HR Manager

Ernest Bevin Academy; Tooting; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Ernest Bevin Academy is seeking an experienced HR Manager to lead a broad HR function within a busy secondary school. You will work closely with senior leaders to deliver quality HR services on site, managing recruitment, payroll administration, safeguarding compliance, absence management, and workforce planning.

As part of a cluster of schools, you will receive support from senior HR specialists while maintaining autonomy to shape people practices and provide proactive advice across the campus.

Qualifications

• Substantial HR experience in a busy operational environment.
• Strong knowledge of employment law and HR best practice.
• Experience with recruitment, onboarding, payroll, absence management and HR processes.
• Ability to work autonomously within a school environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead HR within Ernest Bevin Academy and support a cluster of schools.
• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, payroll administration, safeguarding compliance, absence management, workforce planning and HR processes.
• Collaborate with the Executive Business Manager, HR Business Partner and central HR team for expert guidance.

Skills

HR management

Employee relations

Recruitment

Payroll administration

Employment law

HR policy

Job description

We are seeking an experienced HR professional to join our ambitious secondary school, Ernest Bevin Academy, as our dedicated HR Manager. Do you enjoy working in a fast paced environment where no two days are the same? Working for us, you'll enjoy building strong relationships with leaders and staff and taking ownership of a broad and varied HR function. You'll need to be adaptable, resilient and comfortable managing competing priorities, as this is a role where plans can change quickly and every day brings something different. As the school's HR Manager, you will be the go-to HR professional on site, working closely with senior leaders to deliver an excellent HR service. You will have genuine autonomy to manage HR operations across the school while playing a key role in recruitment, payroll administration, safeguarding compliance, employee wellbeing, absence management, workforce planning and HR processes. Whilst you will lead HR within the school, you won't be working alone. As part of a cluster of schools, you will receive support and guidance from an Executive Business Manager, HR Business Partner and wider central HR team, giving you access to expert advice on more complex employee relations matters and employment law issues, if needed.

Why join us?

This role offers the best of both worlds: the opportunity to make a visible impact within a school community while being part of a large, supportive and highly regarded HR network. You will benefit from:

• Being the dedicated HR lead for the school
• Support from HR Business Partner and wider central HR team
• Network with other HR practitioners across the country in other United Learning schools and opportunities to collaborate
• Annual HR Conference featuring external speakers and experts
• Regular trust wide HR community calls and training
• Regional HR networking and development each term
• Ongoing professional development and employment law updates
• A workplace that considers flexible working requests on an individual basis

We're looking for someone who:

• Has substantial HR experience in a busy operational environment
• Enjoys building trusted relationships with managers and leaders
• Thrives in a fast-paced setting where priorities can change quickly
• Is confident managing recruitment, interviews, onboarding, absence management and HR processes
• Has strong knowledge of employment law and HR best practice
• Can balance attention to detail with a pragmatic, solutions focused approach
• Wants to continue developing their HR career with a supportive and ambitious organisation

School experience would be advantageous but is not essential. We welcome application from HR professionals who are looking to bring their expertise into education for the first time., If you're an experienced HR professional looking for a role with autonomy, variety, challenge and excellent professional support, we'd love to hear from you.