HR Business Partner

About the role

Are you a high-performing HR strategist with a proven track record of driving complex organisational transformation? Co-op Academies Trust is embarking on a significant phase of regional expansion, introducing a new South Cumbria hub comprising six academies. We are seeking a resilient, authoritative Strategic HR Business Partner to lead this critical growth, execute seamless TUPE transitions, and build long-term regional capacity. This is a high-impact role designed for a forward-thinking HR leader who thrives on executive partnering, structural design, and change management. Moving beyond day-to-day generalist administration, you will focus on high-level strategic alignment, workforce planning, and complex ER escalation, serving as the Trust's authoritative expert on UK employment law. The role is hybrid: 1 day/week in South Cumbria, 1 day/week at One Angel Square, Manchester, plus flexible/remote working.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Partnering & HR Model Alignment: Partner directly with Regional Directors, Headteachers, and Central SLT to embed a modern HR operating model aligning multi-academy people strategies with Trust-wide vision and educational performance targets.
• Organisational Design & Change Management: Design, deliver, and evaluate multi-school restructuring programmes and organisational redesigns aligned with capacity and Trust culture.
• TUPE Leadership & Expansion: Lead end-to-end TUPE consultations and integration processes for academy joiners, mitigating risk while driving cultural integration.
• Strategic Workforce Planning: Collaborate with Executive Directors on 3-year strategic workforce plans, succession planning frameworks, and targeted recruitment/retention strategies using HR data analytics.
• Complex ER, Legal & Safeguarding Advice: Provide authoritative advice on UK employment legislation, School Teachers' Pay and Conditions (STPCD), and NJC terms while managing complex ER caseloads and formal trade union negotiations.
• Leadership Coaching & CPD: Provide executive coaching and capability development for academy leadership teams across performance management and continuous professional development.
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Wellbeing: Champion inclusive workplace practices, equal opportunities, and proactive staff wellbeing aligned with co-operative values.
• Project Leadership: Lead Trust-wide strategic HR projects and mentor HR Advisors and Admin Partners to build regional capacity.

Requirements

• CIPD Chartered status or equivalent experience.
• Substantial experience as a Strategic HR Business Partner or HR Manager delivering large-scale change initiatives and restructures.
• Proven track record of leading complex end-to-end TUPE transfers.
• Deep expert knowledge and practical application of UK employment law and union negotiations.
• Multi-site or Education / Multi-Academy Trust experience in geographically dispersed settings (desirable).
• Strategic workforce planning and organisational development experience (desirable).
• Executive stakeholder management, strong influence/negotiation skills, analytical capability to translate metrics into strategic decisions, and resilience tailored to regional contexts.
• Demonstrated commitment to co-operative values, diversity, equity, inclusion, and child safeguarding.

Pay

Salary: JC SCP 39-43 £50,269 - £54,495. Pay grade: NJC Payscale | NJC39 - NJC43.

Schedule

Job type: Full Time. Contract type: Permanent. Hours per week: 37.00. Weeks per year: 52.143. Contract term: AYR - All year round. Closing date: 30/09/2026 00:00. Interview: TBC. Visa sponsorship: No.