HR Manager

An exciting new opportunity has arisen for a HR Manager to join our central Trust team to support its centralisation and future growth. This is a versatile and varied role, and you will be a key member of the HR Team, working to ensure an exceptional HR service is provided to all of our schools.

Main purpose

The HR Manager will be responsible for managing the Trust’s recruitment and onboarding process, providing best practice HR advice whilst ensuring compliance with employment legislation and safeguarding requirements. The HR Manager will manage two HR Administrators and will support the HR Director in implementing people strategies to drive continuous improvements within the Trust’s HR Operations.

Duties and responsibilities

HR Management

• Manage the employee life cycle from advertisement through to exit with support from HR Administrators

• Manage the HR service desk by providing HR advice on all aspects of HR practice, ensuring the Trust and its schools adhere to best practice and operate within the law

• In conjunction with the HR Director, monitor, review and update the Trust’s HR policies and procedures including HR documents, forms and the staff handbook

• Oversee the school’s HR information system, currently SIMS and EPM including managing user access, providing training and generating reports

• Support the HR Director where required on implementing organisational change, such as restructuring, redundancy and TUPE

• Daily line management of two HR Administrators, including making recommendations for their professional development and ensuring HR Administration compliance

• Prepare HR Metrics and reports as required

Recruitment and Induction

• Manage the recruitment process from advertisement of vacancies through to exit

• Develop job descriptions, person specifications, job advertisements and candidate information packs, liaising with the HR Director and hiring managers where appropriate

• Working with HR Administrators to ensure SCR and Safer Recruitment procedures are followed to ensure compliance for HR Director sign off

• Preparing material for interviews, including collating interview questions and developing tasks

• Undertake and monitor risk assessments as appropriate

• Manage the new staff induction process and develop frameworks to enhance experience

• Manage the probationary review process by supporting line managers with monitoring new staff members performance.

• Monitor Staff Training records and provide line managers with information where there are gaps in Smartlog training

Safeguarding and SCR Management 

• Ensure that the SCR for each school is comprehensive and complete and that all changes on the register are properly managed and controlled

• In conjunction with the HR Director, ensure compliance with safeguarding policies, the safer recruitment policy and Ofsted inspection through a robust SCR review system

• Monitor and review the Trust’s DBS checking process, ensuring compliance with requirements and efficiency is achieved

• Oversee the HR records in accordance with the Trust’s record retention schedule and data protection law, ensuring information security and confidentiality at all times

HR Advisory, Performance Management and Employee Relations

• Manage employee relations queries via an HR helpdesk, by providing HR advice on matters such as performance, grievances, disciplinaries and absence management and escalate to HR Director where appropriate

• Have a clear understanding of the Trust HR policies and procedures to provide advice

• In conjunction with the HR Director, work with EPM and line managers to resolve employee relation matters

• Collate ER data to report to the HR Director for training and reporting purposes

• Oversee the annual performance management reporting system for staff to ensure reviews are undertaken and recorded in a timely and effective manner.

• Update staffing information as necessary to support with the Trust’s payroll operations

Payroll

• Input monthly payroll changes into the EPM system such as timesheets and/or HR contractual changes as appropriate

• Be a point of contact for any pay related queries

• Support the HR Director during the annual review cycle by producing and distributing pay letters

• Work with the finance team where appropriate on payroll matters

Staff Engagement and Wellbeing

• Work with the HR Director on Wellbeing strategies and proposals for improvements recommended from the annual Wellbeing survey

• Act as the point of contact for staff enquiries about the Employee Assistance Programme

Other 

• Work within Trust policies and procedures, including participating in performance management and professional  development as required 

• Contributing to the development of systems and procedures, sharing best practice with colleagues and proactively seeking  opportunities for improvement 

• Support and provide cover within the HR team as required 

• Promote the ethos of the Trust

• To maintain confidentiality and ensure that duties are undertaken with due regard to and compliance with the Data Protection and Equality Act at all times 

• To carry out duties and responsibilities in accordance with the school and Academy Trust’s Health and Safety Policy and relevant Health and Safety legislation 

• To demonstrate consistently high standards of personal and professional conduct; showing tolerance and respect of the rights of others whether other staff, students or parents

• To observe proper professional boundaries and having regard to the safeguarding and wellbeing of students 

• The post holder is responsible for ensuring all child protection and safeguarding policies are adhered to and that any concerns or incidents are raised in accordance with these policies

The HR manager will be required to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people, and follow school policies and the staff code of conduct.

Please note that this list of duties is illustrative of the general nature and level of responsibility of the role. It is not a comprehensive list of all tasks that the HR Manager will carry out. The postholder may be required to perform other duties appropriate to the level of the role, as directed by the HR Director.

We recognise the value of a diverse and inclusive workplace and are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and job applicants.  We aim to ensure that our staffing at all levels and in all roles is diverse and we welcome applications from all backgrounds and all sections of the community.

The Marlow Education Trust is fully committed to the DfE guidance on Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education and all candidates for the post will therefore be subject to vetting procedures following Buckinghamshire Council’s guidance and the Trust’s Safer Recruitment Policy. All shortlisted candidates will be subject to an online search as part of the safer recruitment process.

Closing date for application is Wednesday 19th February 2025 

Interviews will take place at Great Marlow School on Friday 28th February 2025

Early applications are welcomed and we reserve the right to interview and appoint prior to the stated closing date