People Operations Associate — HR, Onboarding & Lifecycle

Company: Syme Drummond
Apply for the People Operations Associate — HR, Onboarding & Lifecycle
Location: City of Edinburgh
Job Description:

Syme Drummon is delighted to be exclusively partnering with Sight Scotland to appoint a full‑time permanent People Operations Assistant into their Edinburgh‑based People & Culture team.

This is a fantastic opportunity for somebody who has already built a strong grounding within HR or People Operations and is now looking for a role with broader exposure, greater variety and the chance to operate as a genuinely embedded part of a busy People function.

The environment is fast‑paced, collaborative and continually evolving. There is a huge amount happening across the organisation, including ongoing change activity, colleague experience initiatives, recruitment and attraction projects, learning activity and wider improvements across People Operations.

As a result, this role requires somebody who is comfortable working with pace, ambiguity and shifting priorities, while still delivering a high‑quality and people‑focused service. This is not a purely administrative People Assistant role. The successful person will be involved in a broad range of operational People activity, including supporting with lower‑level ER matters, handling day‑to‑day People queries, coordinating employee lifecycle activity and helping the wider team drive improvements across processes, communication and ways of working.

Responsibilities

  • Act as a first point of contact for operational HR and People queries
  • Support managers and colleagues with day‑to‑day People matters and recognise when escalation is required
  • Support lower‑level ER activity, including note‑taking, policy guidance and operational casework
  • Coordinate recruitment, onboarding and other employee lifecycle activities
  • Draft contracts, letters and colleague communications
  • Maintain accurate People records and support HR systems
  • Coordinate payroll‑related activities and reporting processes
  • Work across shared inbox and ticketing activity within a busy operational environment
  • Contribute to ongoing process improvement and wider People initiatives
  • Support work linked to colleague experience, organisational change and service development initiatives

What we’re looking for

  • Broad exposure across the employee lifecycle
  • Experience handling first‑line HR or People queries from managers and employees
  • Experience supporting lower‑level ER support, policy guidance, operational casework or note‑taking
  • Confidence working in fast‑moving environments where priorities can shift
  • Good judgement and the ability to work independently while recognising when support or escalation is needed
  • Experience supporting projects, process improvements or operational change activity
  • Strong communication skills and a naturally approachable style
  • A proactive and solutions‑focused mindset
  • Resilience, professionalism and the ability to stay calm under pressure

This role would suit somebody who enjoys being part of a team that is continuing to evolve and improve, and who wants the opportunity to contribute beyond pure administration. If you’re looking for a role where you can gain meaningful exposure, build on your operational HR experience and make a visible impact within a supportive People team, we’d love to hear from you.

For a confidential chat, please contact lynne.friel@symedrummond.co.uk.

#J-18808-Ljbffr…

Posted: June 1st, 2026