Deputy Head of HR

Salary: Grade MGI

London: £54,471 - £61,547 per annum

Leicester and Bishop’s Stortford: £50,067 - £57,145 per annum

Please note: The position can be based at any of our locations in London, Bishop’s Stortford or Leicester

About us and the role

We are seeking an experienced and influential HR professional to join our team as Deputy Head of HR. This is a significant leadership opportunity within a values-led organisation dedicated to delivering exceptional educational outcomes and inspiring young people to flourish.

Avanti Schools Trust is a growing MAT, providing pupils across its schools with an outstanding education grounded in the inclusive and distinctive Avanti ethos of educational excellence, character development, and spiritual insight.

Working closely with the Head of HR, you will play a key role in shaping and delivering a strategic people agenda that supports organisational growth, strengthens workforce capability and promotes a positive and inclusive employee experience across the Trust.

As a senior member of the HR leadership team, you will provide expert guidance on complex employee relations matters, organisational change, talent management and workforce planning, while ensuring the highest standards of safeguarding, compliance and people practice.

You will lead and develop HR services, support senior leaders in achieving their objectives and help foster a culture where colleagues feel valued, supported and empowered to perform at their best. This role offers the opportunity to influence organisational culture, drive continuous improvement and contribute to an organisation where people are central to long-term success.

We are looking for a collaborative and forward-thinking HR leader who combines strong technical expertise with the ability to build trusted relationships, inspire confidence and deliver meaningful change.

Interviews will held on Wednesday 8th July at Avanti House Secondary School

School visits are welcomed and encouraged. Please contact the school to arrange a suitable time.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a fast-growing Multi Academy Trust with schools based in London, the midlands and the South West of England. All Avanti schools provide pupils with an outstanding education rooted in the inclusive and distinctive Avanti Schools ethos of educational excellence, character development, and spiritual insight.

What will you do?

• Lead the delivery of a high-quality HR service across the organisation, deputising for the Head of HR and providing expert advice on complex employee relations, workforce strategy and organisational change.
• Take strategic responsibility for safer recruitment, safeguarding-related HR practices and statutory compliance, ensuring robust processes, governance and risk management across schools and partner  organisations.
• Drive talent attraction, recruitment, onboarding, succession planning and retention initiatives, helping to position the organisation as an employer of choice within the education sector.
• Lead, develop and support the HR team while continuously improving policies, systems and people practices to deliver consistent, efficient and compliant services.
• Partner with senior leaders to foster a positive, inclusive and high-performing culture, supporting wellbeing, employee engagement, workforce development and organisational growth.

Why should you apply 

Avanti exists to help each person become a well-rounded human being through intellectual, moral and spiritual growth, and so make the world a better place.

You will be working in a fantastic environment, with:

• Great opportunities for professional development
• NEST pension scheme (subject to eligibility)
• O2 discounts, Specsavers corporate eye test vouchers
• Flexible working opportunities
• Eligible for NUS Card and CSSC membership
• Well-being programs (retreats, yoga, wellness apps)
• Cycle-to-work Scheme

What are we looking for?

• Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
• Confidently use specialist ICT packages including full working knowledge of Microsoft Office, Teams, SharePoint and Outlook
• Working with internal and external stakeholders to achieve positive outcomes
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to work in a fast-paced environment, prioritise and efficiently manage a high-volume workload
• Proven ability to develop effective professional working relationships with stakeholders at all levels
• Commitment to the safeguarding and welfare of all students

Please view the full Job Description for more information on the responsibilities and essential criteria required for this role.

Further information

Pre-employment checks

Avanti Schools Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All successful candidates are required to have an Enhanced DBS check unless internally appointed and still within the cycle of DBS re-checks.

Any appointment subsequently made will be subject to the receipt of satisfactory references and other pre-employment checks.

Diversity and Inclusion

We want to make sure we are attracting the widest possible range of people and ensure that they are accepted, understood and treated equally when they work here. This means we will work hard to understand that each employee is unique and ensuring that individuals or groups are not treated differently or less favourably on the basis of specific characteristics. 

Such characteristics include (but are not limited to) age, disability, gender including transgender, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, and how the school supports pregnant women and new parents.