People Consultant

Role summary/purpose of job

We are a driven and collaborative HR team, supporting each other to deliver the very best people experience.

As a People Consultant, you will play a key role in supporting the HR Business Partnering team to deliver effective people solutions aligned with business needs. This role is ideal for someone looking to build strong stakeholder management on top of existing advisory skills, gaining exposure to strategic HR initiatives, and contributing to a collaborative and high-performing HR function

This business focussed People Consultant will act as a project manager for elements of the People strategy alongside the business partners and will provide professional and proactive advice and guidance on HR matters and cases directly to business stakeholders. These can arise either via escalation from the HR Operations team, from HR Business Partners, or directly from the business.

The People Consultant will support business partners with strategic People initiatives.

The role will provide support across both our London and Manchester offices.

Key responsibilities and deliverables

HR Advice and Stakeholder management

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with business leaders, managers, and associates, acting as a credible and trusted advisor on HR matters.

• Provide day-to-day HR guidance, coaching, and support to line managers, helping them navigate people-related decisions with confidence and ensuring consistent application of policies, processes and procedures.

• Collaborate with HR Business Partners to understand business priorities and contribute to the design and delivery of tailored HR solutions.

• Work with business leaders and line managers to support HRBPs in developing and implementing business improvement and change programmes to respond to evolving business needs

• Promote the use of HR Operations and shared services, ensuring employees and managers are supported through the appropriate channels.

• Partner effectively with HR Centres of Excellence (COEs), Operations, and other HR colleagues to ensure seamless service delivery.

Project Management

• Contribute to the planning and execution of cyclical HR projects, including end-year compensation reviews, performance, and promotions, leading or supporting work streams such as project management, communications, data and stakeholder management.

• Leading on secondment agreements between business colleagues, HR Operations, Global Mobility and internal Legal teams.

• Supporting HRBPs in partnering with HR COEs colleagues to design and deliver initiatives and solutions.

Talent Engagement & Development

• Assist in the coordination and delivery of employee engagement initiatives, including surveys, data analysis, and follow-up actions.

• Support key talent processes such as performance reviews, career development planning, and succession discussions by preparing materials, tracking progress, and gathering insights.

Case and risk management

• Support managers in handling complex wellbeing, reasonable adjustments, absence, and flexible working cases, offering practical advice and guidance, involving HRBPs as appropriate.

• Work with managers to create performance improvement plans and coaching materials, and help facilitate constructive conversations.

• Provide support for more complex matters (e.g. disciplinary or grievance) in collaboration with HRBPs and Employee Relations specialists, ensuring a fair and consistent approach.

• Act as a point of contact for policy and process queries, escalating appropriately when needed.

• Escalation point for HR Operations for medium to high complex cases.

Data and Analytics

• Generating, collating and interpreting relevant management information as required and providing a level of analysis and owning dashboards.

• Contributing to internal HR continuous improvements, by identifying trends and identifying opportunities for improvements.

Key requirements

• CIPD Level 5 qualification required; degree-level education preferred.

• Proven HR generalist experience, including advising line managers and handling medium complexity cases (e.g. performance).

• Results focused, commercial and a practical approach to working practices with strong analytical and evaluation skills, comfortable using HR management information to create analysis.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence and build trust across all levels.

• Advanced IT proficiency, especially in Excel (e.g. pivot tables, VLOOKUP).

• Thorough understanding of UK employment law and HR processes.

• Able to manage sensitive information confidentially and work effectively under pressure and ambiguity.

• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and tight deadlines.

• Proactive and resilient, with a ‘can-do’ attitude and commitment to continuous learning.

• Capable of coaching and training others on HR topics and constructively challenging current practices.

Inclusion

Freshfields is an equal opportunities employer and all applications received by the firm will be considered by the firm on the basis of their merit alone and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background. All offers of employment will be conditional on the candidate having/securing the right to work in the UK and providing the firm with evidence of that right (as required by the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006) prior to employment commencing.

Freshfields is a Ban the Box employer. We ask applicants to disclose criminal convictions only when a conditional job offer is made. A conviction does not automatically lead to withdrawal of the offer: we make decisions on a case by case basis and take a number of factors into account (eg the role you are applying for and the circumstances of the offence). You would have the opportunity to discuss the matter with us before we make a decision.