We are looking for a highly experienced and approachable HR professional to join HISP Multi Academy Trust as our People Partner Lead. This role is key in supporting our schools by managing employee relations (ER) cases, creating and maintaining HR policies, driving forward the partnering approach and mentoring the people partner team (3 individuals). Around 75% of your time will be spent handling ER casework across an assigned portfolio, with the remaining 25% focused on developing policies, appropriate training and leading/supporting other HR projects.
You will need a strong and detailed understanding of UK employment law, have worked on multi-faceted complex cases and undertaken investigations, and ideally experience in working in both education and a unionised environment. You will need excellent problem-solving and drafting skills and the proven ability to provide clear, robust advice and practical support to school leaders. This is a hands-on role where you’ll make a real difference to the working lives of employees across the Trust.
Employee Relations
· Manage a range of ER cases, including disciplinary matters, grievances, absence management, performance issues, safeguarding concerns, and dismissals.
· Provide clear advice and guidance to school leaders and managers on handling ER issues in line with policies and best practice.
· Conduct investigations into employee concerns or complaints with sensitivity, professionalism and rigour.
· Support headteachers and senior leaders with practical advice and support in relation to workforce changes such as restructures, redundancies, or TUPE transfers.
· Promote positive working relationships by encouraging effective communication between staff and leadership teams.
· Prepare the necessary documentation for any legal proceedings, such as Employment Tribunals, if required.
· Deliver training for school leadership teams to help them manage ER issues confidently.
Policy Development
· Write, review, and update HR policies to ensure they are legally compliant and meet the needs of the Trust.
· Work with school leaders to ensure policies are practical, clear, and easy to follow.
· Support the development of streamlined processes that align with policy.
· Provide advice on how policies should be applied in day-to-day situations.
· Ensure a regular review of the contract of employment.
· Design and deliver appropriate line manager training to support policy launches.
HR Projects
· Contribute to wider HR initiatives such as staff well-being programmes, TURA development, recognition or inclusion projects.
· Support the implementation of performance management systems across the schools including designing and delivering appropriate training.
· Analyse trends from ER cases to identify areas for improvement and recommend solutions.
