is not an exhaustive list of duties and, is subject to periodical review and changes in line with the business needs.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

The main duties and responsibilities of the post holder are indicated below although other duties of an appropriate level and nature will also be required as necessary.

CRITERIA (Essential)

a.

· Experience in a generalist HR administrative role

· A level or equivalent qualifications

· CIPD training to Level 3 minimum (or already working towards)

· Willing to engage in CPD and training as required

· Experience of working with HR database systems

· Experience of administering payroll

APTITUDE AND SKILLS (Essential)

b.

Candidates must be able to demonstrate the ability to:

· Excellent verbal and written communication skills to interact with staff at all levels. Strong interpersonal skills to build positive relationships and handle sensitive situations with tact. Committed to delivering excellent customer service.

· Ability to stay organised, manage a workload effectively, and work under pressure. Strong attention to detail is essential for tasks like record-keeping and meeting deadlines is a must.

· Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, and Outlook. Familiarity with HR databases and other IT systems is also frequently required.

· High degree of confidentiality, discretion, and integrity when handling sensitive information. A proactive, adaptable, and team-oriented attitude is crucial. Demonstrates strong partnership working internal and external stakeholders

· Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify and implement effective solutions. Proven analytical and interpretation abilities to support decision-making.

· Flexible and adaptable, able to reprioritise tasks in response to changing business needs.

· If appointed, it will be the postholder's responsibility to treat all sensitive data that she/he will have access to during the course of his/her employment in line with the mandatory protocols to ensure data protection and compliance at all times.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: From £28,275.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Wallington SM6