About this role
People Partner - South Yorkshire (Full Time, Permanent)
Location: Astrea Academy Trust (with regular travel across South Yorkshire academies) Salary: £43,261 Hours: 8:30am - 4:30pm, Monday to Friday Contract: Permanent, Full Time (52 weeks per year) Annual Leave: 29 days plus bank holidays Closing Date: 31st July
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced and proactive People Partner to join our Central Team, supporting academies across South Yorkshire.
This is a strategic and varied role, where you will act as a trusted advisor to leaders, providing expert guidance across the full employee lifecycle, from recruitment and onboarding through to employee relations, development, and workforce planning. You’ll play a key role in delivering our People Strategy, driving cultural change, and ensuring our academies are supported with a high-quality, consistent people service.
You will work closely with leadership teams to “connect the dots” across HR, recruitment, and learning & development, ensuring people initiatives align with school improvement plans and wider Trust priorities.
This is an on-site role, ideal for someone who enjoys working closely with their team and being at the heart of day-to-day operations. Regular travel to academies is an essential part of this role, enabling you to build strong relationships and deliver impactful, on-the-ground support.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic People Partnering
Partner with academy leadership teams to develop and deliver people strategies aligned to improvement plansBuild strong, trusted relationships as an extension of the leadership teamLead on workforce planning, succession planning, and talent developmentEmployee Relations & Advisory
Manage complex employee relations cases, providing expert guidance and risk mitigationSupport leaders with performance, absence, disciplinary, and grievance mattersEnsure compliance with employment legislation and Trust policiesChange & Organisational Development
Lead on change management activity including restructures and TUPE processesSupport leaders to develop business cases and staffing models aligned to financial and curriculum needsDrive cultural change and continuous improvement initiativesRecruitment & Workforce Planning
Work in partnership with Recruitment to identify current and future staffing needsSupport onboarding and induction to enhance employee experienceContribute to attraction strategies and promote academies as great places to workData, Insight & Continuous Improvement
Analyse people data and dashboards to inform decision-making and identify riskContribute to policy development, process improvement, and HR best practiceDeliver training, coaching, and practical toolkits for leadersStakeholder & Industrial Relations
Build strong relationships with trade unions and support consultation processesProvide regular updates and insights to Principals and Business ManagersAbout You
We are looking for someone who is passionate about people and thrives in a fast-paced, values-driven environment.
You will have:
Strong experience in a generalist HR/People advisory or partnering roleA solid understanding of employment law and HR best practiceExperience managing complex employee relations cases end-to-endExcellent communication, influencing, and relationship-building skillsThe ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality outcomesA driving licence and willingness to travel regularly across academies Experience within the education sector and/or a CIPD Level 5 qualification (or equivalent) would be advantageous.
Why Join Astrea?
Astrea Academy Trust is a family of academies committed to providing an exceptional education that inspires every child to reach their full potential. With a strong focus on collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement, we create environments where both scholars and staff thrive.
Our values underpin everything we do and we are looking for a People Partner who shares this commitment and can help shape positive, inclusive workplaces across our academies.
Interested in Applying?
If you are passionate about making a difference through people, we would love to hear from you.
Please review the candidate pack for further details or contact our Recruitment Team at [email protected].
Commitment to Safeguarding and EDI
Astrea Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All posts are subject to enhanced DBS checks and satisfactory references.
We value diversity and are proud to be a Disability Confident employer. We welcome applications from underrepresented groups and will provide reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.
Flexible Interviews
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early and to interview shortlisted candidates during the application window. Early application is encouraged.
Ready to Make a Difference?
Join us and play a key role in shaping a positive, high-performing workforce across our South Yorkshire academies.