HR Consultant Job Profile

A human resources department is an essential part of any large company with lots of employees. HR staff are responsible for managing the human side of a business’s resources, including involvement in recruitment, payroll, training, and employment procedures.

People who work in HR may often act as a mediator between employees and managers and can be on hand to help staff with questions about company policy. Secondary to this, they can also help to research and develop long term strategies for company growth and professional development – something that is vital to the success of any business.

If you’re interested in a career in HR, here’s everything you need to know about being a HR consultant.

What is a HR consultant?

Human resource consultants work in house at a company or offer their services as part of a third-party consultancy team. Their role revolves around addressing human resource management tasks and decisions, assisting staff and management teams with issues surrounding employment law and internal processes. They should be great communicators with an in-depth understanding of company procedure and UK employment legislation.

While the majority of a HR consultant’s time will be spent in a general role, they’ll also sometimes be asked to focus on particular departmental issue or problem. In cases like these, they might be asked to research, assess, and audit a particular element of a company from a human resources management perspective, and develop a report offering a solution.

Responsibilities

HR consultants take on a broad and varied range of responsibilities, including:

• Advising companies on the administration involved in human resource management

• Leading and managing other members of the team as well as employees around the business

• Serving as an internal consultant on various different parts of a business

• Analysing a company’s HR structure and recommending solutions to problems

• Adapting to organisational changes

• Researching and developing HR policies and procedures

• Ensuring HR programmes and services are compliant with UK employment law

• Preparing reports and business plans related to HR projects

• Data analysis and reporting

• Completing HR audits to ensure compliance

• Providing staff training

• Building good working relationships

• Working on payroll or staff on-boarding

HR consultant qualifications

It’s uncommon for a HR consultant role to require a specific qualification, you will need a thorough knowledge of human resources management. This can be attained through a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a relevant subject such as human resources or business administration. It is also possible to gain experience in human resources through studying for an apprenticeship.

Although most roles will be agnostic towards specific qualifications, instead seeking applicants with the right skillset, you can bolster your chances of success in the field of HR by completing a HR qualification, like the ones on offer at BPP.

HR Support Apprenticeship

The HR Support Apprenticeship is perfect if you’re aiming to build a foundational understanding of HR concepts and practices. Throughout the course of the apprenticeship, you’ll develop logical and analytical skills that’ll help you secure a future role. You’ll also be able to improve the soft skills that relate to HR positions, such as communication and sensitivity.

HR Consultant/Partner Apprenticeship

Throughout the programme of study on our HR Consultant/Partner Apprenticeship, you will develop a deeper understanding of HR and explore relationship management, processes, and best practice. You will also learn how to build successful teams and how to manage people – all whilst gaining an understanding of UK employment law.

Upon completion of this apprenticeship, you’ll qualify as an HR Consultant or Partner and as an Associate Member of the CIPD, alongside having gained experience in industry, both of which will help you as you apply for roles in the field.

Skills

HR consultants should have a broad and generalist skillset to enable them to tackle the wide range of responsibilities that they’ll take on. However, special focus is often placed on the following skills.

Project management

As an HR consultant you’ll be managing projects from beginning to end – whether that’s overhauling a company’s recruitment procedure or researching new training methods. Project management is an essential skill in the HR consultant’s arsenal.

Knowledge of employment law

HR Consultants will need to have good working knowledge of UK employment legislation in order to ensure that company procedure lines up with what is recommended by law. This can be achieved and strengthened by studying and keeping up with news about employment law.

Research and analysis

Whatever project you’re working on as an HR consultant, you’ll need top notch skills in research and analysis to ensure that your new policy and procedure is going to work perfectly. These skills are honed naturally in most people through the process of studying for further education qualifications.

Communication

You’ll work with both employees and management teams as a HR consultant, so you should be an excellent communicator adept at relating to people on all levels. Confidence also ties into the HR consultant’s role, as your responsibilities might include making presentations, writing emails, and speaking on the phone.

Commercial awareness

Because HR teams generally work side by side with other departments within a business, good commercial awareness and understanding of business administration are great skills to have. They’ll help to make sure you’re never out of the loop or a step behind.

Salary and benefits

The salary you can expect as a HR consultant will vary massively depending on large range of factors, including your experience level, where you work, and whether you’re in house or external. The average base salary for a HR consultant is in the region of £40,000 but starting salaries might be lower if you have minimal experience.

It’s likely that, as you amass experience and expertise, you can gain more senior positions that will come with an increased salary.

Career path

Work experience

Because HR consultants aren’t expected to have a specific qualification, work experience in the field is hugely valuable. You can gain relevant work experience in a number of ways, including through volunteering, work placements as part of an apprenticeship programme, and internships.

Continuing professional development

There are many opportunities for progression for HR consultants that can be accessed through continuing professional development courses or training. Dependent on your organisation, you can expect to progress into roles as an HR Manager, HR Director or Head of Human Resources as you gain more experience and knowledge.

To demonstrate your ambition, enrol on courses with CIPD – the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. The organisations offer courses on three levels: Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced – from A-level equivalent to postgraduate-level.

Find out more about our leadership and management programmes here.