HR Business Partner

Click Here to Apply

This post is permanent, full time (though part-time hours would be considered), term-time only plus up to 10 additional days.

We are seeking to appoint a HR Business Partner with the credibility to deliver an exceptional, proactive, generalist HR service to our schools and services. This role is key to effectively supporting our leaders and colleagues across six primary schools, two secondary schools and our wider trust services and trading activities.

In this role, you will be a trusted partner to our senior leaders, and integral to our dedicated HR team, providing expert advice across a wide range of HR matters, ensuring best practice and compliance with employment legislation and Trust policies. Through effective business partnering, you will support our senior leaders to manage people and provide coaching to actively build management capacity and confidence across our school communities. You will be a strategic partner, providing valued expertise and insight across our Trust, contributing to employer initiatives and updates to our policies, to help us build on our aspirations as an employer.

Key duties include:

• Support senior leaders across a range of human resource functions including recruitment, retention, reward, employee engagement, workforce planning, and workplace learning.
• Provide expert HR advice and guidance on individual casework (including disciplinary, capability, grievances, and sickness absence) and collective processes (including restructuring and redundancy).
• Assist in the training and mentoring of line managers to enable them to make “right first time” employment decisions consistent with the trust’s vision and values.
• Contribute to the development of trust-wide HR policies and projects.

We are looking for a HR professional who can demonstrate their:

• Proven track record delivering an efficient and effective generalist HR service, guiding managers and working with recognised trade unions.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to influence, negotiate, collaborate and challenge at all levels.
• The ability to plan effectively to manage your own caseload and thrive amid competing deadlines whilst being committed to the team ethos.
• CIPD accredited qualification at degree level or equivalent.
• Ideally, experience of working with schools or in a multi academy trust.

At the heart of our Trust is a mission to nurture, educate, achieve, and transform the lives of all young people within our North East communities. By joining us, you will become part of an exciting, innovative organisation aligned by this shared purpose. We are a welcoming, friendly, and committed team of colleagues. This opportunity includes competitive, annually reviewed pay, a generous Local Government Pension Scheme, and genuine opportunities for professional growth.

Interested in applying?
If you would like to join the team, then please read the accompanying Person Specification and Job Description and complete an application form by clicking ‘apply now’ no later than midnight on Sunday 5th July 2026. Our selection process is anticipated to take place on either Friday 10th July or Monday 13th July 2026.

We would also be happy to chat with you about the role; please do get in touch with Keeley Finlay, Head of HR, on  0191 8204468.

Safer Recruitment Note: NEAT is committed to safer recruitment practice and promoting the welfare of children and expects staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This position is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and a satisfactory Enhanced DBS from the Disclosure and Barring Service is required as part of pre-employment checks. For shortlisted candidates, we will conduct an online search as part of our screening.