HR Advisor

ARK SCHOOLS; Pontefract; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Remote working up to 10 days a year

Flexitime core hours 10:00-16:00

Annual leave 27-30 days

Pension scheme 11% Ark/ LGPS optional

LGPS availability

Job summary

ARK SCHOOLS in Pontefract is seeking an experienced HR Advisor to specialist in employee relations. You will act as the first point of contact for ER queries and provide clear, pragmatic guidance to school leaders and managers across our trust.

This role is hybrid, based in our Pontefract office with time on-site and remote working, reporting to the People Business Partner. You’ll also contribute to broader HR activity, policy updates and projects, ensuring compliance with safeguarding and Ark

Qualifications

• Proven HR generalist experience with strong employee relations and attendance management.
• Experience delivering day-to-day HR services; able to advise managers clearly.
• Proficient with MS Office and HRIS/ATS systems.
• Right to work in the UK and CIPD Level 5 preferred or working toward it.
• Strong administrative and organisational skills with ability to manage multiple schools.

Responsibilities

• Act as first point of contact for ER queries for Pontefract schools.
• Support ER casework: disciplinary, grievance, attendance, capability, safeguarding, probation, appeals.
• Coordinate casework end-to-end: packs, meetings, notes, letters.
• Use absence data to manage sickness; liaise with Occupational Health; support return-to-work.
• Embed probation management for new starters; ensure timely reviews and escalation.
• Ensure leaders follow Ark policies; escalate complex cases.
• Build relationships with school leaders and Office Managers.
• Support policy updates and HR ways of working across Pontefract region.
• Collaborate with Central People Team to provide high-performing support.
• Keep HR activity up to date and compliant with safeguarding and Ark policy.

Skills

HR generalist

Employee relations

ER casework

Stakeholder management

MS Office

ATS/HR system

Education

GCSE English & Maths

CIPD Level 5 or equivalent

Tools

ATS/HR system

Job description

About The Role

We’re looking for a confident, approachable HR professional who is passionate about supporting people and delivering high-quality advice. This role will primarily focus on employee relations casework, so a strong skill set and confidence in this area is important. Alongside this, there will be opportunities to get involved in wider HR activity and projects across the Trust.

We’re looking for someone with a strong HR generalist background and solid employee relations experience, who can build positive, trusting relationships and take a calm, pragmatic approach. You’ll be confident providing clear, practical advice, while also being willing to get involved more widely and contribute to the ongoing development of our People Function.

Our schools are supportive, welcoming environments, and the people you’ll work with are a real asset to the Trust. You’ll partner with leaders and colleagues who value practical, people-centred HR support.

The HR Advisor will report into People Business Partner. This role is currently operating hybrid working in our Pontefract Office on a permanent basis working full time.

Interviews will be taking place in person on Thursday 8th October 2026.

Key Responsibilities:

• As the named HR lead for employee relations in Pontefract schools, act as the first point of contact for day-to-day ER queries, providing clear, pragmatic and solutions-focused advice and seeking guidance from the wider People team
• Support a full range of ER casework including disciplinary, grievance, attendance, capability, safeguarding concerns, probation and appeals
• Coordinate casework end to end: preparing case packs, organising meetings, supporting meetings, note-taking and drafting outcome letters
• Using absence data, support leaders in managing sickness in line with policy and disability legislation, including liaising with Occupational Health and supporting return-to-work plans
• Embed robust probation management for all new starters, ensuring reviews are completed on time, issues are escalated promptly, and clear advice is given on next steps
• Ensure leaders understand and follow Ark policies and processes; escalated complex or high-risk cases to the People Business Partnering team
• Build effective relationships with school leaders and Office Managers; act as the named HR lead for operational ER queries and assurance
• Support implementation of updated policies, guidance and HR ways of working across the Pontefract region, ensuring managers understand requirements and expectations
• Work collaboratively with Central People Team (Business Partners, AskHR, People Operations, Recruitment) to ensure high-performing support services for schools
• Support the People Business Partner and the wider Pontefract People team to ensure all HR activity is up to date, well organised and delivered efficiently, with all processes completed on time and in full compliance with statutory, safeguarding and Ark policy requirements

Key Requirements:

• Right to work in the UK
• GCSE English & Maths (or equivalent)
• CIPD Level 5 (or equivalent) preferred; willingness to work towards Level 5 if currently Level 3
• Proven HR generalist experience delivering day-to-day HR services, with a strong focus on employee relations and attendance management
• Experience providing clear first-line HR and ER advice to managers, with confidence to elevate appropriately
• Experience supporting ER casework, including disciplinary, grievance, capability, attendance and probation matters, as well as preparing case documentation, taking notes and drafting outcome letters
• Experience supporting attendance management, including OH referrals
• Understanding of core employment legislation and the ability to apply it pragmatically in schools
• Strong administrative and organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities across multiple schools
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with strong attention to detail
• Strong IT skills (MS Office) and Applicant Tracking System (ATS)/HR system experience
• Professional, discreet and resilient, with the integrity to handle sensitive and confidential matters appropriately
• A confident communicator who can build credibility and positive relationships with school leaders and managers

Benefits:

• Our flexible working model offers the best of both worlds, balancing in person collaboration, either in our Pontefract office or through visits to our schools, with the flexibility of remote working.
• In addition to flexible working arrangements, employees can request to work fully remotely for up to 10 working days a year, whether this be in the UK or abroad.
• Our flexitime policy allows you to work your hours around our core hours of 10.00 - 16.00, helping you prioritise your work-life balance and personal commitments.
• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising with each year of service up to 30 days after 3-years’ service. This entitlement is pro rata for part time employees. This entitlement excludes bank holidays.
• Full office closure between Christmas and New Year.
• As an Ark employee, you will have the opportunity to be part of the TPT (The Pension Trust) scheme, our workplace pension scheme where we make an 11% contribution; you are not required to contribute towards this scheme unless you choose to. Depending on your role you may also be entitled to LGPS which is a defined benefit scheme where you contribute a percentage based on how much you earn (as do we) in exchange for a guaranteed amount in your pension pot every year.
• Access to high-quality professional learning throughout your career, offering both face-to‑face sessions and a bespoke online learning platform.
• Access to Ark Rewards scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers, interest‑free loans available for season tickets or a bike, gym discounts offering up to 40% off your local gym and free eye tests.

About Us

There are 34,000 students learning in our network of 48 schools across Birmingham, Hastings, London, Pontefract and Portsmouth. We’ve always believed that, with the right approach, every child has the potential to succeed. We work in the communities where we can make the biggest difference to children’s lives, and all our schools are non-selective.

It works: our schools achieve great results – significantly outperforming national averages, especially when it comes to driving progress – the best measure for ‘closing the gap’.

We take what we learn in our schools to develop new solutions and approaches that we can share. Over the last two decades, we have developed and incubated more than 20 projects and programmes, supporting them to scale and achieve systemic impact on the life chances of all children. Over 300,000 children currently learn using an Ark curriculum and our Ark Start nurseries are demonstrating a new model for early years education that we hope will become the norm.

Diversity and inclusion:

We aim to build a diverse and inclusive organisation where everyone – staff and students – can do their best work and achieve their full potential. We want to reflect and represent diverse perspectives across our organisation because we know that doing so will make us stronger and more effective. To know more about Ark’s diversity and inclusion commitments, please click on this link.

Safeguarding statement:

Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in its academies. In order to meet this responsibility, its academies follow a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants.

Ark requires all employees to undertake an enhanced DBS check. You are required, before appointment, to disclose any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Non-disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar you from employment - this will depend upon the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred. To read more about Ark’s safer recruitment process, please click this link.