Key Role Information

Salary
£Scale PO4
Job type
Full Time
Contract type
Permanent
Closing
05/11/2026 09:00
Contract term
AYR - All year round
Pay grade
Support Staff | SCP36 - SCP39
Department
Human Resources
Key stage
Not Applicable
Hours per week
35.00
Weeks per year
52.143
Visa sponsorship
No

Your Role

At University Schools Trust, we know that great schools are built by great people.

We're looking for an experienced HR Business Partner to join our People Directorate and play a key role in supporting our schools, leaders and colleagues to deliver outstanding education for children and young people across East London.

This is not a traditional HR role focused solely on policy advice or administration.

As the HR professional for a portfolio of schools, you will work closely with Headteachers, Principals and senior leaders, providing strategic challenge, expert advice and hands-on support across the full range of people matters. From leading complex employee relations cases and organisational change programmes to supporting workforce planning and leadership development, you'll be a trusted adviser who helps leaders navigate challenges and make informed decisions.

If you're looking for a role where you can influence organisational culture, support leaders through difficult conversations, and help shape the future of schools, we'd love to hear from you.

As HR Business Partner, you will be responsible for delivering both strategic and operational HR support across your allocated schools.

You'll work autonomously, managing a varied and often complex workload, while collaborating closely with colleagues across the wider People Team.

No two days are the same.

One day you may be coaching a Headteacher through a sensitive employee relations matter; the next you could be supporting a school restructure, analysing workforce trends, delivering management training or advising on succession planning and organisational development.

This role requires excellent professional judgement, resilience, credibility and the ability to build trusted relationships at all levels.

What We're Looking For

We're seeking an experienced HR professional who understands both the strategic and operational aspects of people management.

You'll likely have experience as:

  1. HR Business Partner
  2. Senior HR Advisor
  3. HR Manager
  4. Employee Relations Specialist
  5. Senior People Partner

Ideally within education, public sector, not-for-profit or similarly complex environments, although we welcome applicants from other sectors who can demonstrate transferable experience.

This role is rewarding, challenging and occasionally demanding.

You'll need to be comfortable having difficult conversations, making balanced professional judgements and supporting leaders through complex workforce issues.

In return, you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference, influence organisational culture and help create environments where both staff and pupils can thrive.



About Us

In accordance with our Company Policies and KCSIE guidelines set out by the Department for Education, a background check will be carried out on your online digital presence. For this we use a third-party professional screening partner, SP Index (www.sp-index.com), experienced in processing personal data for the purpose of such checks.


Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK at the time of application

 

University Schools Trust Central Services

UST HR Team

usthrhelpdesk@ust.london

UST House
Limehouse Causeway
Limehouse
London
E14 8AQ

Safeguarding Information

All posts involving direct contact with children and vulnerable adults are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975 (2013) provide that certain spent convictions and cautions are 'protected'. These are not subject to disclosure to employers and cannot be taken into account. Guidance on the filtering of these cautions and convictions can be found on the Disclosure and Barring Service website.

In line with Safer Recruitment guidelines and legal obligations to ensure that safeguarding is a paramount consideration in recruitment processes, employers are required to carry out an enhanced DBS check for this role. To supplement this, we ask you to confirm whether or not you have ever been convicted of a criminal offence which is not 'protected'. If you answer 'yes', you will be asked to supply details of all relevant convictions at a later stage, should your application be progressed.

Information given in response to this question will not be used during the shortlisting process. The data will only be referred to if your application is progressed, informing the pre-employment checking process.

The University Schools Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Successful candidates will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS Check.

https://www.ust.london/policies/child-protection-safeguarding

https://www.ust.london/policies/code-of-conduct

In accordance with our Company Policies and KCSIE guidelines set out by the Department for Education, a background check will be carried out on your online digital presence. For this we use a third-party professional screening partner, SP Index (www.sp-index.com), experienced in processing personal data for the purpose of such checks.