Associate HR Consultant (Freelance)
Job Posted: 28thApril 2025
Team: HR Team
Location: UK -Flexible / Remote (with occasional client travel)
Salary: Competitive hourly/day rate (based on experience and project)
Sector Focus: Creative & Entertainment Industries
The Role
We’re growing our network of Associate HR Consultants to help us keep up with increasing demand and extend the support we offer to our creative and entertainment clients.
As an associate with The Small HR Company (TSHRC), you’ll work on a freelance, project-by-project basis - matched to briefs that align with your availability and experience. While work isn't guaranteed, we’re building a trusted community of consultants we can call on as new projects land.
You’ll be delivering hands-on, practical HR support – the kind that gets to the heart of a brief fast and makes a tangible difference. Whether it's guiding a manager through a tricky case, auditing policies, or leading a bespoke workshop, you’ll be trusted to represent us with warmth, professionalism and confidence.
This is a great fit for someone who’s commercially sharp, great with ambiguity, and enjoys the independence of working freelance – while still feeling part of something collaborative and meaningful.
Key Responsibilities
Client scoping & relationship building: Get to grips with briefs quickly, agree deliverables and build strong relationships across all levels.
Employee/freelancer case management: Handle complex people issues with clarity and care, offering practical, legally sound advice.
Policy, compliance & process reviews: Make sure our clients’ policies are clear, compliant and culturally aligned.
Training needs & delivery: Spot development needs and deliver engaging workshops or 1:1 support where needed.
Wellbeing & engagement: Help boost morale and build inclusive, people-first cultures.
Reporting & risk management: Keep things tidy: document clearly, flag risks early, and always follow through.
Professional presence: Be that trusted ‘go-to’ person for the client, from kick-off to close-out.
Your Background
You’ll likely have worked in-house or freelance in a fast-moving, creative environment – or at least be confident navigating one. You're someone who can hit the ground running and knows how to balance empathy with business impact.
You should have
3+ years’ experience in a generalist HR role
CIPD Level 5 or equivalent experience (or studying towards it)
A solid track record of handling ER cases end to end
Strong knowledge of UK employment law
Experience working with freelance/project-based teams
Exposure to the entertainment or creative industries (strongly preferred)
The ability to build rapport quickly and work with a range of stakeholders
What We’re Looking For
We’d love to hear from consultants who are:
Comfortable with ambiguity, and can bring clarity to others
Calm under pressure, with a healthy sense of urgency
Detail-conscious, through and methodical in your work
A natural problem solver who doesn’t shy away from tricky conversations
Experienced in managing complex HR cases independently
Proactive, responsive and confident working without constant oversight
Personable, collaborative and professional; you’re representing both yourself and us
Curious and growth-minded – always looking to learn and improve
What You’ll Get from Us
Freelance Flexibility: Work around your availability, on projects that suit your strengths
Fair, Competitive Rates: Pay that reflects your expertise and the work involved
Creative, Collaborative Culture: A supportive consultancy team that values personality as much as professionalism
Meaningful Impact: The chance to help shape how creative businesses support and engage their people
Ready to Join Us?
If you’re proactive, organised and excited about doing work that genuinely makes a difference, we’d love to hear from you. Click here to apply.
This is a freelance opportunity for experienced HR professionals who want flexible, purpose-driven work. Our application process is simple - just two stages, and we’ll stay in touch every step of the way