HR Officer | Ambitious & Inclusive Secondary Academy |...

CORE PURPOSE

We are seeking a meticulous, proactive HR Officer to oversee daily human resources operations, compliance, and staff recruitment across our school. Working closely with the senior leadership team and central trust HR, the successful candidate will manage employee relations, administer onboarding routines, maintain the Single Central Record (SCR), and ensure seamless HR compliance across the workforce.

THE SCHOOL

Set across a modern, vibrant campus featuring high-tech administrative hubs, specialized vocational suites, and open learning zones, this energetic secondary academy caters to a diverse cohort of over 1,000 pupils. The school combines strong academic ambition with an exceptionally supportive, values-driven culture where non-teaching staff are integrated into wider school leadership strategies. The HR office operates as a fast-paced, highly organized operational hub, utilizing cloud-based HR systems and management databases to support recruitment, staff retention, and statutory safeguarding requirements seamlessly.

KEY TASKS & DAILY OPERATIONS

• Safeguarding & Single Central Record (SCR): Maintain and audit the school's Single Central Record, conducting pre-employment checks, DBS verification, prohibition checks, and reference validations in strict accordance with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidelines.

• Recruitment & Onboarding: Coordinate end-to-end recruitment processes, from drafting job advertisements and managing candidate pipelines to arranging interview panels and issuing conditional offer letters.

• Employee Relations & Advisory: Serve as the first point of contact for staff inquiries regarding HR policies, leave requests, maternity/paternity rights, and sickness absence monitoring.

• Payroll & Records Administration: Prepare accurate monthly payroll variations, process contract amendments, and maintain confidential employee records using modern HR management software.

• Policy Compliance & Wellbeing: Support the implementation of trust-wide HR policies, coordinate occupational health referrals, and champion staff wellbeing initiatives across the school site.

PROFILE REQUIREMENTS

• Qualifications: Associate CIPD (Level 3 or Level 5) qualification or equivalent professional experience in human resources management.

• Experience: Proven experience in an HR generalist, HR administrator, or HR officer role—ideally within an educational setting, academy trust, or public sector organization.

• Skills: Expert knowledge of safer recruitment practices, high attention to detail, proficiency with HR information systems (HRIS), and outstanding interpersonal discretion.

REGIONAL CONTEXT

• Local Area & Community: Based in the historically rich West Midlands borough of Walsall, the school serves an ambitious, welcoming, and culturally diverse local community. Known for its industrial heritage in leatherworking and manufacturing, Walsall offers a strong network of local families, modern town centre developments, and sprawling green spaces such as Walsall Arboretum and Reedswood Park.

• Transport & Commuting: Walsall benefits from exceptional regional transport connections, situated directly along the West Midlands motorway network with rapid access via the M6 (Junctions 9 and 10), M5, and M54 corridors. Transit connectivity is extensive, featuring comprehensive local bus services and direct West Midlands Railway links from Walsall Station, offering fast, frequent routes into Birmingham New Street, Wolverhampton, and the wider Black Country.

APPLICATION INTAKE

Please submit your current CV to begin the application process.