Key Role Information

Salary
£40,777.00 - 42,839.00
Job type
Full Time
Contract type
Permanent
Closing
30/09/2026 09:00
Interview
w/c 05/10/2026
Contract term
AYR - All year round
Pay grade
NJC Band 8 Points 30-32
Department
Human Resources
Key stage
Not Applicable
Hours per week
36.25
Weeks per year
52.143
Visa sponsorship
No

Your Role

About The Dean Trust:

The Dean Trust is a high-performing Multi-Academy Trust committed to providing transforming educational opportunities for all pupils and students across our schools. We operate with a strong value system built on traditional standards of discipline, respect, continuous improvement, and an unwavering commitment to safeguarding and child welfare.


We are an educational charity established in April 2012, that currently comprises of 11 academies, 6 secondary, 4 primaries and 1 through school, operating in 3 hubs covering Trafford, Manchester, Knowsley and Wigan local authorities.


The Role:

We are seeking two proactive and dynamic Human Resources Business Partners—one on a permanent contract and one to cover a period of maternity leave.


Reporting to the Senior HR Business Partner, you will provide professional, hands-on HR business partnering support to Headteachers and senior leaders across all Trust academies. In this pivotal role, you will act as a trusted advisor, supporting complex employee relations, driving organisational change, and contributing directly to the successful delivery of the Trust’s People Strategy.


This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced HR professional who thrives in a fast-paced, values-driven environment and is passionate about promoting a positive and consistent experience for all employees across the Trust.


Key Responsibilities:

  1. Strategic Partnering: Partner with Headteachers and senior leaders to identify HR challenges and co-create forward-looking solutions aligned with the Trust's People Strategy.
  2. Employee Relations & Casework: Provide expert advice and guidance on a range of complex casework, ensuring consistency, fairness, and compliance with employment law across all Trust schools.
  3. Organisational Change: Support restructures, redeployments, TUPE processes, and the onboarding of new schools into the Trust.
  4. Policy & Best Practice: Contribute to the review and development of HR policies, ensuring alignment with Keep Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) and DfE guidelines.
  5. Stakeholder Engagement: Build strong, collaborative working relationships with school leaders, trade unions, external partners, and central support teams.


About You:

We are looking for an ambitious HR professional who embodies our Trust values and possesses:

  1. CIPD Level 5 (or equivalent HR qualification)
  2. Proven experience advising on complex casework and contributing to HR projects. (Experience within an educational setting or working with trade unions is desirable).
  3. Up-to-date knowledge of employment law and HR best practice. (Knowledge of safeguarding standards (KCSIE) is desirable).
  4. Strong stakeholder management, high-level IT literacy, analytical ability, and excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  5. A full driving licence with access to a car for travel across Trust sites. Regular travel between all current and future Trust sites is a key fragment of the role.


We are an Equal Opportunities employer committed to ensuring inclusion, diversity and equality of opportunity. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates including those from underrepresented groups, and/or with protected characteristics.



Benefits

Health Care Cash Plan
The Trust will fund membership for all employees to receive money back on healthcare services.
Preferential Admission
Employees with two years at the Trust will benefit from preferential admissions arrangements for their children.
Continuous Service
Recognition of local government continuous service.
Employee Assistance Programme
Free and confidential counselling service available 24/7.
Cycle to Work Scheme
Salary‑sacrifice benefit that enables employees to purchase a bike and cycling equipment tax‑free
Annual Leave
Generous annual leave entitlement for non-teaching employees.

Qualifications

CIPD or other appropriate HR qualification or relevant experienceessential
Level 5

Skills

Experience

Knowledge of relevant HR policies & employment law regulationsessential
Proven experience of working in a HR roleessential

Personal Attributes

Committedessential
Integrityessential
Unwavering commitment to improving the life-chances of young peopleessential
Self-disciplined and able to reflect and learn in order develop wisdom and understandingessential
Willingness and ability to work co-operatively as part of a team and self-motivate when working independently essential

About Us

The Dean Trust Central

Katie Hurst

katiehurst@thedeantrust.co.uk

Cecil Avenue
Sale
Cheshire
M33 5BP

Safeguarding Information

The Dean Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All post holders are subject to pre-employment safeguarding checks, including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Check.


This post involves working with children, young people, vulnerable adults or is a position of trust. The amendments to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020) provides that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain convictions and cautions are ‘protected’ and are not subject to disclosure to employers, and cannot be taken into account. Guidance and criteria on the filtering of these cautions and convictions can be found at the Disclosure and Barring Service website (www.gov.uk/dbs). Any failure to disclose the appropriate information could result in dismissal or disciplinary action by the organisation. Please note that a criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to obtaining a position.