HR Data Analyst

Job Description

HR Analyst (9 month FTC)
Grade B
Swindon Head Office
(Remote working available, however sporadic travel to Swindon is essential)

HR is at the very centre of WHSmith. We have a team of specialists who cover Employee Relations, Learning & Development, Recruitment and Reward, plus a team of HR Generalists. HR supports the entire WHSmith Group which is over 14,000 employees. Because life moves so fast in our business, HR has to move quickly too. You'll need to take the initiative and be ready to make big decisions, fast. At WHSmith, HR is all about finding innovative, commercial solutions and putting them into action.

We are now looking for a HR Analyst to join our team in our Swindon Head Office supporting the routine reporting of HR related MI to our stores, wider HR and Operations team members.

What you'll do
As the HR Analyst you will provide monthly MI and analytics reports to stores, Area Managers / Regional Business Managers and head office stakeholders providing insights and analytical commentary to identify trends and themes. You'll analyse and report on key HR and Operational areas such as sickness, absence and employee turnover, as well as more specialist reports like pension's reports and payroll journals as well as ad hoc HR and Regional Manager MI requests.
You will also support on projects which involve HR data.

You'll support our Operations team with staff wage cost calculations and provide context and commentary on "what if" scenario's, to provide an end result from specific scenarios or proposed store changes.

Who we're looking for
Ideally you'll come from a HR Analyst or Retail Operations Analyst background and have some experience within the retail / FMCG industry - however this isn't essential.

What's essential is exceptional analytical skills with the ability to confidently articulate information and make recommendations to business stakeholders. You'll have proven analysis experience and be a confident Excel user (Pivot tables and V Lookups minimum) with a keen interest in delving into the detail to deliver meaningful insights and actions / recommendations.

You'll be a natural problem solver, who is highly organised, can effectively manage a busy workload across two key departments and be able to meet tight deadlines within a fast paced environment. Finally you'll need to be able to engage with stakeholders of all seniority, and be a credible articulate communicator who can influence and persuade where appropriate.

What's in it for you?
You'll be at of the hub of an incredibly fast-moving function and you'll be trusted to make decisions that benefit the business. It's a serious responsibility - which will seriously motivate you. You'll thrive on the freedom and the chance to use your skills and will be supported with plenty of training and development opportunities. What's more, you can expect some fab rewards, including an achievable annual bonus, contributory pension, 24 days' holiday (and the option to buy more), your birthday off, 4pm finishes on a Friday and much more!