HR Technology Lead (12-14 month maternity cover)

Company Overview

Offering a complete ecosystem of maritime services, including broking, finance, port services and research, Clarksons is at the heart of global shipping. Our unrivalled reach, expertise, and depth of experience, combined with leading research, enables us to partner with clients across every sector to meet the demands of the world’s rapidly evolving maritime, offshore, trade and energy markets. Building on our unique heritage and harnessing our insights to see further, faster, we work with our clients and communities to create strategies that have a positive impact on the industry and the world around us. Dedicated to excellence, it’s our people that drive success for our clients. To understand more including day-to-day life at Clarksons, visit us at

Role Summary

We are seeking an experienced HRIS professional, with strong SAP SuccessFactors expertise to provide maternity cover for a 14-month fixed-term contract. This role will lead the HRIS function, manage a team of HR systems professionals, and oversee the delivery of key HR technology projects. Over the duration of this contract, our goal is to bring SuccessFactors to the next level, requiring the delivery of a number of projects and ongoing technology enhancements. The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring the effective operation, optimisation, and continuous improvement of the HR systems landscape, while partnering with HR, IT, Payroll, and business stakeholders to deliver strategic transformation initiatives and enhance the employee experience.

What you’ll be doing

Key Responsibilities

HRIS Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, coach, and develop the HRIS team of two, ensuring high levels of performance and engagement.

• Manage team priorities, resource planning, workload allocation, and delivery against agreed objectives.

• Monitor effective governance, controls, and service standards across HR systems.

• Act as the senior escalation point for complex HR systems issues.

HR Systems Management

• Own and manage the SAP SuccessFactors platform, ensuring system stability, integrity, security, and compliance.

• Oversee system configuration, testing, releases, upgrades, and change management activities.

• Ensure data quality and effective HR master data governance.

• Manage integrations between SuccessFactors and other business systems, including payroll, finance, company secretariat, recruitment, and learning platforms.

• Drive system optimisation and identify opportunities for automation and process improvement.

Project Leadership

• Lead the delivery of HR technology projects and enhancements from initiation through to implementation.

• Work with stakeholders to define requirements, project plans, business cases, and success measures.

• Manage third-party vendors, implementation partners, and external consultants as required.

• Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and in line with business objectives.

• Support wider people transformation programmes and digital HR initiatives.

Stakeholder Management

• Partner with senior HR leaders, business leaders, IT, Payroll, Finance, and external suppliers.

• Translate business requirements into practical HR technology solutions.

• Act as a trusted advisor on HR systems strategy and best practice.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with GDPR, data protection regulations, and internal policies.

• Maintain appropriate controls around access management, data security, and system governance.

• Support internal and external audit requirements relating to HR systems.

Other

• Undertake additional responsibilities as required in order to meet the needs of the business.

What we’re looking for

Essential

• Significant experience managing SAP SuccessFactors in a complex organisation.

• Previous people management experience, including leading HRIS teams.

• Proven track record of delivering HR systems projects and transformation programmes.

• Strong knowledge of HR processes, employee lifecycle management, and HR technology.

• Experience managing system integrations, testing, release management, and change control.

• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability.

Desirable

• Experience across multiple SuccessFactors modules, including Employee Central, Smart Recruiters, Onboarding, Learning. EC Payroll experience would be beneficial.

• Experience working in an international or matrix organisation.

• Knowledge of HR data analytics and reporting tools.

Key Competencies

• Strategic Thinking

• Leadership and Team Development

• Project Management

• Stakeholder Management

• Continuous Improvement

• Data and Analytical Insight

• Change Management 

Clarksons Values

We welcome applications from candidates who share our Company Values and key attributes, as follows: 

• Integrity and respect – acting thoughtfully and ethically to do the right thing in accordance with Conduct Rules, and to promote and foster a respectful work environment for all.

• Drive – self-motivation and the desire and commitment to succeed, deliver excellence and make positive change.

• Relationship building – excellent communicator to effectively build strong, long-lasting relationships with colleagues, clients and others.

• Collaboration – working well with others across diverse backgrounds to share information, develop skills and deliver results.

• Resilience - persisting and adapting to changing or difficult situations and adopting a positive and focused approach.

• Smart - problem-solving and analytical abilities, with a curious and inquisitive mind, and an openness to new ideas