Website Usborne Publishing
Company
Usborne Publishing
Location
London
Job Title
HR Generalist
About the Job
12-month FTC Maternity Cover (Late June start)
Usborne is an independent, family business, creating books which spark curiosity in children of all ages. These range from books for babies such as the bestselling THAT’S NOT MY® series of touchy-feely books, to YA fiction from acclaimed authors such as Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and Ravena Guron – with everything from Sticker Dolly Dressing to Philosophy for Beginners in between.
Whilst the company is now a market-leader in children’s publishing and one of the best-known brands in children’s books globally, the company retains a friendly and familial feel. If you want to work somewhere close-knit enough for people to know your name, but which has a first-class reputation around the world, Usborne is the place for you.
The Team
The Usborne HR and Payroll team is a close working, busy team of 3 who support our global staff base of close to 300 staff across 3 UK office sites, our head office in Farringdon where this role is based, Oxford and Wolverhampton, and a small office in Germany. We take ownership for all of the HR, Recruitment and Payroll activities across the company and are responsible for ensuring staff and their managers are well supported to do their best work.
The role
This is a fast-paced, hands-on role working closely with the HR Director to ensure HR operations run smoothly and efficiently. You’ll take ownership of key processes, providing expert guidance to managers and staff while managing a varied and high-volume workload. As a proactive and trusted point of contact, you’ll confidently handle a mix of routine and complex HR matters.
We are a small, hands-on team, so this role requires someone adaptable, detail-oriented, and comfortable balancing both operational HR work and essential administration. No two days are the same, and you’ll thrive on the variety and responsibility this role offers.
To succeed, you’ll need to be highly organised, able to juggle multiple priorities, and confident working independently while collaborating across the business. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys being involved in all aspects of HR—from resolving employee queries to ensuring processes run efficiently.
The key activities:
- Managing HR enquiries, acting as a first point of contact for staff and managers, resolving day-to-day HR matters and escalating more complex issues as needed.
- Overseeing the HR inbox, ensuring queries are handled promptly and professionally.
- Managing recruitment operations, overseeing end-to-end recruitment, ensuring a seamless experience for both candidates and hiring managers. This includes managing our Applied recruitment software, drafting job ads, advising managers on recruitment best practices,
- supporting sift question development, and coordinating interviews and offers.
- Drafting and preparing employment documentation, including offer letters, contracts, and HR policies.
- Maintaining accurate HR records, updating our HRIS and various benefits systems.
- Providing HR support to our small German operation, liaising with local payroll providers and working closely with our Payroll Manager to resolve any issues.
- Supporting payroll processes, running reports and cross-checking pay-related data, particularly during benefits reviews (e.g., pension contributions).
- Coordinating key HR initiatives, including our annual Usborne Academy work experience week, training events and other staff activities.
- Supporting internal HR communications, working with the HR Director to ensure staff are kept informed of relevant updates and HR matters.
Skills
- At least 4 years of hands-on HR experience, including managing a busy workload with minimal supervision.
- Strong working knowledge of UK employment law and how this informs best practice HR policies and procedures.
- Confidence in handling a range of HR matters, from recruitment and employee relations to payroll and benefits.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage with staff at all levels professionally, clearly, and sensitively.
- Demonstrate a commitment to effective staff support.
- Exceptional organisational skills with the ability to work flexibly and self-manage work load
- A proactive and pragmatic mindset, with the ability to take ownership, think critically, and confidently solve problems.
- Good MS office skills including Excel for reporting and analysis with both confidence with and experience of working with HRIS and other HR software systems.
- Excellent attention to detail and accuracy, ensuring high standards in all HR processes.
- Discretion and ability to handle confidential information sensitively.
- Experience supporting German HR Operations and employee matters and/or German language skills would be of particular benefit in this role but are not essential.
- Experience working in Publishing, Media or the creative industries and an interest in Children’s publishing is also of benefit in this role.
Location and Benefits
We offer a 35-hour working week from our offices in London (nearest tube: Farringdon).
After a short initial induction period we offer a hybrid working model of 3 days in the office and 2 days working from home which we feel optimises our opportunities for collaboration and contact with our colleagues. Wednesdays are our core office day, when all staff are in the office.
In addition to our transparent salary grading structure, for this role we also offer a range of benefits which include:
- 25 days paid holiday entitlement plus bank holidays
- Industry-leading Pension Scheme and Life Assurance
- Employee Assistance Programme through Health Assured and Mental Health First Aiders
- Healthcare cashback scheme
- Virtual GP service
- Paid Volunteering Day
- Rewards and discounts on services and shopping
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- 75% discount on Usborne books
- Usborne is dedicated to building a diverse taskforce that reflects the wide range of communities that read our books globally. Decisions are made based on the individual’s skills and experiences and we particularly encourage applications from underrepresented demographics in Publishing.
We are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role and therefore applicants must have the right to live and work in the UK.
Recruitment Process
After an anonymised shortlisting process, we anticipate first interviews taking place over MS teams through April 2025, with second round interviews in person shortly afterwards.
We are looking for the successful candidate to commence the role in late June / early July 2025.
Please let us know if you require reasonable adjustments at any point during the application and/or recruitment process.
Full-time, Farringdon, London
To apply please access our recruitment portal Applied.
Applied is recruitment software to debias the recruitment process.
AI notice
We kindly ask that you refrain from using any AI tools for your application.
Whilst AI is undoubtedly a useful tool in some instances, we need to see that you’re able to demonstrate your ability to originate ideas and write them in a compelling manner, not just generate them using a tool.
Therefore, any suspected AI usage may result in your application being rejected.
Closing date: Sunday 6th April 2025
Salary: £41,985 – £51,031 (Depending on experience)SPACE