HR Manager

A rapidly expanding Multi-Academy Trust is seeking an experienced HR Manager to join us from September. This is an exciting opportunity to play a central role in shaping the Trust’s people approach as we grow, onboard new schools, and embed consistent, high-quality HR practice across our academies.

You’ll be a key driver of strategic HR, culture, EDI (Equality, Diversity & Inclusion) and the wider people strategy, working closely with senior leaders to support sustainable growth and positive employee experience.

Our Trust is entering a significant period of development, including:

• Organisational change and evolving structures
• Multiple HR process changes and standardisation across schools
• Union involvement and consultation activity
• School transfer processes as new schools join the Trust
• Formal consultations expected to begin shortly in relation to incoming schools

This role suits someone who can confidently balance day-to-day HR leadership with change delivery, and who thrives in a fast-moving, values-led education environment.

• Contribute to and help deliver the Trust’s people strategy, aligned to organisational priorities
• Champion a positive, inclusive culture and support EDI initiatives across the Trust
• Support leaders to embed consistent approaches to people management and employee experience

• Provide oversight of HR operations, ensuring robust, compliant and consistent practice
• Lead on complex employee relations casework, advising leaders through formal processes
• Support business partnering activity, working with leaders to anticipate and address workforce issues

• Oversee HR transactions and operational processes, ensuring accuracy, timeliness and compliance
• Provide leadership/oversight for pensions and associated processes (including queries and workflow improvements)

• Support (and potentially lead) aspects of new school onboarding, including people process alignment and change support
• Support evidence-based workforce planning, working alongside curriculum and financial planning to ensure workforce sustainability
• Develop and improve people metrics and reporting, using insight to inform decisions and priorities

• Strong, current HR generalist experience with high-volume operational oversight and complex ER casework
• Demonstrable experience supporting and delivering organisational change (ideally within education, public sector, or similarly complex environments)
• Confidence working with trade unions, consultations and formal processes
• Ability to build credibility quickly with senior and operational leaders
• A practical, improvement-focused approach to HR processes and service delivery
• Commitment to creating inclusive environments and supporting positive organisational cultur