14 days remaining to apply

  • Start date details

    ASAP

  • Closing date

    30 September 2026 at 12am (midnight)

  • Date listed

    16 September 2026

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

NJC SCP 39-43 £50,269 - £54,495

HR Business Partner job summary

HR Business Partner (South Cumbria with wider Trust responsibilities)

Hybrid (1 day/week in South Cumbria, 1 day/week at One Angel Square, Manchester, plus flexible/remote working)


About the Role

Are you a high-performing HR strategist with a proven track record of driving complex organisational transformation?


Co-op Academies Trust is embarking on a significant phase of regional expansion, introducing a new South Cumbria hub comprising six academies. We are seeking a resilient, authoritative Strategic HR Business Partner to lead this critical growth, execute seamless TUPE transitions, and build long-term regional capacity.


This is a high-impact role designed for a forward-thinking HR leader who thrives on executive partnering, structural design, and change management. Moving beyond day-to-day generalist administration, you will focus on high-level strategic alignment, workforce planning, and complex ER escalation, serving as the Trust's authoritative expert on UK employment law.


Key Responsibilities

  • Strategic Partnering & HR Model Alignment: Partner directly with Regional Directors, Headteachers, and Central SLT to embed a modern HR operating model aligning multi-academy people strategies with Trust-wide vision and educational performance targets.
  • Organisational Design & Change Management: Design, deliver, and evaluate multi-school restructuring programmes and organisational redesigns aligned with capacity and Trust culture.
  • TUPE Leadership & Expansion: Lead end-to-end TUPE consultations and integration processes for academy joiners, mitigating risk while driving cultural integration.
  • Strategic Workforce Planning: Collaborate with Executive Directors on 3-year strategic workforce plans, succession planning frameworks, and targeted recruitment/retention strategies using HR data analytics.
  • Complex ER, Legal & Safeguarding Advice: Provide authoritative advice on UK employment legislation, School Teachers' Pay and Conditions (STPCD), and NJC terms while managing complex ER caseloads and formal trade union negotiations.
  • Leadership Coaching & CPD: Provide executive coaching and capability development for academy leadership teams across performance management and continuous professional development.
  • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Wellbeing: Champion inclusive workplace practices, equal opportunities, and proactive staff wellbeing aligned with co-operative values.
  • Project Leadership: Lead Trust-wide strategic HR projects and mentor HR Advisors and Admin Partners to build regional capacity.

  • What We Are Looking For

  • CIPD Chartered status or equivalent experience.
  • Substantial experience as a Strategic HR Business Partner or HR Manager delivering large-scale change initiatives and restructures.
  • Proven track record of leading complex end-to-end TUPE transfers.
  • Deep expert knowledge and practical application of UK employment law and union negotiations.
  • Multi-site or Education / Multi-Academy Trust experience in geographically dispersed settings (desirable).
  • Strategic workforce planning and organisational development experience (desirable).
  • Executive stakeholder management, strong influence/negotiation skills, analytical capability to translate metrics into strategic decisions, and resilience tailored to regional contexts.
  • Demonstrated commitment to co-operative values, diversity, equity, inclusion, and child safeguarding.

  • Safeguarding & Equal Opportunities

    Co-op Academies Trust is committed to safeguarding and protecting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults as its number one priority. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check.


    We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and encourage applications regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and marriage or civil partnership status.


    Notice to Recruitment Agencies: We kindly request that recruitment agencies do not send unsolicited CVs or speculative applications, as we prioritise direct recruitment for our roles. Any unsolicited profiles submitted will be treated as direct applications to Co-op Academies Trust, and agency terms or fees will not apply. We appreciate your cooperation.

    Further information about the job

    The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.
    Visas cannot be sponsored.
    If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

    Commitment to safeguarding

    Co-op Academies Trust as an aware employer is committed to safeguarding and protecting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults as its number one priority. This commitment to robust recruitment, selection and induction procedures extends to organisations and services linked to the Trust on its behalf. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check. We value variety and individual differences, and aim to create a culture, environment and practices at all levels which encompass acceptance, respect and inclusion. All our colleagues are expected to demonstrate a commitment to co-operative values and principles.

    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 The Co Operative Academies Trust

    Type
    Multi-academy trust

    Why us?
    Co-op Academies Trust is a place where you are part of something bigger, through a leading education and opportunities to serve our community, we are working together to make a better world.

    From ages 3-19 Co-op Academies Trust supports students in Primary, Secondary and Special schools across the North of England, giving children the skills and experiences they need to succeed, no matter where they come from.

    What makes our Trust unique is that we are sponsored by the Co-op Group. That close relationship means that we benefit from all the business expertise that has seen the Co-op grow to one of the most respected, successful businesses in the country.

    Everyone in the Trust honours our fundamental commitment to the Ways of Being Co-op. They are our DNA; they represent our culture and reflect the rationale behind our decision-making. No matter what we do, they are how we do it.

    Our ways of being are:

    Be Yourself, Always
    Show You Care
    Do What Matters Most
    Succeed Together
    In 2025, we have 38 academies as part of the Co-op family, across 4 regions.

    Our Values
    Being part of the Co-operative Group, we are both guided and driven by the Co-op values which are embedded in everything that we do within our Academy - We strive to demonstrate the following ethical values in everything we do - they are our ‘Ways of Being’:

    Succeed together

    Do what matters most

    Be yourself, always

    Show you care

    So, if you believe in our values, we would love to hear from you!

    We offer a wide range of benefits and rewards to recognise the part you play in our success:
    Benefits include:

    You’ll get being a Co-op member, you’ll get a Co-op colleague discount card. This gives you a 10% discount in our Co-op Food stores.
    Co-operative flexible benefits (discounted line rental and broadband package, family care advice and cycle to work scheme)
    Discounted gym membership and leisure activities which includes discounts on Merlin Entertainments (Sea Life, Legoland etc), Virgin Experience Days, SuperBreak and many more
    Co-operative Credit Union: save directly from your salary and receive a competitive dividend. Borrowers can benefit from very competitive interest rates & terms (in comparison with other high street lenders)
    Co-op Funeralcare benefit
    Season ticket and rental deposit loans
    And More!

    For more information about the Co-op Academies Trust, please visit: www.coopacademies.co.uk

    The Trust is also committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage or civil partnerships.

    Head office location

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