Director of HR

Director of HR London £60,000 - £80,000 A specialist education provider supporting young people with additional needs through a personalised, nurturing and highly supportive approach to education we are seeking a Director of HR. With provisions across Cambridge, Peterborough and London, we provide an alternative to mainstream education for young people who may have experienced challenges, barriers or disengagement within traditional educational settings.

Our approach is built around a simple belief: that every young person has the potential to succeed when they are understood, valued and given the right environment in which to thrive. Having grown considerably, we are now strengthening the leadership, systems and support that will underpin our next stage of development. As we look towards welcoming additional schools into the Group, our priority is to build on what makes our provision distinctive while ensuring that we have the expertise and organisational foundations to grow well.

Our new Director of HR will play a central role in this next stage. Reporting to our Chief Financial Officer, you will develop a consistent, professional HR function that supports our schools and can grow with the organisation. We are looking for someone who can provide trusted advice, develop our managers and translate our agreed values into fair policies, effective working practices and a positive staff experience.

This is an opportunity to build something lasting, working closely with colleagues who care deeply about the education we provide.

Job Description Reporting to:
Chief Financial Officer

Location:

Primarily London-based, with regular travel to Cambridge and Peterborough Scope:
Group-wide, including future schools as the Group expands Role purpose To provide strategic and professional HR leadership, ensuring that the Group has effective, consistent and legally compliant HR practices that support organisational growth, workforce quality and strong leadership. The Director of HR will lead the development of the Group-wide HR function across London, Cambridge and Peterborough and ensure that the HR operating model is capable of supporting the Group as it expands to include additional schools in future.

The role will report to the Chief Financial Officer and act as the principal professional HR adviser to the CFO, founders and Headteachers across the Group. The Director of HR will also support the implementation of the organisation’s agreed values and cultural expectations through appropriate policies, management practice, leadership behaviours and workforce processes.

Key Responsibilities Strategic HR Leadership HR Function Development Employee Relations Workforce Planning and Organisational Development Recruitment and Retention Pay, Reward and Benefits Performance and Development Culture and Behaviours Employment Law and HR Compliance Management Information and Workforce Data Key Working Relationships Chief Financial Officer Founders/Directors Director of Safeguarding and Compliance Headteachers Senior leadership teams within each school Finance and payroll External HR and legal advisers Recruitment and other professional partners Essential Requirements Significant senior-level HR leadership experience.

Strong knowledge of employment law and employee relations. Demonstrable experience of developing, improving or professionalising an HR function.

Experience of operating at a strategic leadership level. Strong influencing, communication and relationship-management skills. Ability to provide constructive professional challenge to senior leaders. Strong judgement, discretion and personal credibility.

Experience of managing complex employee relations matters.

Experience of organisational change and…