Senior HR Business Partner (25 hours, or 30 hours term time)

Aspirations Academies Trust; United States; Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Aspirations Academies Trust seeks an autonomous Senior HR Business Partner to support leaders across 16 academies and its Head Office. You will combine operational casework with practical delivery of the Trust’s people strategy.

You will bring CIPD Level 5+ or equivalent experience, with a strong HR advisory background handling complex employee relations, and strong skills in report writing, law, and pay frameworks. Hybrid travel across sites is required.

Qualifications

• CIPD Level 5 or higher or equivalent HR experience.
• Strong advisory/business-partnering background in complex ER cases.

Responsibilities

• Advise on disciplinary, grievance, absence and capability cases, attend hearings and investigations, and prepare records and outcomes.
• Support restructures, TUPE and consultation with unions, ACAS and legal advisers when required.
• Translate policies into practical guidance, maintain HRIS case records and analyse workforce trends.

Skills

HR advisory

Employee relations

Trend analysis

Coaching

Communication

Prioritisation

Discretion

Education

CIPD Level 5+

Tools

HRIS

Office/Google Workspace

HR platforms

Job description

About the role

Aspirations Academies Trust seeks an autonomous Senior HR Business Partner to support leaders across 16 academies and its Head Office. Reporting to the Deputy Director of HR and Compliance, you will combine operational casework with practical delivery of the Trust’s people strategy.

Key responsibilities

• Advise on disciplinary, grievance, absence and capability cases, attend hearings and investigations, and prepare clear records and outcomes.
• Support restructures, TUPE and consultation, working with unions, ACAS and legal advisers when required.
• Translate policies into practical guidance, maintain HRIS case records and analyse workforce trends to prevent recurring issues.
• Coordinate critical recruitment, compliant onboarding, checks and probation, following KCSIE safer-recruitment requirements.
• Coach leaders, deliver training, support digital workflows and use exit-interview findings to inform retention and wellbeing work.
• Contribute HR projects, policy updates and professional networks, escalating significant risks appropriately.

About you

Bring CIPD Level 5 or higher, or equivalent experience, and a strong HR advisory or business-partnering background handling complex employee relations. Essential strengths include formal report writing, UK employment law and national pay frameworks (STPCD/NJC), accurate HR systems, trend analysis, communication, coaching and prioritisation.

You need discretion, sound judgement, resilience, digital confidence (Office, Google Workspace and HR platforms), independent working and collaborative relationships. Education or multi-academy trust experience, work with recognised unions and safer-recruitment certification are desirable. Commitment to safeguarding, equality and inclusion, regional travel and suitability for regulated work with children are required.

Hours, location and pay

Permanent. The all-year option is 25 hours weekly, paying £37,443.75 to £39,687.50 actual annually. An alternative is 30 hours during 38 term-time weeks, paying £37,570.93 to £39,822.30 actual annually. Advertised FTE is £53,919 to £57,150 including Outer London Weighting.

Hours may be spread across three, four or five days. Hybrid working combines home, Heathrow Head Office and academy visits in Dorset, Oxfordshire and West London. At least 50% office/site presence is required; travel between sites is reimbursed.

Read the job description and person specification