Hr Manager (6 Month Fixed Term Contract)

What we will offer

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We will offer you a place where you can be yourself and where there are no limits on what you can achieve. With us, you can take ownership of your career and have honest conversations throughout. You would join an ambitious firm with a clear strategy for profitable growth where you can get early responsibility and early involvement in growing the business. Here you can expect a competitive and fair reward as well as recognition based on all round performance. This forms part of our internal promise to you, The Deal, between the firm and its employees.

Team Structure

The HR, L&D and D&I department comprises 51 people globally and is responsible for the effective management of all matters concerning the attraction, engagement, development, progression and retention of our people. We play a key role in creating a diverse and inclusive environment where all of our people can do their best work and realise their full potential to the benefit of the firm and themselves. We are involved in a wide range of activities including:

• Implementing the firm's people and talent strategy
• Recruitment of partners and employees, including future (trainee) talent recruitment
• Talent and career management
• Reward strategy and salary review
• Supporting the performance management process

Main Responsibilities

Working closely with the Regional Head of HR across Asia, as well as Partners and Business Services leads within the Hong Kong office, this role requires the experience of a seasoned practitioner who is keen to deliver and drive 'The Deal' - Stephenson Harwood's Employee Value Proposition focused on promoting engagement, development of our people, having honest conversations, and rewarding talent. This is a true business partnering role and the incumbent will enjoy the opportunity to work closely with our legal and business services teams in delivering a best-in-class HR experience to our people.

The role will lead on the following key focus areas:

Talent management

• Oversee promotion processes, providing support to high potentials, and assist with succession planning within the practice groups and business services functions
• Responsible for overseeing all employee relations issues:
  - First escalation point on ER matters
  - ensuring a consistent approach in line with legislation, firm policy and with pragmatism
• Support managers and senior stakeholders in managing under performance and ensuring the partners and managers understand the risk to the business arising from employee issues
• Provide leadership and advice to people managers to ensure effective management of their teams

Engagement

• Take a lead role in strengthening the firm's culture and ensure the firm's values are lived and embedded
• Business partner with our fee earning and business services client groups, providing coaching and career advice where required
• Prepare appropriate communications to the office as required in terms of the bi-weekly office 'newsletter', townhalls, practice group meetings, etc
• Act as a role model, providing development, training and support to the HR Assistant and the wider HR function

Recruitment

• Manage the end-to-end student recruitment campaigns for the HK office, including:
  - Promotional activities such as careers fairs, website content, e-brochure materials etc
  - Candidate shortlisting, interviewing and selection
  - Manage and coordinate the summer trainee programme and final trainee selection
• 'Own' the trainee programme for HK office – including:
  - Onboarding and structure, seat rotations (within HK &/or to international offices)
  - support with feedback, overseeing the buddy system and general oversight of the progress & development of the trainees
  - NQ selection (and onboarding of NQs, oversee the Hong Kong Law Society processes as required)
  - Working with the global acquisition team, oversee and actively participate in the recruitment of all lawyer and business services roles - including preparation of job descriptions, business case preparation, managing online career portals, candidate management, etc

Compensation & Benefits

• Oversee monthly payroll and act as 'back-up' to the HR Assistant for payroll preparation, partner statement preparation and other payroll tasks
• Primary liaison point with insurance broker for PMI requirements and provide timely advice to partners and staff on the insurance cover as required
• Support on salary benchmarking and compensation strategy for the HK office

Policy, procedures and process

• Ensure annual global processes (for example leading globally on performance review) are carried out effectively and in line with the firm's timeline and guidelines
• Oversee the HK Staff Handbook, including review of policies in line with global policy and best-practice, change of legislation, etc,
• Review, develop and provide 'best-practice' HR operational support and advice

Projects

• Lead the implementation of regional and global projects to support the overall people and firm strategy to the HK office and provide project support/advice to the Shanghai and alliance offices where required (eg. talent mapping, annual salary review)
• Participate on ad hoc global projects (eg. HRIS upgrade, implementation of parental leave coaching & policy review, D&I initiatives)
• Share knowledge with the wider HR team and local HR-legal sector network

Most of our roles are hybrid, meaning that colleagues benefit from working in our office and remotely. We are happy to discuss this and other flexible working arrangements with you as part of the application and interview process.

