HR Co-ordinator – South Western Railway

Who are we?

South Western Railway (SWR) operates over 1,500 services each weekday across the network and employs more than 5,000 people. We provide easy and convenient mobility, connecting people and communities in South West London, southern counties of England and the Isle of Wight.

Join our team and help us continue to improve quality of life by bringing people together to get the most out of life.

SWR is part of FirstGroup, the largest rail operator in the UK and second largest bus operator in the UK outside London. FirstGroup operates services throughout the UK and Ireland, with over 30,000 employees providing services that make travel smoother and life easier.  FirstGroup works hard to reduce its impact on the environment, introducing cleaner and more environmentally responsible methods of transport.

About the Job:

To work closely with the HR Business Partners in providing comprehensive administrative support to all business areas in accordance with Company people management policy and procedures.

Your main responsibilities will be:

• Provide administrative support to the HR Business Partners with employee relations case management.
• Accountable for diary and time management.
• Support the HR team and effectively communicate to ensure workflow and timescales are kept to a minimum.
• Responsible for arranging and coordinating meetings with stakeholders of varying levels of seniority, including release of Employees and Staff Representatives, as necessary.
• Monitor the HR Services team in maintaining the shared email inbox, answering first contact queries in a timely fashion and escalating and complex issues to the HR Business Partner for resolution.
• Prepare case related documentation to strict deadlines and ensure that the relevant activity trackers and case summary records are regularly updated.
• Ensure the HR system is updated with any formal outcomes.
• Provide minute taking support to Managers when conducting formal meetings and to ensure adherence to Company and statutory people management procedures at locations across the South Western Railway network.
• Prepare correspondence to employees for invites and outcomes to formal meetings.
• Complete leaver processes including staff changes and staff travel cards.
• Responsible for Company Attendance Procedure weekly prompt report and updating the HR System with any management action taken.
• To provide management information and produce key performance indicators in accordance with ongoing and ad-hoc business needs.
• Ensure that case paperwork is maintained and filed in accordance with General Data Protection Regulations.
• Perform ad-hoc or project related tasks as and when required by the HR Services Management Team.

You’ll need:

• GCSE Maths and English Grade A-C or equivalent
• Effective administrative skills, including note taking, is essential.
• Experience of working in a fast paced and challenging office environment would be an advantage.
• Previous experience of working in a HR team would be an advantage.
• Possess a flexible approach in ensuring business needs are met.
• To travel across the South Western Railway network to attend meetings as and when required.
• Demonstrate strong time management with a proven ability to prioritise workload and meet deadlines.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Conscientious with an attention to detail particularly in relation to producing formal documentation in a variety of context.
• Must demonstrate a willingness to learn new systems, skills and behaviours.
• Experience in appropriate IT packages including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• A working knowledge of Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Teams is essential.
• CIPD Qualified or part qualified would be an advantage.

About the Location:

Overline House is conveniently situated overlooking Southampton Central Station and is easily accessible by public transport. The station is very local to West Quay, a hub for retailers and restaurants, and provides an excellent link between London, Coastal areas and the Isle of Wight.

Working Pattern:

Working an average of 37 hours per week over 5 days.

Monday – Friday, office hours.

This role may involve travel across our network to attend meetings as and when required.

The Reward:

In return we offer a competitive salary and a variety of valuable benefits including free duty and leisure travel on SWR services for employee, free standard class leisure travel for spouse/partner and dependants (criteria dependant) , 75% discount on many other train operating companies, a range of retail benefits and an excellent pension scheme.

Please note applicants who require a visa, must have at least 6 months remaining at the time of their appointment.

We all belong at SWR. FirstGroup’s vision is to provide an inclusive environment for all colleagues, across its group of businesses, ensuring all candidates have an equal opportunity to access meaningful employment.

We value our differences such as age, gender, LGBTQIA+, ethnicity, religion, and disability. We maintain a zero tolerance towards any form of prejudice towards our colleagues, customers, and future talent.

We celebrate and encourage diversity of thought, progressive ways of working and seeing all our colleagues grow and thrive.

We review all roles and job descriptions to ensure they are accessible and, where possible, we support and provide flexible working options; we recommend that you refer to each vacancy description for further details.

If you require additional support to complete your application due to a disability or neurodivergent condition, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or autism, please follow the links below.  We encourage you to share any additional needs you may require so we can provide a fair and equal process for all who apply.

https://exceptionalindividuals.com/neurodiversity/

https://www.healthassured.org/blog/neurodiversity/