HR Business Partnering

Unity Schools Partnership; Haverhill; Hybrid; GBP 59,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Unity Schools Partnership is seeking a Head of HR Business Partnering to lead our HR Business Partnering team across East Anglia. The role requires hybrid working (2 days onsite) with travel to Unity School Partnership locations and central meetings in Haverhill.

You will drive our People Strategy and provide trusted HR advice to senior leaders. You will bring extensive HR experience in large organisations, solid employment law knowledge, and CIPD Level 7 or equivalent.

Qualifications

• Extensive HR experience in a large/complex organisation.
• Strong knowledge of employment law and employee relations.
• CIPD Level 7 or equivalent qualification/experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the HR Business Partnering team.
• Oversee complex employee relations matters.
• Lead organisational change, restructures, consultation, and TUPE.
• Drive staff attendance and workforce planning strategies.
• Use workforce data to identify priorities and improve outcomes.
• Develop HR policy and manager capability.
• Lead Trust-wide people projects and service improvements.

Skills

HR management

Employment law

Employee relations

Leadership

Education

CIPD Level 7 qualification

Equivalent qualification or experience

Job description

Head of HR Business Partnering

Location: Hybrid - 2 days onsite, homeworking / travel to all Unity School Partnership locations required*

Start date: As soon as possible

Salary: £59,474 to £66,076 pa

Pension: Local Government Pension Scheme

Annual Leave: 24 days holiday rising to 29 days holiday after 5 years’ service plus bank holidays

Contract type: 37 hours per week, 52 weeks per year

Contract term: Permanent

*Onsite working includes Mondays at our central team office in Haverhill, together with a People Team Tuesday every other week, alternating between Haverhill and Ipswich. The role will also involve travel to our schools across East Anglia and north-east London as required.

Are you an experienced HR professional ready to take the next step in your career and make an impact that reaches beyond HR?

At Unity Schools Partnership, great schools depend on great people. By helping our leaders build strong teams, supporting colleagues to thrive and providing an HR service that makes their working lives easier, you will ultimately be helping us improve the experience and outcomes of the pupils in our schools.

We are looking for a Head of HR Business Partnering to lead our HR Business Partnering team and play a key role in delivering our People Strategy. You might be an experienced HR Business Partner or HR Manager ready to step into a broader leadership role. What matters is your professional credibility, sound judgement, commercial awareness, ability to lead and develop others, and ambition to contribute to the wider success of the Trust.

Working closely with the Chief People Officer, you will lead a responsive and solutions-focused HR service across our schools and central teams. You will provide trusted advice to senior leaders, coach and develop our HR Business Partners and help make HR processes simpler and more effective, reducing unnecessary workload for schools.

The role has a broad strategic remit, including:

• leading and developing the HR Business Partnering team;
• providing oversight of complex employee relations matters;
• leading organisational change, restructures, consultation and TUPE;
• driving our strategic approach to staff attendance and workforce planning;
• using workforce data to identify priorities and improve outcomes;
• developing HR policy and manager capability; and
• leading Trust-wide people projects and service improvements.

About you

You will bring strong HR experience gained within a large or complex organisation, together with sound employment law and employee relations knowledge and the confidence to influence leaders at all levels. You will be CIPD Level 7 qualified or have an equivalent relevant professional qualification or experience. Experience within education or another unionised environment would be an advantage but is not essential.

At Unity, our ambition is for every child to be known, included and receive a brilliant education. Our people are central to achieving that ambition.

This is an opportunity to take the next step in your HR career, lead and develop a talented team and help shape an HR service that enables our schools, staff and pupils to thrive.

If you combine strong professional HR expertise with practical judgement, a collaborative approach and the ambition to make a difference, we would love to hear from you.

Closing Date: 9.00 am, Friday 6th November 2026

Interview Date: Friday 13th November 2026

If you would like an informal discussion prior to submitting your application, please contact Angela Bull, Chief People Officer on 07741 907254 or email [e-mail]

Unity Schools Partnership is committed tosafer recruitment,equal opportunities, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check will be required.

Unity Schools Partnership, welcoming diversity.