Senior HR Adviser

Job Title: Senior HR Adviser
Full Time Annual Salary: £39,649 - £42,301 (Grade

F) (Based on hours and working weeks)
Contract Type: Permanent
Hours: Full-time, 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday / All year-round (4 days per week / Term Time Only Plus Additional Weeks can also be considered). Daily core working hours are 9am-5pm those with family or caring commitments will still be expected to work/attend meetings outside of school hours (before 9am/after 3pm) but the role comes with flexibility to manage your time and work around this, as and when needed.
Additional Information: The role will be offered on a hybrid working basis, to include home, office and academy-based working. The successful candidate will hold a valid driving licence and have access to their own transport in order to travel to and from CLF sites, as required. You will need to be based locally within the Southwest, in order to be able to travel to any CLF site on any given day, sometimes at short notice, as the service requires.

If you would like to consider a role that is not full time, all year round - please detail this in the supporting statement section of your application, if you feel comfortable to share at this stage.
Potential

Start Date:

April 2026

Are you an experienced HR professional with a passion for employee relations and a drive to make a real difference?

Join the Cabot Learning Federation as a Senior HR Adviser and become a key part of our dynamic Central HR Team.
This role is being advertised as full time, as we need to increase capacity in our team. However, we recognise the value of flexibility and are open to considering candidates who wish to work four days per week and/or have some level of additional flexibility in the school holidays.

As a trusted partner to academy leaders, youll play a pivotal role in supporting our diverse family of 36 academies across the South West, spanning primary, secondary, all-through, special, alternative, and studio school settings. Serving more than 18,000 learners aged 2 to 19, CLF is committed to equity, excellence, and opportunity for all, and youll be instrumental in helping us create an exceptional experience for our people.

• Lead and manage a varied and complex employee relations caseload, offering expert advice on matters such as performance, conduct, attendance, and policy.
• Build strong, collaborative relationships with Principals and leadership teams across multiple schools.
• Provide high-quality guidance that supports fair, consistent, and legally sound decision-making.
• Contribute to wider HR initiatives, process improvements, and projects that enhance the effectiveness and impact of the HR service.
• Play a key role in shaping and supporting a positive people culture across the Federation.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an HR professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys problem-solving, and wants to have a genuine, lasting impact on staff experience and organisational outcomes.

• A strong working knowledge of HR policies, employment law, and best practice, with the ability to apply this across a wide range of employee relations activities.
• Experience in managing complex employee relations cases, including investigations, formal meetings, and organisational change processes.
• The ability to provide high-quality, pragmatic advice to Principals, Headteachers, Managers, and safeguarding leads, navigating sensitive issues with professionalism and emotional intelligence.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the confidence to build trust and credibility at all levels and work collaboratively with union representatives and external stakeholders.
• Confidence in coaching and mentoring colleagues, and in advising senior leaders on complex HR matters.
• High emotional intelligence, resilience, and a proactive, problem‑solving approach in a fast‑paced environment with competing priorities.
• CIPD membership (or working towards with indicative completion in the short term) and a commitment to ongoing professional development.
• A valid driving licence and…