Interim Head of HR Support

WESTONBIRT SCHOOL; Tetbury; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 68,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site parking

Lunch on site

Counselling scheme access

Discount card

Cycle to work

Personal accident cover

Job summary

Westonbirt School is seeking an experienced HR leader to head the HR function and advise the Senior Leadership Team. You will oversee staff performance, appraisal cycles, and alignment with employment law while ensuring robust employee relations and cost-aware budgeting with the Finance Director.

The role reports to the Head and the Finance Director, with direct reports HR Officer and HR Administrator. It is a fixed-term, part-time position (3 days per week) that may extend based on school needs.

Qualifications

• Proven HR leadership experience, ideally in education or regulated environments.
• Strong ER and change-management delivery.
• Solid understanding of UK employment law and HR best practice.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the school’s HR function and team (HR Officer and HR Administrator).
• Advise the SLT to ensure excellent employee relations and effective change management.
• Oversee appraisal, performance management, and staff budget.
• Prepare offer letters, contracts, and maintain personnel records.
• Produce monthly workforce reports to inform decision-making.

Skills

HR leadership

Employee relations

Change management

Employment law

Budgeting

Stakeholder management

Coaching & mentoring

People analytics

Education

CIPD Level 7

Tools

Payroll systems

HRIS

Job description

Westonbirt School are looking for someone to lead the school's HR function. The successful candidate will support and advise the School's Senior Leadership team (SLT) to ensure excellent employee relations, plan and implement change, oversee appraisal and performance management, and oversee staff budget. Reports to: Head, Westonbirt School and Finance Director. Direct reports: HR Officer and HR Administrator. Key Relationship: Works closely with the Wishford HR Business Partner. Hours, Salary & Benefits: Hours: Part time interim role (6-9 months with potential extension). Fixed term contract. 3 working days per week., People Leadership: Lead and support the HR Officer and HR Administrator, helping them prioritise their work and ensuring clear processes for day-to-day queries and any matters that need escalation. Stakeholder Management: Build strong, trusting relationships with the Senior Leadership Team, Heads of Department, Finance colleagues, and the Wishford Group. Provide practical, solutions-focused HR advice that supports staff and school priorities, whilst keeping the Head and Execs updated. Employee Relations: Provide calm, balanced support on more complex people matters, including mediation, grievances, and disciplinary issues, ensuring outcomes that are fair, proportionate, and in line with employment law. Performance & Capability: Help embed existing Wishford Group performance policies-including objective setting, development plans, and reviews-so that staff feel supported to achieve and maintain high standards. Change Management: Work with school leaders to plan and deliver any necessary structural or role changes in a thoughtful, fair, and well-communicated way. This includes guiding staff through consultations, selection processes, redeployment, or transitions where needed. Contracts & T&Cs: Oversee the preparation of offer letters, contract changes, and other employment documentation. Ensure the HR team keeps accurate and up-to-date personnel records so that everyone's employment information is well maintained. Data & Reporting: Produce clear monthly reports on key workforce information such as staffing levels, vacancies, turnover, absence, and recruitment activity to support informed decision-making. Budget & Controls: Enforce establishment controls; review overtime/agency usage; support workforce budgeting and forecasting with Finance. Risk Management: Identify any people-related risks-whether legal, safeguarding, or operational-and ensure appropriate steps are taken to address them, with clear documentation in place. Payroll, pensions, benefits, and HR policy are managed centrally by the Wishford Group.

Essential:

• Demonstrates compassion, emotional intelligence, and integrity when supporting staff.
• Provides clear, balanced guidance through active listening and sound judgement.
• Remains calm, professional, and discreet under pressure and during change.
• Builds strong, trust-based relationships across SLT, managers, and central teams.
• Resilient, adaptable, and able to navigate ambiguity and high workloads.
• Influences and coaches stakeholders with clarity and credibility.
• Proven HR leadership experience (ideally in education or a regulated environment) with strong ER and change-management delivery.
• Successful track record in organisational design and managing change.
• Strong safer-recruitment knowledge including SCR oversight and pre-employment checks.
• Solid understanding of UK employment law and HR best practice; able to produce legally compliant documentation.
• Commercially astute with experience in workforce planning, headcount control, cost management, and collaborating with Finance.
• Excellent stakeholder management; decisive and able to work at pace.
• Strong written skills and disciplined case-management approach.
• Able to work onsite and deliver to tight timelines.

Desirable:

• Experience in schools or multisite education groups.
• CIPD Level 7 (or equivalent experience).
• Experience interfacing with centralised payroll, benefits, and policy teams.
• Pension contribution 5%
• Complementary lunch when working on site
• Access to the group's counselling scheme
• Personal accident cover at work
• On site parking
• Pre-paid shopping discount card
• Cycle to work scheme