HR Operations Assistant at Kinetic Games – Southampton, England

About Kinetic Games

We’re an independent games studio best known for creating Phasmophobia, enjoyed by millions of players worldwide. Our team is passionate, creative, and collaborative and we’re looking for someone equally enthusiastic about games to join our growing team.

We’re a small, friendly team that values creativity, openness, and personal growth. Whether you’re helping various departments or talking about your favourite horror game, you’ll be part of a supportive environment where passion and curiosity are celebrated. You’ll be joining a small but ambitious team where your ideas are valued, your growth is supported, and your development truly matters.

About the role:

We are seeking a highly organised and proactive HR Operations Assistant to support our HR Operations Manager during an exciting period of growth. This is a hands-on operational role, ideal for someone with 1–2 years’ experience in a junior generalist HR or People role who enjoys working across the full employee lifecycle.

You will play a key role in ensuring our HR processes, systems, and data are accurate, compliant, and scalable as we grow. With ambitious plans, this is an exciting opportunity to join at a key moment and contribute to what comes next. Acting as a central coordination point across onboarding, recruitment, systems, benefits, and employee lifecycle administration, you’ll need to be proactive and solutions-focused, comfortable working independently while supporting an HR lead, and agile enough to adapt as priorities evolve in a scaling environment.

This role is hybrid based at our offices in Southampton. At this time, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK.

Your responsibilities will include:

Onboarding & Induction

Coordinate end-to-end onboarding for new starters, including right-to-work checks and documentationLiaise with hiring managers, IT, and Finance to manage onboarding timelines and system accessEnsure HR, payroll, benefits, and other systems (Rippling or similar) are accurately set upSupport and attend inductions to ensure a smooth and engaging new starter experienceEscalate reasonable adjustment requirements and support Access to Work processes where required

Recruitment & Hiring Support

Support hiring managers with recruitment coordination and job briefingsPrepare job descriptions and advertise roles across relevant platformsManage candidate communications, interview scheduling, and feedback trackingCoordinate offer letters, contracts, and pre-employment checksEnsure a seamless handover from recruitment to onboarding

HR Systems & Administration

Administer the HR system (experience with Rippling or similar beneficial), maintaining accurate employee records and documentationMonitor annual leave, absence, and key lifecycle dataTrack probationary periods and coordinate review documentationPrepare employment documentation including contracts, variations, and general correspondenceMaintain GDPR-compliant records and ensure data integrity across systemsMaintain HR templates, trackers, and internal documentationSupport HR reporting and data preparation

Payroll & Benefits Coordination

Liaise with Finance to ensure payroll changes (new starters, leavers, salary changes, amendments) are accurate and submitted on timeAct as a contact to ensure payroll data is complete and correctRespond to basic payroll and benefits queries, escalating complex matters as neededAdminister employee benefits platforms and process scheme-related requestsSupport salary and benefits review administration

(This role does not process payroll directly but supports coordination and data accuracy.)

Performance, Employee Relations & Offboarding

Coordinate probation and performance review processes, tracking completion and maintaining recordsProvide administrative and note-taking support for employee relations meetingsSupport absence management tracking and reportingCoordinate exit interviews and manage the leaver process, including system access removalProvide administrative support to the HR Operations Manager across employee lifecycle matters

Projects & Continuous Improvement

Contribute to HR initiatives and people projectsSupport process improvements to enhance efficiency and employee experienceIdentify opportunities to streamline administrative workflows using technologyCollaborate with the Social Committee to help coordinate and champion company social events, supporting a positive and inclusive culture

Skills & Experience

Essential

Previous experience in a junior generalist HR or People roleStrong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing prioritiesExperience working across multiple systems and data sourcesConfident using HR systems (experience with Rippling or similar beneficial)Strong Excel and Microsoft Office skillsGood working knowledge of HR processes across the employee lifecycleHigh level of attention to detail and focus on data accuracyExcellent written and verbal communication skillsProfessional and discreet when handling confidential information

Nice to have

CIPD Level 3 qualified or currently working towards (desirable but not essential)Experience supporting a growing or fast-paced organisation

What to expect from the hiring process

We aim to keep the process transparent and respectful of your time. It typically includes:

1st stage interview: 1 hour with the HR Operations Manager2nd stage interview: 30–45 minutes with the Head of Finance and HR Operations Manager

Benefits & Perks

💰 Competitive salary

💼 5% Employer Match Pension Scheme

💸 Annual performance bonus + Company performance bonus

🍽️ Weekly free team lunches – good food, great company!

🎉 Regular social events – we love bringing our teams together!

🏠 Hybrid & flexible working options

🕓 Flextime – because life doesn’t always fit 9–5

✈️ Opportunities to travel to amazing industry events like GDC, Gamescom, TwitchCon (EU & US), EGX & Develop:Brighton

📦 Relocation package to help you settle in

🏅 Employee of the Month vouchers

🧘 ♀️ Personal wellbeing allowance

🤝 Referral scheme

🎓 Training & Development Budget – invest in your growth with courses, conferences & learning resources

🚀 Training & career development support

💚 Vitality Health Insurance – includes Vision, Dental & Travel cover

🛡️ Aviva Life Insurance

🎂 30 days holiday, including your birthday and a dedicated wellbeing day

🎄 Christmas studio shutdown – enjoy the holidays, on us!