Attributes/Skills Required

To be successful in this role you will be:

• Highly experienced in managing the end-to-end employment cycle within the business, ideally within a legal or professional services environment, where people are the number one asset
• Someone who is comfortable in performing the full spectrum of HR generalist tasks: from the administrative through to implementation of global initiatives
• Knowledgeable of the HK Employment Ordinance, know your way around immigration rules, legal admission/qualification information and HK Law Society regulations, be ethical as well as being comfortable in dealing effectively with "the grey"
•  A highly personable, caring, and trustworthy individual. You will know that maintaining your integrity is key and that you bring a pragmatic and discreet manner when managing sensitive situations
• Able to demonstrate strong work habits and time-management skills. We expect someone who has a high attention to detail, who enjoys 'getting things right' and knows the importance of good note-taking
• A great communicator, not just in one-on-one conversations, but you'll be able to put your communication skills into action across a wide variety of settings such as at student fairs, townhall presentations, managing conflicts and interpreting HR data back to key stakeholders
• Someone who finds job satisfaction in supporting others in their professional development, holding career conversations and not afraid to challenge thinking and an approach
• A dynamic leader who can motivate others and who is able to develop practitioners within the HR team as well as keen to support colleagues across our other business services teams
• Experienced in overseeing a project from beginning to end, and able to put a practical and commercial lens to the task at hand
• Able to flex your style when needed and equally have a good level of resilience, knowing how to manage yourself in challenging situations and with competing deadlines & demands
• Fluent in English and preferably have Cantonese or Mandarin language skills

This job description is indicative only and does not represent an exhaustive list of responsibilities. The firm reserves the right to alter or change the responsibilities at any time, in line with the firm's strategy and business needs.
We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to having a diverse workforce. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, culture or any other protected characteristics. We aim to create a culture where everyone can be themselves and is valued for their strengths and unique perspectives.

About the Firm

With 8 offices worldwide and with our headquarters based in London, Stephenson Harwood is a law firm where our people are committed to achieving the goals of our clients - listed and private companies, institutions, and individuals across the globe. Our mix of expertise and culture results in a combination of deep local insight and the capability to provide a seamless international service.
Our experience encompasses corporate, commercial litigation and arbitration, employment, pensions and private wealth, finance, marine and international trade, and real estate and projects.
We assemble teams of bright thinkers to match our clients' needs and give the right advice from the right person at the right time. Dedicating the highest calibre of legal talent to overcome the most complex issues, we deliver pragmatic, expert advice that is set squarely in the real world.
We understand the power of diversity in delivering that high calibre advice to our clients. We want to attract diverse talent and we particularly encourage applications from underrepresented demographics.
Our values:
Individuality - We encourage creativity and develop talent
Commitment - To be the best and deliver the highest standard
Teamwork - We work together to build close, long-term relationships
Straight talking - We say what we mean and do what we say
These values express the personality of the individuals within our firm. They are the behaviours we encourage in our people and the standards which inform our decisions and actions.
Our vision into 2026

To be a successful firm where talented people work together in an entrepreneurial environment, building long term client relationships.
This vision is about who we want to be, as well as who we are. It is as much about our values as about our character – the attributes we want to see from all of our people. It also reflects the importance of remaining independent - a clear sign that we are confident in our own future. That's how we unlock our entrepreneurial spirit, advising our clients with top performing teams.

A key part of the 2026 strategy is to focus on five core sectors: decarbonisation, life sciences, private capital & funds, technology, and transportation & trade. These have been identified as crucial in the drive for accelerated profitable growth.