HR Manager

Cherry Professional; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Cherry Professional are recruiting an experienced HR Manager to partner with education clients across the UK, providing expert advice and practical support on employee relations and workforce management matters. This is a consultancy-style role with autonomy and a collaborative team behind you.

You will manage a portfolio of schools and academy trusts, delivering training, coaching leaders and handling complex casework with discretion and professionalism.

Qualifications

• CIPD Level 5 qualification or above.
• Significant generalist HR experience with a strong employee relations focus.
• Recent experience supporting schools, academy trusts or similar education-sector organisations.
• Experience within an HR consultancy, outsourced HR service or multi-client advisory environment.
• Proven ability to advise, coach and challenge senior leaders and managers.
• Experience delivering HR training, workshops or management briefings.
• Excellent written communication and case management skills.
• Strong Microsoft 365 skills and experience handling confidential information appropriately.
• Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel regularly to client sites.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of education-sector clients, acting as their primary HR contact.
• Provide expert advice on disciplinary, grievance, absence management, capability, performance, probation, conduct and flexible working matters.
• Manage employee relations casework from initial consultation through to resolution.
• Identify and assess employment, safeguarding and reputational risks, escalating more complex matters where appropriate.
• Draft high-quality HR documentation, including correspondence, hearing packs, outcome letters and guidance notes.
• Coach and support school leaders, headteachers and managers through sensitive people matters.
• Deliver engaging and practical HR training sessions and workshops.
• Assist with organisational change projects, restructures and formal consultations.
• Maintain accurate records and case management information.
• Contribute to client review meetings and identify opportunities to provide additional value and support.

Skills

Generalist HR experience

Employee relations

Client relationship management

HR training delivery

Excellent written communication

Stakeholder management

Microsoft 365 skills

Education

CIPD Level 5

Tools

Microsoft 365

Job description

HR Manager

Education sector experience essential

Location: Home-based (UK) with regular travel to client sites
Job Type: Full-time, Permanent

The Opportunity

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced HR Manager to join a growing and highly respected HR advisory team supporting schools, academy trusts and other education organisations across the UK.

This is not a traditional in-house HR position. Instead, you will act as a trusted HR partner to a portfolio of education clients, providing expert advice, practical support and guidance on a broad range of employee relations and workforce management matters.

The role offers the variety and influence of consultancy work combined with the opportunity to build meaningful long-term relationships with clients. You will enjoy a high degree of autonomy while benefiting from the support of an experienced, collaborative team.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of education-sector clients, acting as their primary HR contact.
• Provide expert advice on disciplinary, grievance, absence management, capability, performance, probation, conduct and flexible working matters.
• Manage employee relations casework from initial consultation through to resolution.
• Identify and assess employment, safeguarding and reputational risks, escalating more complex matters where appropriate.
• Draft high-quality HR documentation, including correspondence, hearing packs, outcome letters and guidance notes.
• Coach and support school leaders, headteachers and managers through sensitive people matters.
• Deliver engaging and practical HR training sessions and workshops.
• Assist with organisational change projects, restructures and formal consultations.
• Maintain accurate records and case management information.
• Contribute to client review meetings and identify opportunities to provide additional value and support.

About You

We are looking for a credible, commercially aware and consultative HR professional who is confident building strong client relationships while providing clear, practical advice.

You will be comfortable handling a varied workload, managing priorities independently and navigating complex employee relations matters with professionalism and sound judgement.

Essential Requirements

• CIPD Level 5 qualification or above.
• Significant generalist HR experience with a strong employee relations focus.
• Recent experience supporting schools, academy trusts or similar education-sector organisations.
• Experience within an HR consultancy, outsourced HR service or multi-client advisory environment.
• Proven ability to advise, coach and challenge senior leaders and managers.
• Experience delivering HR training, workshops or management briefings.
• Excellent written communication and case management skills.
• Strong Microsoft 365 skills and experience handling confidential information appropriately.
• Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel regularly to client sites.

Desirable Experience

• Organisational change, restructures and consultation processes.
• Safer recruitment.
• Safeguarding-related employment matters.
• Supporting educational organisations through workforce transformation initiatives.

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