The posting
Job Description
The HR Operations Specialist ensures the accurate, timely and consistent execution of HR administrative processes throughout the employee lifecycle. The role acts as the administrative and operational engine of the HR function, translating approved HR decisions and requirements into completed transactions, accurate system records, documentation and workflows.
The position takes end-to-end operational ownership of PeopleLink/PPL, ProTime and related HR administrative processes, with particular focus on keeping employee data clean and current, executing approved employee changes, following up pending workflows, supporting payroll inputs, and ensuring that administrative processes are properly completed, documented and closed. The primary scope is France and Spain, with the possibility of providing operational support to Italy or other countries as the organizational model evolves. HR analysis, policy interpretation, specialist advice and business decision-making remain with the relevant Country HR Manager or Payroll governance team.
Responsibilities
1. Employee Lifecycle Administration
Execute hires, terminations, transfers, promotions and approved contractual, salary, organizational or working-time changes, ensuring accurate and timely processing in PeopleLink and related systems.
Prepare, coordinate and maintain the employment and administrative documentation required at each stage of the employee lifecycle.
Coordinate the operational aspects of onboarding and offboarding, including communications, checklists, documentation, access requests and follow-up with the relevant functions.
Maintain accurate and current employee master data, including manager, position, cost center, organizational structure, location and other relevant records.
2. PeopleLink, ProTime, Data and Workflows
Take end-to-end operational ownership of PeopleLink/PPL for the assigned population, including initiating, monitoring and closing transactions.
Monitor pending workflows and approvals, follow up with the relevant stakeholders and escalate operational blockers when required.
Keep PeopleLink/PPL and ProTime data clean, accurate and current by identifying and correcting duplicates, errors and inconsistencies and performing routine quality and reconciliation checks.
Maintain clear traceability of changes and supporting evidence for internal and external audits and legal requirements.
Verify the correct transfer of information to connected systems and coordinate the resolution of interface or data-transfer issues.
3. Payroll and Time & Attendance Support
Collect, validate and submit payroll inputs in line with the established payroll calendar and cut-off dates, ensuring completeness, approval and supporting documentation.
Perform administrative pre- and post-payroll checks with the EMEA Payroll team covering employee movements, approved salary changes, absences, variable payments and other assigned items.
Support the day-to-day administration of ProTime and other time and attendance tools, including users, incidents, standard rules, records and routine reports.
Coordinate with Payroll, HR Country Managers and providers to resolve operational issues, while maintaining a clear separation between transactional execution and payroll governance or decision-making.
4. Operational Support to Employees, Managers and HR
Act as a first point of contact for HR administrative and operational queries within the agreed service scope, routing policy, employee relations, specialist or business-decision matters to the appropriate HRBP, Country HR Manager or CoE.
Provide clear, consistent and timely information on processes, documentation, system transactions and administrative requirements while maintaining confidentiality.
Issue certificates, letters, standard reports and other HR documentation using approved templates and authorizations.
Work closely with HR Country Managers to ensure administrative processes are completed correctly and on time.
5. Administration, Audit and Compliance
Prepare recurring and ad hoc operational reports on headcount, employee movements, absence, time, master data and process completion.
Support audits and control reviews by providing complete, consistent and easily traceable records and evidence.
Apply applicable employment-administration, data-protection and document-retention requirements within the administrative scope of the role.
Protect personal information and apply the principles of least-privilege access, accuracy and legitimate data use.
6. Standardization and Continuous Improvement
Document and maintain standard operating procedures, checklists, calendars and responsibility matrices.
Identify opportunities to simplify and automate HR administration, improve self-service and reduce rework, manual controls and dependency on individuals.
Support the harmonization of operational HR processes across sites and countries while preserving local legal requirements.
Monitor operational KPIs and flag deviations in quality, timing or volume to the relevant process owner; provide reliable operational data to support analysis and decisions by HRBPs.
Qualifications
Education
University degree or higher education in Labor Relations, Human Resources, Business Administration, Psychology, Law or a related discipline.
- Additional training in employment administration, payroll, HRIS, data protection or process improvement is an advantage.
Experience
Approximately three or more years of experience in HR Operations, employee administration, HR shared services, payroll support or an HR generalist role with a significant operational component.
- Hands-on experience processing employee changes, contractual documentation, payroll inputs, time and attendance administration and employee master data.
Experience in industrial, multi-site or multinational environments and working with payroll providers is an advantage.
Knowledge and Systems
Proficiency with HRIS/HCM tools; experience with PeopleLink or equivalent platforms is preferred.
Functional knowledge of time and attendance systems; experience with ProTime is an advantage.
Good Excel skills for administrative controls, reconciliations and standard reporting; regular user of Microsoft 365.
Practical knowledge of Spanish and/or French employment administration, data protection and payroll processes.
- Professional proficiency in Spanish and English. French is an advantage given the multi-country scope of the position.
About Us
Our purpose at Avient Corporation is to be an innovator of materials solutions that help our customers succeed, while enabling a sustainable world.
Innovation goes far beyond materials science; it’s powered by the passion, creativity, and diverse expertise of 9,000 professionals worldwide. Whether you’re a finance wizard, a tech enthusiast, an operational powerhouse, an HR changemaker, or a trailblazer in materials development, you’ll find your place at Avient.
Join our global team and help shape the future with sustainable solutions that transform possibilities into realities. Your unique perspective could be the key to our next breakthrough!
We believe that all of our global employees are leaders and that the six most important behaviors for driving our strategy and culture are the same no matter if an employee is a leader of self, a leader of others, or a leader of the business.
By playing to win, acting customer centric, driving innovation and profitable growth, collaborating seamlessly across Avient, and motivating and inspiring and developing others and yourself you will accelerate your ability to achieve Avient’s strategic goals, to meet our customer needs, and to accomplish your career goals.
At Avient, we believe a wide variety of thoughts, ideas and backgrounds gives us the creativity to be successful in a rapidly changing world. In support of this, we stress equality of opportunity for all qualified individuals in accordance with applicable laws. Decisions on hiring, promotion, development, compensation or advancement are based solely on a person’s qualifications, abilities, experience and performance.
