HR Business Partner

The Dean Trust; Urmston; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

The Dean Trust is seeking two proactive HR Business Partners to work across its network of academies. You will partner with Headteachers and senior leaders, providing hands-on HR support and driving the Trust’s People Strategy.

Role includes advising on complex employee relations, supporting organisational change, and ensuring compliance with safeguarding and employment laws. Regular travel between current and future Trust sites is a key part of the role.

Qualifications

• CIPD Level 5 or equivalent HR qualification.
• Proven experience advising on complex casework and contributing to HR projects.
• Up-to-date knowledge of employment law and HR best practice.
• Strong stakeholder management and excellent communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Strategic partnering with Headteachers and senior leaders across all Trust academies.
• Provide expert guidance on complex employee relations casework.
• Support organisational change, restructures, and TUPE processes.
• Contribute to policy updates aligned with safeguarding and DfE guidelines.
• Build strong relationships with school leaders, unions, external partners and central teams.

Skills

Complex casework

HR projects

Employment law

Stakeholder management

Communication

Driving licence

Education

CIPD Level 5 or equivalent HR qualification

Job description

About The Dean Trust: The Dean Trust is a high-performing Multi-Academy Trust committed to providing transforming educational opportunities for all pupils and students across our schools. We operate with a strong value system built on traditional standards of discipline, respect, continuous improvement, and an unwavering commitment to safeguarding and child welfare. We are an educational charity established in April 2012, that currently comprises of 11 academies, 6 secondary, 4 primaries and 1 through school, operating in 3 hubs covering Trafford, Manchester, Knowsley and Wigan local authorities. The Role: We are seeking two proactive and dynamic Human Resources Business Partners-one on a permanent contract and one to cover a period of maternity leave. Reporting to the Senior HR Business Partner, you will provide professional, hands‑on HR business partnering support to Headteachers and senior leaders across all Trust academies. In this pivotal role, you will act as a trusted advisor, supporting complex employee relations, driving organisational change, and contributing directly to the successful delivery of the Trust's People Strategy. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced HR professional who thrives in a fast‑paced, values‑driven environment and is passionate about promoting a positive and consistent experience for all employees across the Trust.

• Strategic Partnering: Partner with Headteachers and senior leaders to identify HR challenges and co-create forward‑looking solutions aligned with the Trust's People Strategy.
• Employee Relations & Casework: Provide expert advice and guidance on a range of complex casework, ensuring consistency, fairness, and compliance with employment law across all Trust schools.
• Organisational Change: Support restructures, redeployments, TUPE processes, and the onboarding of new schools into the Trust.
• Policy & Best Practice: Contribute to the review and development of HR policies, ensuring alignment with Keep Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) and DfE guidelines.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build strong, collaborative working relationships with school leaders, trade unions, external partners, and central support teams.

About You

• CIPD Level 5 (or equivalent HR qualification)
• Proven experience advising on complex casework and contributing to HR projects. (Experience within an educational setting or working with trade unions is desirable).
• Up-to-date knowledge of employment law and HR best practice. (Knowledge of safeguarding standards (KCSIE) is desirable).
• Strong stakeholder management, high‑level IT literacy, analytical ability, and excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• A full driving licence with access to a car for travel across Trust sites. Regular travel between all current and future Trust sites is a key fragment of the role.

We are an Equal Opportunities employer committed to ensuring inclusion, diversity and equality of opportunity. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates including those from underrepresented groups, and/or with protected characteristics.

The Dean Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All post holders are subject to pre‑employment safeguarding checks, including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Check.