HR Shared Services Lead: Safer Recruitment & Onboarding

Esland; Ambergate; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Professional development

Employee benefits package

Job summary

Esland is seeking an experienced HR Shared Services leader to run a six-person team delivering onboarding, compliance, contracts and the employee lifecycle from offer to leavers. You will own safer recruitment, DBS checks and Keeping Children Safe in Education, ensuring records are accurate and inspection-ready.

You will drive process improvements, report HR metrics to the Director, and build a strong, can‑do culture that supports the young people we care for.

Qualifications

• CIPD Level 5, or equivalent experience and qualification.
• Proven success leading an HR operations, shared services or administration team.
• Track record of delivering accurate, efficient transactional HR at volume.
• Strong knowledge of HR policy, employment law and safer recruitment (Keeping Children Safe in Education).
• Confidence with HR systems, Excel and reporting tools.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, credible and diplomatic at every level.

Responsibilities

• Lead the HR Shared Services team day to day, setting clear standards and expectations.
• Drive first-time resolution, so managers get an answer rather than a ticket number.
• Coach, develop and balance workload across two HR Administrators and four Onboarding and Compliance Administrators.
• Own safer recruitment compliance as a named accountability.
• Manage onboarding end to end, from accepted offer through to a confident first week.
• Oversee lifecycle administration, including contract changes, family leave, flexible working and leavers.

Skills

HR operations leadership

Stakeholder management

Excel

Reporting tools

Communication

Prioritisation

Education

CIPD Level 5

Tools

Excel

HR systems

Data reporting

Job description

Esland is seeking an experienced HR Shared Services leader to run a six-person team delivering onboarding, compliance, contracts and the employee lifecycle from offer to leavers. You will own safer recruitment, DBS checks and Keeping Children Safe in Education, ensuring records are accurate and inspection-ready.

You will drive process improvements, report HR metrics to the Director, and build a strong, can‑do culture that supports the young people we care for.