Job Ref: ABB1110
Branch: Abbey Theatre Dublin
Location: Abbey Theatre, Dublin
Salary/Benefits: Competitive Salary
Contract type: Permanent
Hours: Full Time
Shift pattern:
Hours per week: 40
Posted date: 04/11/2025
Closing date: 18/11/2025
ABBEY THEATRE Amharclann na Mainistreach | Job Description
JOB TITLE: People and Culture Generalist
DEPARTMENT: People and Culture Department
JOB PURPOSE: Partnering with the business on all people aspects
The Abbey Theatre is a registered charity and the National Theatre of Ireland. It occupies a unique position in the hearts and minds of Irish people. Comprised of two theatres, the Abbey Theatre, with a capacity of 492 seats, and the Peacock Theatre, with a capacity of 132 seats, the company produces a year-round programme of productions, public reading, talks, workshops and artistic development work.
Role overview
* An exciting opportunity has arisen at the Abbey Theatre for an experienced and dynamic People and Culture Generalist to join our People Culture team. This is a hands-on, broad-ranging role that will suit a proactive, motivated self-starter with a positive approach and the ability to work flexibly in a fast-paced environment.
* The successful candidate will bring proven experience working within a busy People and Culture department at Generalist level, demonstrating a strong grasp of end-to-end people operations, employee relations, recruitment, performance management, and people compliance.
* Payroll experience or a genuine desire to develop in this area is essential. While day-to-day payroll is primarily managed by our PC Administrator, we welcome a collaborative partner to provide support and shared ownership of this critical function.
* Working closely with the PC Director, this role offers the opportunity to contribute to both strategic people and culture initiatives and day-to-day operational delivery.
* The ideal candidate will possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills, sound judgment, and the ability to balance empathy with business needs.
* A strong understanding of HRIS systems, employment legislation, and data-driven methods will be key to success in this position
Key Responsibilities
Employee Relations
* Acting as a point of contact on all employee relations issues.
* Supporting and advising all Heads of Departments and staff on the Abbey Theatre's policies and procedures.
* Providing support on a variety of Industrial Relations issues including but not limited to disciplinary issues, performance issues and general compliance with the Abbey Theatre's policies and procedures.
* Support the full employee lifecycle, including onboarding new employees, probation, performance reviews, and offboarding leavers.
Employee Engagement
* Promoting good internal regular communications with all staff, keeping all staff regularly updated on any People and Culture initiatives and processes
* Managing the exit interview process including processing resignations or terminations in line with the defined notice period, as well as completing all exit interviews
* Working with the People Culture Administrator on innovative engagement activity ideas.
Recruitment and Selection
* Working closely with Senior Managers and Heads of Departments on workforce planning as well as on an ongoing basis by facilitating the recruitment process as well as the probation period process.
* Managing the end-to-end recruitment process, by utilizing the recruitment systems (Recruit Genie) and ensuring GDPR compliance with candidate information
* This includes signing off on advertising new posts, support with screening CV's, partnering with the PC administrator to guide on interview scheduling participating on interview panels where necessary.
* Partner with the PC Administrator to ensure documentation such as employment contracts etc., are accurate for sending.
Training and Development
* Developing and delivering relevant training throughout the organisation.
* Identifying training and skills gaps, reacting to same with training and development proposals
* Managing the compliance of all mandatory training requirements and ensuring effective tracking and reporting of same.
People and Culture Projects and Initiatives.
* Reviewing current policies and procedures and making recommendations to update, improve and enhance
* Contributing to the ongoing development of Employee Handbook.
* Leading on development programmes (work experience and internships and Transition year programme) as required.
* Proactively developing and implementing various other People and Culture initiatives as required – E.g DEI program.
HR Administration
* Support the People and Culture Administrator with some ad hoc people and culture related administration.
* Management and control of all employee data in line with European GDPR requirements
* Maintain PC metrics and provide regular reports (e.g. turnover, absence, headcount).
