HR Business Partner

Post Title:                  HR Business Partner 

Hours                        37 hours – 52 Weeks (Full time)  

Salary                        Grade 10 (£47,181 to £50,269) 

Start Date:                 Negotiable 

Responsible to:         Chief Operating Officer 

To lead and manage the Trust’s HR services and systems, providing comprehensive and professional support to all academies so they can focus on delivering an excellent education for every learner. This post is integral to embedding consistent, people‑centred HR practices that align seamlessly with the Trust’s culture, vision, values, and ways of working.

Major Objectives: These will include, as appropriate, those that reflect the Trust’s vision: ‘’To give all our learners the opportunity to make choices to be happy, healthy and successful” supported by our values of Inclusivity, Ambition, Integrity and Accountability.

1.     Leadership and Management: Leading and managing all aspects of the Trust’s HR operations, ensuring a high‑quality, consistent service across a multi‑site, fast‑paced environment.

2.     Expert Advice & Guidance: Provide expert, senior‑level HR advice and constructive challenge to Principals, Executive Leaders and Governors’ panels, supporting confident, compliant decision‑making.

3.     Relationships: Build strong, professional relationships and ensure clear communication with all stakeholders, unions and professional associations.

4.     Reporting: Assuring the Chief Operating Officer and through them the Board of Trustees, of the efficiency and effectiveness of all HR systems across the MAT and its schools.

5.     Compliance: Ensuring compliance with all legal requirements and statutory guidance across HR and payroll systems including DBS and pre‑employment checks, and ensure accurate, compliant maintenance of the Single Central Record across all academies.

6.     Policy: Collaborating with the Lead Governance Professional to design, review, and revise consistent Trust-wide policies and procedures.

7.     Procedures and Systems: Leading the development and implementation of systems and procedures across all aspects of HR to ensure compliance with Trust policies.

8.     Support: Providing professional leadership, advice, guidance, and challenge to Trust schools’ HR postholders to enhance their effectiveness, intervening where necessary to ensure compliance and efficiency.

9.     Confidentiality: Maintain the highest standards of confidentiality when handling sensitive employee information, ensuring all HR records, conversations, and data are managed securely and in full compliance with GDPR and Trust policies.

10. Communication: Support effective communication with all stakeholders, supplier groups, and external agencies, building and maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders 

11. Community Engagement: Promote the Trust within the local community, raising its profile. 

Summary of job tasks:  

· Lead and deliver Trust‑wide HR services, ensuring consistent, high‑quality support across all academies and acting as the senior HR partner to Principals, Executive Leaders and Governors’ panels.

· Oversee the full lifecycle of complex employee relations casework, including investigations, hearings, appeals, capability processes, grievances, disciplinary matters and settlement negotiations, ensuring fair, timely and legally defensible outcomes.

· Provide authoritative HR advice and professional challenge to senior leaders, supporting confident decision‑making that aligns with legislation, Trust policy and sector best practice.

· Drive organisational change programmes, including restructures, redundancy processes and TUPE transfers, ensuring compliant planning, consultation, implementation and post‑implementation review.

· Lead the design, review and implementation of Trust‑wide HR policies and procedures, maintaining legal compliance and ensuring consistent application across all settings.

· Oversee safer recruitment and safeguarding‑related HR compliance, including DBS, pre‑employment checks and accurate Single Central Record maintenance across all academies.

· Analyse workforce data and produce high‑quality reporting to inform strategic workforce planning, identify risks, and support decision‑making by Executive Leaders and Trustees.

· Develop HR capability across the Trust, designing and delivering training for leaders on HR management, people processes, employment legislation and best practice.

· Promote staff wellbeing, engagement and positive culture, leading initiatives that support retention, attendance and the Trust’s ambition to be an employer of choice.

· Maintain effective relationships with external HR and legal partners, ensuring timely escalation, robust risk management and value for money.

· Provide HR due diligence for schools joining the Trust, identifying risks, advising on integration and ensuring alignment with Trust systems and processes.

· Ensure the secure and confidential management of all HR information, including records, systems and communications, in line with GDPR and Trust standards.

· Support recruitment and job evaluation, ensuring fair, transparent and compliant processes for senior and central team appointments.

·        Monitor and interpret legislative and regulatory changes affecting HR practice across the Trust, providing timely, clear guidance and updated procedures to leaders and stakeholders.

·        Lead relationships with external HR, legal and workforce‑related providers, ensuring high‑quality advice, effective escalation routes and demonstrable value for money.

·        Oversee Trust‑wide safer recruitment compliance, ensuring robust processes, DBS checks and statutory pre‑employment requirements are consistently applied and quality‑assured across all academies.

·        Lead and coordinate the recruitment and selection of senior central team posts

·        Support schools with job design, evaluation and grading, including preparing documentation, advising on role alignment, and liaising with local authority job evaluation panels where necessary.

• ·        Undertake any additional duties commensurate with the role, contributing flexibly to Trust priorities and supporting the effectiveness of the wider Executive Team.