Founded over 20 years ago by three entrepreneurial women with a passion for beautiful, practical and comfortable homes, OKA is more than a furniture and homeware retailer: it is a love affair with living well. We inspire people to confidently create a home that reflects their personality, a space where nothing should be too precious or perfect to be enjoyed with family and friends. British-born, today we have 12 stores across the UK and an established Interior Design and Trade business, a mail-order service and a thriving website. We are currently looking to recruit a full-time People Assistant to support our People Team, based at our head office in Didcot, Oxfordshire. We operate a hybrid working model: three or more days from the office, the remainder of the week from home. ABOUT US We know the best work is done by people who enjoy their jobs, so we create a fun and nurturing environment where everyone feels valued and can thrive. The People Operations team at OKA is passionate about our employees and is responsible for developing people processes and programs that offer a seamless customer service and help to create positive, engaged and highly effective teams. The People Assistant will act as the first point of contact for all employee queries and is responsible for delivering all people operations, administration, supporting our end-to-end employment processes and managing our payroll and benefits administration. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES · Act as a first point of contact for general HR and payroll queries, managing the People Team inbox. Offering an excellent employee experience, and timely responses, throughout the entire employee lifecycle. · Preparation of contractual documentation and letters for new joiners. Supporting the induction and onboarding of new starters, including undertaking mandatory compliance right-to-work checks and leading on coordination of the business wide induction process. · Undertaking all benefits administration for new starters and leavers. · Maintain up-to-date and accurate employee information in our HR and Payroll systems, ensuring data integrity at all times. · Design and recommend enhancements, improvements and simplifications of existing People processes and procedures. · Stay current on HR technologies and seek ways to improve employee experience and administrative efficiency via technology. · Adopt an excellent customer service attitude with a problem solving and right first-time approach when managing all employee and manager enquiries. · Act as a key support on all People projects and deliverables: e.g., performance management process, Annual Apprenticeship Scheme, etc. · Run the end-to-end monthly UK payroll including pension auto-enrolment, BACS payments to employees and third parties, issuing P45s to leavers and processing ad hoc BACS and CHAPS payments. · Simulate pay changes and correct errors, dealing with pay queries. · Support end of year processes including tax code uplifts, P11Ds, testing, and issuing of P60s. · Support with the People and Culture Manager and People Advisor with job posting recruitment coordination and interview screening and scheduling. ABOUT YOU · A creative, problem-solving spirit. Naturally curious with the confidence to challenge current practices to instigate positive change. · Passion for the OKA brand. · Relevant experience in managing full-employee life cycle within a fast-paced business. · Strong analytical skills and background, financial acumen, attention to detail and being able manipulate data easily and confidently. · Excellent communication, interpersonal and organisational skills, with the ability to analyse, question, problem solve. · Tech-savvy with a keen interest for anything HR tech & systems. · Ability to work on multiple projects and be able to prioritise and work to tight deadlines and with ambiguity. · Great customer service skills, with an ability to demonstrate sensitivity where required and eager to challenge yourself and take on more responsibility. · Exceptional organisational skills, with a well-structured working method alongside a flexible attitude. OUR BENEFITS PACKAGE · 33 days holiday (including bank holiday entitlement), plus Length of Service increases · Day off for your birthday · Medicash Healthcare Plan · Generous staff discount: 50% · Enhanced Primary and Secondary Caregiver Pay · Employee Assistance Programme · Eligibility for a discretionary company Bonus Scheme · Plus, a suite of additional employee benefits including Company pension scheme, life assurance cover, free eye tests, cycle to work scheme, interest free travel loans, social events, online wellbeing centre and more. If successful you will become part of the OKA family, a fast-paced and dynamic business. If you would like to apply for this position, please send your CV and details of your salary expectations, notice period and right to work information via the link provided.