Head of People - Operations
Excalibur Academies Trust, Marlborough, SN8 4AX10 days remaining to apply
Job start date
1 February 2026
Closing date
14 December 2025 at 11:59pm
Date listed
4 December 2025
Job details
Job role
- Administration, HR, data and finance
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Full time
Contract type
- Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary
- £40,777.00 - £45,091.00 Annually (FTE) NJC Point 30 - 34
Head of People - Operations job summary
Head of People - Operations
Salary: NJC Point 30-34 (£40,777 - £45,091 FTE)
Contract: Permanent
Location: Hybrid working / flexible
Hours: Full-time (37 hrs/week, 52 weeks)
Excalibur Academies Trust is seeking a dynamic and experienced Head of People - Operations to lead the delivery of HR services across our 20 academies. This is a pivotal role, reporting to the Chief of People, ensuring our people infrastructure supports high-quality education by driving efficiency, compliance, and innovation in HR operations.
About the Role
You will oversee HR systems, payroll, workforce planning, and compliance, ensuring seamless processes from recruitment through to exit. With a strong focus on digital transformation, you’ll champion the adoption of technology to enhance service delivery and employee experience.
Key Responsibilities
Lead HR operations and systems, ensuring compliance with statutory and DfE requirements.
Drive workforce planning and recruitment processes across multiple academies.
Oversee payroll, pensions, and benefits administration with accuracy and efficiency.
Ensure compliance with Single Central Record (SCR) and HR data management.
Working alongside the Head of People Engagement, implement HR policies and maintain audit readiness.
Champion process improvement and digital transformation in HR operations.
Provide high-quality HR service delivery and support to academy leaders and staff.
Line manage the People Operations Team, fostering collaboration and professional growth.
Candidate Profile
We’re looking for someone with:
CIPD Level 5 qualification (essential); MCIPD preferred.
Extensive HR operations experience, ideally within education or a MAT environment.
Strong knowledge of DfE regulations, payroll systems, and HR compliance frameworks.
Proven ability to manage HR systems, workforce analytics, and process optimisation.
Experience leading digital transformation in HR operations.
Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.
Commitment to safeguarding, equality, and continuous improvement.
Why Join Us?
At Excalibur Academies Trust, we are committed to creating a supportive, inclusive, and forward-thinking environment. You’ll play a key role in shaping our HR operations, ensuring staff feel valued and supported while contributing to the success of our academies.
Safeguarding & Compliance
Excalibur Academies Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to satisfactory references, an enhanced DBS check, medical clearance, and verification of qualifications and right to work in the UK.
How to Apply
If you’re ready to make a real impact in HR operations and join a Trust that values innovation, compliance, and staff wellbeing, we’d love to hear from you. Please submit your application form and supporting statement via our recruitment portal by the closing date.
Further information about the job
Commitment to safeguarding
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.
Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.
Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children
You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
Applying for the job
This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
View advert on external website (opens in new tab)About Excalibur Academies Trust
- Type
- Multi-academy trust
Founded in 2012, Excalibur Academies Trust has grown from two schools in Marlborough, Wiltshire, to 15 schools reaching from Bristol to Reading along the M4 corridor, providing high quality education to over 6000 children from age 2 to age 18. Our vision is to provide an all-through education in local hubs, with a focus on the best teaching, a broad and exciting curriculum and an outward-facing global perspective. We believe in investing in our staff to ensure we attract and retain talented, dedicated people who are committed to changing children’s lives for the better. With a strong track record of raising the achievement of disadvantaged pupils across the trust, it is our mission to promote social mobility and personal fulfilment through the transformative power of education. Our growth strategy is based on our hub model and building the capacity to provide strong support and opportunities to other schools who share our vision.
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