Meridian Trust
Head of HR Business Partnering
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Vacancy for Head of HR Business Partnering at Meridian Trust
Salary: Meridian Trust Directorate 2 - £60,619
Contract type: 37 hours, 52 weeks
Location: You will be based across the Bedfordshire schools with regular travel to Sawtry Head Office and occasional travel to other Meridian Trust schools.
Are you an experienced HR leader who can combine strategic thinking with practical, people-centred delivery? We are looking for a confident, credible and solutions-focused Head of HR Business Partnering to lead our HR Business Partnering service across Meridian Trust.
This is a key senior role within our Core Trust HR team. You will provide strategic oversight and professional leadership to our HR employee relations team and school HR colleagues, ensuring leaders across the Trust receive high-quality, pragmatic and legally sound HR advice. You will play a central role in supporting effective employee relations, workforce planning, organisational change and the delivery of our People Strategy.
Working closely with the Director of HR, senior leaders and school leadership teams, you will help shape a consistent, responsive and data-informed HR service across a complex and distributed organisation. You will be a trusted adviser to leaders, supporting them to make confident decisions, manage risk effectively and create positive, inclusive and high-performing workplaces.
You will also provide management advice and support to our schools across Bedfordshire, while also overseeing the HR Hub team responsible for this area.
The key responsibilities
As Head of HR Business Partnering, you will:
- Lead and develop the HR Business Partnering team, ensuring a consistent, professional and high-quality service across the Trust.
- Provide expert advice on complex and sensitive employee relations matters, including disciplinary, grievance, absence, dismissal, appeal and tribunal-risk cases.
- Support senior leaders with organisational change, workforce planning, TUPE activity, settlement agreements and employment law compliance.
- Build strong, trusted relationships with school and Trust leaders, trade unions, employment lawyers and external providers.
- Use HR data, KPIs and workforce metrics to identify priorities, improve service delivery and support effective decision making.
- Contribute to the development and implementation of the Trust’s People Strategy and wider HR strategic plan.
- Coach and support HR colleagues and leaders, helping to build confidence, capability and consistency in people management practice.
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The ideal candidate
We are looking for a senior HR professional with significant experience of leading or managing HR business partnering in a complex organisation. You will bring strong employment law knowledge, sound judgement and the ability to advise confidently on complex and sensitive people issues.
You will be comfortable working with senior leaders, balancing strategic priorities with operational demands, and translating policy and legislation into practical, fair and proportionate solutions. You will also be collaborative, calm under pressure and committed to continuous improvement.
You will ideally have:
- CIPD Level 7 or equivalent senior HR experience.
- Significant experience of HR business partnering in a complex organisation.
- Strong knowledge of employment legislation, ACAS guidance and employee relations case management.
- Experience of organisational change, settlement agreements and working with employment lawyers.
- The ability to lead, coach and develop HR professionals.
- Strong analytical skills and experience of using HR data and metrics to improve service delivery.
- Excellent communication, influencing and relationship-building skills.
- Knowledge of the education sector, safer recruitment, KCSIE, STPCD, Burgundy Book and Green Book would be an advantage.
About Meridian Trust
Meridian Trust is a values-led organisation formed in 2011 that has risen to be one of the highest-performing academy trusts in the country. The Trust is founded on its commitment to a high-quality educational provision for all at the heart of local communities. Meridian currently operates primary, secondary and special schools across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire.
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Meridian Trust offers a wealth of fantastic benefits for teaching and support staff which are highlighted below but are not limited to:
- Apprenticeship and CPD opportunities which allow you to gain specialist knowledge in a role you are passionate about developing in
- Opportunity to jump start your career in teaching through our dedicated Initial Teacher Training Team (ITT)
- Support for mental health and wellbeing through our Employee Assistance Programme and other resources
- Cycle to work scheme
- Defined benefit local government or Teacher’s pension scheme
- Healthcare benefits including free eye test vouchers and flu vaccinations
- Free on-site parking
- Discounts on a wide range of benefits from everyday essentials to holidays
To explore our full range of benefits, please visit https://www.meridiantrust.co.uk/jobs-and-training/benefits/. For more information about the role please download the Applicant Information Pack below.
Meridian Trust reserves the right to close the applications early in the event that a suitable candidate is sourced. The Trust is committed to diversity and inclusion and equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships. The 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 appointments will be subject to pre-employment checks, including an enhanced check with the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS), as well as online searches.
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