Chief People Officer

Compass Eko Trust is one of the UK's top ten primary multi-academy trusts, with 28 schools across London, Essex and Suffolk committed to securing strong outcomes for every child and young person through high-quality teaching and a knowledge-rich curriculum. We employ around 1,700 colleagues. Formed in April 2026 through the merger of The Compass Partnership of Schools and Eko Trust, we are building one ambitious organisation where every child and young person flourishes, every colleague thrives and everyone belongs. Great schools are built by great people, and this role sits at the heart of that belief.

The Chief People Officer is a core executive role with Trust-wide accountability for people, culture and workforce strategy. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer and working closely with the Co-CEOs, Board and executive colleagues, you will lead the design and delivery of the Trust's People and workforce approach across all schools and central services. You will lead our work on recruitment, retention, reward, culture, employee relations, trade union engagement, workforce assurance and wellbeing - setting clear standards for school-based HR practice, building capability, and supporting senior leaders to take ownership of people delivery locally.

A central part of the role will be helping the Trust move from legal merger to full organisational integration, bringing clarity to frameworks, ways of working and decision-making, and ensuring that People practice is evidence-informed and legally compliant.

About you: You will be an experienced senior People leader with expert knowledge of employment law, workforce risk, organisational change and People strategy in a complex organisation. Leading through others at scale will come naturally to you: setting clear frameworks, building leadership capability, and diagnosing whether the root cause of an issue is structural, cultural, procedural or capability-related - then translating that into clear advice and action. You will be comfortable operating in a regulated environment where decisions carry legal, financial, reputational and cultural weight. Experience in education, the wider public sector or another large, multi-site organisation would be a significant advantage. CIPD Level 7 or equivalent senior professional experience is expected.

You will share and model our Trust values: integrity, inclusion, kindness and excellence - exercising sound judgement, building People systems that are fair and transparent, and treating people with empathy, particularly when decisions are difficult. You will be a trusted adviser to the Co-CEOs and trustees, a credible partner to headteachers and an effective leader of the People function. You will be prepared to surface difficult issues, offer constructive challenge and take clear ownership within your remit, while building relationships based on trust, honesty and service to schools.

What we offer: A genuine executive leadership role with significant scope to shape the Trust's People function during a critical period of integration and growth. A values-led Trust with a clear commitment to belonging, equity and ensuring everyone thrives. Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme. Access to an Employee Assistance Programme. Flexible and hybrid working, with regular travel across our schools and regions.

Closing date: 5pm on 14 September 2026. Interview dates: 21 and 23 September 2026.

Equal opportunities: We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and actively seek to recruit colleagues who reflect the schools and communities we serve. We warmly welcome applications from all backgrounds.

Safeguarding: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment will be subject to full safeguarding checks and an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.