HR Manager
- Paige Gillies
- Lead Principal Consultant
HR Manager
12 Month FTC or Interim on a day rate
Cumbria
A rapidly expanding Multi-Academy Trust is seeking an experienced HR Manager to join them from September. This is an exciting opportunity to play a central role in shaping the Trust’s people approach as we grow, onboard new schools, and embed consistent, high-quality HR practice across their academies.
You’ll be a key driver of strategic HR, culture, EDI (Equality, Diversity & Inclusion) and the wider people strategy, working closely with senior leaders to support sustainable growth and positive employee experience.
The opportunity
The Trust is entering a significant period of development, including:
- Organisational change and evolving structures
- Multiple HR process changes and standardisation across schools
- Union involvement and consultation activity
- School transfer processes as new schools join the Trust
- Formal consultations expected to begin shortly in relation to incoming schools
This role suits someone who can confidently balance day-to-day HR leadership with change delivery, and who thrives in a fast-moving, values-led education environment.
Key responsibilities
Strategic HR, culture and EDI
- Contribute to and help deliver the Trust’s people strategy, aligned to organisational priorities
- Champion a positive, inclusive culture and support EDI initiatives across the Trust
- Support leaders to embed consistent approaches to people management and employee experience
HR operations and employee relations
- Provide oversight of HR operations, ensuring robust, compliant and consistent practice
- Lead on complex employee relations casework, advising leaders through formal processes
- Support business partnering activity, working with leaders to anticipate and address workforce issues
Transactions, pensions and operational oversight
- Oversee HR transactions and operational processes, ensuring accuracy, timeliness and compliance
- Provide leadership/oversight for pensions and associated processes (including queries and workflow improvements)
Growth, onboarding and workforce planning
- Support (and potentially lead) aspects of new school onboarding, including people process alignment and change support
- Support evidence-based workforce planning, working alongside curriculum and financial planning to ensure workforce sustainability
- Develop and improve people metrics and reporting, using insight to inform decisions and priorities
Experience required
- Strong, current HR generalist experience with high-volume operational oversight and complex ER casework
- Demonstrable experience supporting and delivering organisational change
- Education experience
- Confidence working with trade unions, consultations and formal processes
- Ability to build credibility quickly with senior and operational leaders
- A practical, improvement-focused approach to HR processes and service delivery
- Commitment to creating inclusive environments and supporting positive organisational culture
If you are interested in exploring this role, please do reach out to Abbey from Panoramic Associates and click apply!
