People Management magazine
Director of HR
Get notified of more jobs like this · No spam, ever
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Manchester | Permanent | Hybrid | £115,000 - £125,000
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.
Leading strategic people partnering
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.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Alongside Strategic People Partnering, You'll Lead
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Employee Relations
- People Advice
- People Services
- Pay, Reward & Benefits
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.
Shaping an inclusive future
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.
You’ll Thrive In This Role If You Have
- 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
What's in it for you?
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 five paid volunteering days each year
- Ongoing professional development opportunities
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Most importantly, you'll have the opportunity to influence the future direction of a purpose-led organisation whose work impacts millions of learners and educators.
What's Next?
To apply, please upload your most recent CV.
As part of the application process, you'll also be asked to complete a short role-related application question, alongside AQA's standard Diversity & Inclusion question for senior-level appointments.
Applications close at 23:59 on Sunday 27 September 2026.
Initial Teams interviews are expected to take place during mid to late October, with final face-to-face interviews in Manchester in early November. We anticipate making a successful appointment by mid to late November.
We're committed to providing a positive candidate experience and all applicants will receive a written outcome following their application.
Our commitment to inclusion
At AQA, we're committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels they belong and can do their best work. We value the different perspectives, experiences and backgrounds our people bring, knowing they strengthen our culture, decision-making and impact. We foster an inclusive environment where everyone is treated with respect, has access to opportunities to grow and contribute, and feels able to be themselves. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and lived experiences.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London