HR Advisor in Milton Keynes

Location: Milton Keynes / Bromsgrove

Salary: Up to £32,500 per annum dependent upon experience

Benefits:

• 30 days’ annual leave increasing to 35 days with length of service plus Bank Holidays
• Company pension scheme
• Life insurance x2
• Free on-site parking

Due to continued growth across our education provision, Polaris is recruiting an experienced and proactive HR Advisor to support our schools and education settings. This is a key role within a growing HR function, providing day-to-day HR and employee relations support to school leaders and managers, ensuring consistent, pragmatic and compliant HR advice aligned with education sector expectations. Based in one of our hubs in Milton Keynes or Bromsgrove with hybrid working, the role will involve regular engagement with schools and occasional UK-wide travel, including overnight stays where required. This is an excellent opportunity for an HR professional who enjoys working closely with school leaders, understands the pace and complexity of education environments and wants to develop their career within a purpose‑led organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide first‑line HR and employee relations support to headteachers, school leadership teams and managers across Polaris schools and the wider community.
• Take the lead on employee relations cases, including investigations, disciplinaries, grievances and capability processes in consultation with the HR Business Partner.
• Advise and support managers on absence management, performance concerns and employee wellbeing matters.
• Manage employee lifecycle activities, including maternity and family leave, flexible working requests, occupational health referrals and reasonable adjustments.
• Support organisational change within schools, including restructures, TUPE‑related activity and consultation processes.
• Assist with HR compliance and due diligence, ensuring personnel files and documentation meet safeguarding and regulatory standards.
• Support the review and implementation of HR policies and procedures, ensuring they are appropriate for school environments.
• Manage HR projects within the schools’ remit and contribute to continuous improvement across the HR service.
• Build strong, trusted relationships with school leaders, acting as a professional and approachable HR partner.
• Ensure confidentiality, accuracy and professionalism at all times.

About You

You will be an organised and confident HR professional who can balance compliance with a practical, people‑centred approach.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Proven HR and employee relations experience.
• Strong communication skills with the confidence to advise and influence school leaders.
• Ability to manage a high volume and varied caseload.
• Excellent attention to detail and strong organisational skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage competing priorities.
• Confident using the Microsoft Office suite.
• Full driving licence and access to a vehicle.

Desirable (but not essential)

• Experience supporting schools or education settings.
• Experience in a multi‑site or regional HR role.
• CIPD Level 5 qualification (or working towards).
• Experience supporting complex or sensitive employee relations cases.

About Polaris

We are Polaris, one of the UK’s largest leading communities of children’s service providers. Within our community, we have independent fostering and adoption agencies who have been passionately improving the lives of young people for over 30 years, as well as leaving care services, children’s residential homes, schools and education provisions and bespoke children’s services contracts. Our nurturing community works collectively to support the very best outcomes for each and every child in our care. We’re ambitious for our children and young people, families and staff, and believe in their futures.