HR Advisor (12-month FTC)

Job Description:

Dentsu is an integrated growth and transformation partner to the world’s leading organizations. Founded in 1901 in Tokyo, Japan, and now present in over 145 countries and regions, it has a proven track record of nurturing and developing innovations, combining the talents of its global network of leadership brands to develop impactful and integrated growth solutions for clients. Dentsu delivers end-to-end experience transformation (EX) by integrating its services across Media, CXM and Creative, while its business transformation (BX) mindset pushes the boundaries of transformation and sustainable growth for brands, people and society.

Purpose of the Role:

This role partners with People Leaders across the Media Practice to support and guide them through the full employee lifecycle, while delivering key HR projects that underpin the UK Media People Plan. As a trusted advisor to the business, the role plays a critical part in enabling the Media function to achieve its people and performance objectives.

Reporting to the Senior HR Business Partner, the role is responsible for implementing HR projects across the Media Practice and managing cyclical people activities. It also works closely with People Services to ensure employees receive timely, effective support on Workday and general HR queries via the Ask People Services team, ensuring a consistent and high‑quality employee experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted People Partner to line managers, providing timely, professional advice and guidance on all people matters as second‑line support.

• Deliver employee relations support across performance management, disciplinaries and grievances, escalating complex cases where appropriate.

• Lead and deliver HR projects and new people initiatives across the Media Practice, ensuring delivery on time, within budget and with positive engagement impact.

• Build strong relationships with stakeholders, using people data and insights (performance, engagement, absence and retention) to inform decisions and drive business outcomes.

• Work collaboratively with People Services and HR Operations to ensure efficient resolution of Workday, policy, payroll and employee queries, escalating as required.

• Act as the point of contact for payroll activities, ensuring monthly processes and data inputs are accurate and completed on time.

• Maintain accurate and up‑to‑date people data in Workday, supporting managers with system changes and approvals for recruitment, promotions and reward changes.

• Produce regular and ad‑hoc people reporting, partnering with Finance and Operations to ensure data accuracy and consistency.

Qualifications + Skills:

• Proven experience in an HR advisory role, with strong knowledge of employee relations and cyclical HR processes including talent development, engagement and reward.

• Broad, well‑rounded capability across the full HR spectrum, with a practical, solutions‑focused approach.

• Confident user of HR systems, with Workday experience preferred.

• Strong business acumen with the ability to identify opportunities, influence change and add commercial value.

• Intellectually agile, demonstrating sound judgement, curiosity and collaborative working skills.

• Highly numerate, with strong Excel skills and the ability to translate data into meaningful insights.

• A proactive relationship builder who is confident, pragmatic and effective in ambiguous, fast‑paced environments.

• Passionate about people and engagement, with an interest in or progress towards CIPD Level 5

What we offer

• This is a 12-month fixed term contract role.

• The team is based in our London office but operates under flexible working arrangements and you will be expected to work from the office at least 2 days a week.

• As well as a competitive salary, you’ll enjoy a benefits package that you can tailor to your needs.

Inclusion and Diversity

At Dentsu, we embrace diversity and inclusion, valuing the unique perspectives and contributions of every individual. We believe that diversity fuels creativity and innovation, benefiting our employees, partners, and communities.

We welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, or any other protected characteristic. Beyond recruitment, we strive to create an environment where everyone feels respected, supported, and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work.

We recognize the importance of work-life balance and are open to discussing flexible working arrangements for all roles. If you need reasonable adjustments due to a disability or medical condition during our recruitment process, please contact us at [email protected] quoting the reference number of the role that you are applying for. Your needs will be handled with respect and confidentiality to ensure an inclusive and accessible experience.

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