Director of HR

Shape the future of people leadership at AQA

You'll play a pivotal role in shaping the future of AQA through its people, providing the clarity, direction and strategic vision needed to help the organisation thrive during a period of growth, change and opportunity.

Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, you'll lead a People function of around 25 colleagues and help shape a people agenda that supports more than 1,500 employees across AQA Education.

Working closely with leaders across the organisation, you'll champion a strategic business partnering approach, strengthen organisational effectiveness and workforce transformation driven by technology and AI, and ensure our people strategy helps drive long-term success.

This is a role with significant strategic breadth and influence. You'll work closely with the Executive Team, Directors, Trustees and Trade Unions, providing trusted advice on organisational priorities, workforce planning, leadership capability, employee relations and organisational effectiveness.

Most importantly, you'll help shape a clear and ambitious people vision that enables organisational success whilst creating an environment where people can thrive.

A key focus of this role is continuing to strengthen AQA's approach to strategic people partnering.

You'll lead and develop a high-performing team that works alongside leaders to solve organisational challenges, build capability, plan for the future and deliver meaningful organisational outcomes.

We're looking for someone who sees HR as more than a support function, and who is comfortable managing risk. Someone who can build trusted partnerships, influence decision-making and help leaders navigate complexity with confidence and clarity.

you'll lead:

• Diversity & Inclusion
• Employee Relations
• People Advice
• People Services

You’ll work closely with the Head of People Operations whose remit includes Talent Acquisition, Learning & Development and People Operations, to ensure a joined-up and effective people strategy.

Creating a workplace where everyone feels they belong and can do their best work is a strategic priority for AQA.

You'll lead our Diversity & Inclusion agenda, supported by a dedicated Head of Diversity & Inclusion and D&I Specialist. We've made genuine investment in this area because we believe greater representation, broader perspectives and inclusive leadership make us stronger as an organisation.

You'll help ensure inclusion is embedded across our people strategy, leadership practices and employee experience, helping us better reflect and serve the communities we work with every day.

• Significant senior HR leadership experience within a complex organisation
• A demonstrable track record of leading and developing strategic HR Business Partnering teams
• Extensive Employee Relations and Trade Union experience
• Experience influencing Executive, Board or Trustee-level stakeholders
• Experience shaping organisational change, workforce planning and leadership capability
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication and negotiation skills
• A collaborative, strategically minded and outcomes-focused approach
• The credibility and judgement to act as a trusted adviser to senior leaders

Alongside a salary of £115,000 - £125,000
, you’ll benefit from:

• 25 days' annual leave, rising to 30 with service, plus bank holidays and additional Christmas closure days
• A 35-hour working week and flexible hybrid working arrangements
• An excellent pension scheme with combined contributions of up to 18.5%
• Private Medical Insurance, life assurance and a health cash plan
• Enhanced family-friendly policies
• Up to…