Assistant Director of HR and People in Bury St Edmunds

• Assistant Director of HR and People (The Sycamore Church of England Trust Wide Services)
• Working Patterns: Full-Time
• Expected Working Start Date: 1st September 2026, or soon thereafter
• Is a Shared Job: No

About us

It is a great privilege for me to lead The Sycamore Church of England Trust.

Our aim is to be 'the trust of choice' for both faith based and community schools who share in our vision and values.

We have at the centre of our mission and purpose the belief that every child has a right to educational excellence through the provision of high-quality schooling.

Our trust maintains a clear focus on collaboration, raising standards, encouraging innovation, and strengthening our distinctive ethos to ensure that we have a positive impact on the young people and in the diverse communities that we serve.

Our trust has a strong and unique identity where the values of inclusion, compassion, aspiration, resilience and excellence lie at the heart of everything we do.

These values are embraced by our team of trustees, leaders, teachers, staff, parents, and children alike.

We place great importance on what we do and how we do it.

Our values underpin our interactions with each other and strengthen our sense of family.

Children are placed at the heart of everything we do.

Our central team is committed to serving schools in a manner that enables them to be great schools, doing great things that enable every child to both flourish and succeed.

If you would like any further information on our Trust, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Thank you for taking the time to look at this role within our trust, Ian Young – Trust Leader.

Job Description

The Assistant Director of HR & People is the Trust's senior in-house HR professional, responsible for shaping the Trust's people strategy and providing expert advice, professional judgement and leadership across all workforce matters.

The role provides strategic direction, professional oversight and assurance to ensure HR practice is consistent, compliant and aligned with the Trust's values and priorities.

The postholder will lead and develop the Trust’s central HR function, working collaboratively with the wider central services team, school leaders, school-based colleagues and other specialist leads, including governance, risk, compliance and finance.

Whilst retaining professional accountability for HR practice, the role will draw upon internal capacity, delegated responsibilities and external specialist advice where appropriate to deliver an effective, sustainable and well-supported HR service across the Trust.

This is a strategic leadership role focused on organisational development, workforce planning, change management and the continuous improvement of HR services across the Trust.

• People Strategy, Policy and Culture
• Work with the COO and Executive Team to develop and deliver the Trust's People Strategy.
• Develop the Trust's employee offer, including wellbeing, engagement, retention and staff experience.
• Lead the development and review of HR policies and frameworks, ensuring alignment with Trust values, priorities and legal requirements.
• Use workforce data and insight to inform strategic planning, policy development and continuous improvement.
• HR Leadership and Professional Advice
• Provide senior professional advice on complex workforce matters, employee relations issues and workforce risk.
• Ensure HR practice across the Trust is consistent, proportionate and legally compliant.
• Build leadership capability through coaching, guidance and support.
• Provide assurance to the COO on the quality and effectiveness of HR delivery.
• Employee Relations and Workforce Change
• Oversee and quality‑assure complex employee relations casework.
• Provide professional challenge and judgement to leaders on workforce matters.
• Lead or support organisational change, restructures, consultation processes, TUPE transfers and workforce integration activity.
• Manage relationships with external HR and legal advisers, ensuring advice is used effectively and strategically.
• Compliance, Risk and Assurance
• Maintain oversight of HR‑related compliance, including employment law, safer recruitment and statutory requirements, working with the Governance and Risk Lead, compliance colleagues and school‑based teams where responsibilities overlap.
• Ensure effective processes for maintaining, monitoring and auditing the Single Central Record.
• Identify, manage and escale workforce‑related risks.
• Provide assurance that HR systems, processes and records are robust, compliant and well‑evidenced.
• Workforce Planning, Pay and Performance
• Support workforce planning, organisational design and staffing structures across the Trust.
• Oversee pay, performance, progression and terms and conditions frameworks.
• Provide guidance on the application and interpretation of employment terms, pay arrangements and workforce policies.
• Lead or support engagement and consultation with recognised trade unions.
• Systems, Improvement and Leadership
• Oversee the effective use of HR systems, reporting and workforce data.
• Drive continuous improvement in HR processes, systems and ways of working.
• Promote a positive, values‑led and supportive culture across the Trust.
• Contribute to Trust‑wide strategic planning and organisational development as part of the wider leadership team.
• Support the development of the HR function, ensuring responsibilities are appropriately delivered through central services, school leaders and external partners.

We are proud to offer a supportive, values‑driven working environment where staff are genuinely valued and developed.

As a Church of England Multi Academy Trust, our work is rooted in strong values, with a commitment to serving our communities, supporting one another, and enabling both pupils and staff to flourish.

We promote a culture of collaboration, trust, and shared responsibility across all our schools and central services.

A Supportive and Inclusive Culture

We believe that people do their best work when they feel supported.

We work closely across our schools and central team to share expertise, provide practical support, and reduce unnecessary workload wherever possible.

Staff wellbeing is a key priority, and we are committed to creating an environment where colleagues feel listened to and respected.

Wellbeing and Staff Support

All staff have access to a comprehensive and confidential wellbeing package through Education Mutual, alongside occupational health support, and additional wellbeing resources.

We actively promote a healthy work–life balance and take a proactive approach to supporting staff through periods of change or challenge.

Professional Development and Career Progression

We are committed to developing our people.

Staff have access to high‑quality CPD through The National College, offering a wide range of professional and personal development resources.

We also provide Trust‑wide development opportunities and encourage collaboration across schools to support career progression and leadership development.

Consistent and Fair Employment Offer

As a Trust, all staff are employed under a consistent framework, ensuring fairness and transparency.

Our policies and pay structures are aligned with recognised local authority models (including Bury Council), providing a reliable and well‑understood employment offer.

• Generous Terms and Conditions
• Access to Local Government or Teachers’ Pension Schemes
• Generous annual leave for support staff
• Occupational sick pay and family‑friendly policies
• Clear and fair pay progression arrangements
• Part of Something Bigger

Working within a Multi‑Academy Trust provides opportunities to collaborate beyond a single school, share best practice, and contribute to wider improvement across multiple settings while retaining a strong sense of community within each school.

• Desired Criteria
• Chartered Member of CIPD (or working towards)
• Experience of using HR systems and workforce data to inform decision making
• Experience of working across multiple schools or sites
• Relevant HR qualification (e. g. CIPD Level 5 or above)
• Evidence of relevant and recent professional development
• Significant senior HR experience within education, public sector or similarly complex organisations
• Strong understanding of employment law and HR best practice
• Knowledge of HR compliance requirements, including safer recruitment and safeguarding
• Experience of workforce planning, organisational change or TUPE
• Understanding of HR risk management and assurance
• Experience of working with trade unions and consultation processes
• Experience of managing complex employee relations casework
• Ability to operate with a high degree of professional autonomy and sound judgement
• Experience of leading and developing staff
• Highly effective communication skills, with the confidence to advise and appropriately challenge senior leaders
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast‑paced, growing organisation
• Collaborative, resilient and professional approach
• Values‑driven, aligned with the ethos of a Church of England MAT
• Willingness to work flexibly within the scope of the role
• Willingness to work flexibly across Trust schools and central services, using technology and in‑person engagement to build effective relationships and support service delivery
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