HR Manager

Wickersley Partnership Trust; Rotherham; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Westfield Health subscription

Professional Growth and Development

Pension Schemes

Job summary

Wickersley Partnership Trust (Central Team) is looking for an HR Manager - Recruitment to lead a dedicated advisory team and deliver compliant, high-quality HR services across the Trust. The role focuses on complex casework, safer recruitment, and robust HR operations to support staff and schools.

You will oversee recruitment activity, policy development, training delivery, and data reporting, contributing to staff development and safeguarding a positive workplace culture across multiple sites.

Qualifications

• CIPD qualification Level 5 or 7 or equivalent HR experience.
• Strong, up-to-date knowledge of UK employment law.
• Proven experience in managing complex employee relations casework and working with trade unions.
• Experience leading and developing a team, preferably within an educational or multi-site organisation.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team delivering compliant, professional HR advisory services across all academies, ensuring employment law compliance.
• Manage complex employee relations casework, liaising with legal advisors and trade union representatives as required.
• Collaborate with the Senior Manager - HR to review, update, and consult on Trust HR policies, procedures, and management toolkits, ensuring compliance with current legislation and safer recruitment standards.
• Support the delivery and continuous improvement of core HR systems and processes, including recruitment, induction, probation, performance management, and sickness absence monitoring.
• Assist academies with recruitment activities, including job design and role evaluation, to ensure consistency and mitigate organisational risk.
• Support the development and delivery of induction and training programmes to motivate, develop, and retain high-performing staff.
• Help embed and monitor a robust performance management framework across all academies.
• Oversee workforce data collection and analysis to fulfill the Trust’s statutory reporting obligations and inform strategic planning.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Employee relations

Leadership

Communication skills

Employment law knowledge

Education

CIPD Level 5 or 7

Job description

ROLE: HR Manager - Recruitment

SCHOOL: Wickersley Partnership Trust (Central Team)

SALARY: WPT Band 7 £36363 - £39862

CONTRACT: Permanent

HOURS: 37 hours per week, Full Time

Are you a proactive, solution-focused HR professional looking to make a meaningful impact in education? We are seeking a dynamic HR Manager to lead our advisory team, driving compliant, high-quality HR services across our Trust.

About WPT

At Wickersley Partnership Trust (WPT), we are fueled by a single commitment: 'We never knowingly do less for other people’s children than we would for our own.' As a thriving network of schools across South Yorkshire, we combine high expectations with embedded inclusivity. We do not work in silos; instead, we rely on deep collaboration and school-to-school support to ensure every student develops socially, emotionally, and academically to achieve the highest standards.

About the Role

As HR Manager, you will oversee the delivery of a compliant, professional HR business service across the Trust, providing robust advice and clear recommendations on all aspects of HR policy and practice. Leading a dedicated team, you will act as a trusted advisor to our academies, managing complex casework, supporting safer recruitment, and driving consistent HR operations to foster an environment where staff feel valued and supported.

• Lead a team delivering responsive, solution-focused HR advice and support across all Trust academies, ensuring compliance with employment law and internal policies.
• Manage complex employee relations casework, liaising with legal advisors and trade union representatives as required.
• Collaborate with the Senior Manager - HR to review, update, and consult on Trust HR policies, procedures, and management toolkits, ensuring compliance with current legislation and safer recruitment standards.
• Support the delivery and continuous improvement of core HR systems and processes, including recruitment, induction, probation, performance management, and sickness absence monitoring.
• Assist academies with recruitment activities, including job design and role evaluation, to ensure consistency and mitigate organisational risk.
• Support the development and delivery of induction and training programmes to motivate, develop, and retain high-performing staff.
• Help embed and monitor a robust performance management framework across all academies.
• Oversee workforce data collection and analysis to fulfill the Trust’s statutory reporting obligations and inform strategic planning.

Qualifications

• CIPD qualification (Level 5 or Level 7) or equivalent demonstrable experience in a senior HR advisory role.
• Strong, up-to-date knowledge of UK employment law and best practice.
• Proven experience in managing complex employee relations casework and working collaboratively with trade unions.
• Experience in leading and developing a team, preferably within an educational or multi-site organisation.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.

Why Join Us?

• Competitive salary
• Generous Local Government (support staff) and Teacher Pension Schemes
• Health and Wellbeing, including a Westfield Health subscription
• Professional Growth and Development

Closing Date: Noon, Wednesday 23rd September 2026***

Interviews taking place week commencing 28th September 2026***

We may hold interviews as and when applications are received, and this vacancy may be withdrawn without notice.

To be successful in your application, you will need to demonstrate an effective and creative approach to education, a passion for your subject and a commitment to supporting the development of the department.

In line with our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our students, the appointment will be subject to an enhanced criminal record check and satisfactory references. Further information about the Disclosure Scheme can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service

Please note we operate safer recruitment and do not accept CVs. All applicants must complete an application form in full.