* Ensure PC practices comply with Irish employment legislation and company policy.
* Support internal and external audits as required.
* Preparing with PC Director Board/ management reports as required.
Payroll
* Ensure all staff are paid correctly and on time.
* Responsible for ensuring that all payroll data is downloaded from Softworks and is complete and accurate before being made available for payroll processing by Finance.
* Working collaboratively with PC Administrator, and finance team with all related payroll issues/queries as appropriate.
* Collect, verify, and process payroll-related data (e.g. new starters, leavers, salary changes, bonuses, leave, and absences).
* Support on the input and validate payroll information in a timely and accurate manner for submission to the payroll provider.
* Liaise with Finance and external payroll partners to ensure smooth and compliant payroll processing.
* Assist in reviewing payroll reports and resolving discrepancies prior to final submission.
* Ensure Auto Enrollment is working in tandem with payroll as well as accurate deductions and communications regarding The Abbey Theatre's PRSA scheme
* Support on the annual Payroll budgeting process with PC Director
General
* Carrying out the role with integrity and ensuring the strictest confidentiality within the department.
* People and Culture Systems compliance, by ensuring all employees data is accurate and up to date
* Working with the Health Safety Committee on issues relating to Health Safety including Health Safety audits and proactively promoting Health Safety compliance.
* Any other duties may be deemed reasonable and appropriate.
The above is a general guide to the role and is not an exhaustive description of the duties which are associated with the role or tasks which may be assigned to the role.
PERSON SPECIFICATION – PEOPLE AND CULTURE
QUALIFICATIONS
Essential
* A third level Business/HR Qualification – if one does not hold a HR Degree, CIPD membership would be essential.
* 6 years plus experience in a similar People and Culture role
* Strong knowledge of employment law related to disciplinary and exit processes
* Ability to work independently with a high attention to detail
* A good working knowledge of recruitment systems – Softworks, Recruit Genie or other
* Confident ability in dealing with a range of employee relations matters
* A focus on collaborating with and supporting employees across the team
* Hands on payroll experience
* Managing effective delivery of HR services in an organisation of broadly similar size with a diverse range of skills and employment relationships
* Experience in participating in the development and implementation of organisational people culture strategies
* Experience in full end to end recruitment from role creation to sourcing/headhunting, interviewing and offering candidates
* Experience in successfully managing relationships with internal and external stakeholders
* The ability to work flexibly and at different levels in a challenging and demanding environment.
* Managing effective delivery of HR services in an organisation of broadly similar size with a diverse range of skills and employment relationships
Desirable
* Experience of charity or not for profit sector
* Exposure to people and culture teams in a Charity Sector
* Experience with Trade unions
* Experience in partnering with senior leadership on the implementation of organisational HR Information Systems and the design and development of policies and procedures
Application Process:
To apply, please send the below information:
* Up to date CV
* Cover Letter (Detailing why you are the right candidate for this role, why it appeals to you and what impact you see yourself having).
The closing date for external applications is 5pm on Tuesday 18th November.
As Ireland's national theatre, the Abbey Theatre's ambition is to enrich the cultural lives of everyone with a curiosity for and interest in Irish theatre, stories, artists and culture. Courage and imagination are at the heart of our storytelling, while inclusivity, diversity and equality are at the core of our thinking. Led by Co-Director's Caitríona McLaughlin (Artistic Director) and Mark O'Brien (Executive Director), the Abbey Theatre celebrates both the rich canon of Irish dramatic writing and the potential of future generations of Irish theatre artists.
Our stories teach us what it is to belong, what it is to be excluded and to exclude. Artistically our programme is built on twin impulses, and around two questions: "who we were, and who are we now?" We interrogate our classical canon with an urgency about what makes it speak to this moment. On our stages we find and champion new voices and new ways of seeing, our purpose - to identify combinations of characters we are yet to meet, having conversations we are yet to hear.