13 days remaining to apply

  • Start date details

    ASAP

  • Closing date

    5 November 2026 at 11:59pm

  • Date listed

    13 October 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

£41,259.00 - £44,109.00 Annually (FTE)

Junior People Business Partner job summary

Junior People Business Partner

Discovery Schools Trust 

Salary: Grade 11, Pay Point Range 27-30, £41,259 - £44,109

Hours:  37 hours per week, 52 weeks per year 

Contract Type: Permanent

Help our leaders create a great place to work.

Are you an experienced HR professional ready to take the next step in your career?

We are looking for a proactive and people-focused Junior People Business Partner to join our People Team and support schools and central teams across Discovery Trust.

This is an exciting opportunity to develop your business partnering experience within a supportive, values-led organisation. You will build trusted relationships with leaders, provide practical and confident people advice, and help shape local people plans that support recruitment, retention, staff development and organisational change.

About the Role

Working closely with our Senior People Business Partner and wider People Team, you will provide a proactive and effective partnering service to school and central leaders.

You will support leaders to develop and deliver people plans for their settings, around workforce planning, recruitment, retention, colleague development and change management. You will also help ensure our People Strategy is brought to life consistently across the Trust.

Your responsibilities will include:

  • Building strong and credible relationships with school and central leaders.

  • Supporting the development of local people plans aligned with school improvement priorities.

  • Advising on workforce planning, recruitment, retention, staff development and change.

  • Helping leaders deliver consistent recruitment, selection and induction experiences.

  • Coaching and developing managers to build confidence in leading their teams.

  • Using people data and colleague survey feedback to identify trends, risks and opportunities.

  • Supporting organisational change and design activity.

  • Assisting with more complex employee relations matters when required.

  • Delivering training sessions and workshops for managers and leaders.

  • Contributing to Trust-wide projects linked to the People Strategy.

You will also have the opportunity to take responsibility for an area of the wider people agenda, such as wellbeing, reward and benefits, or diversity and inclusion.

What You'll Be Doing

  • Support leaders to deliver consistent, high-quality recruitment, selection and induction experiences.

  • Coach and constructively challenge managers, helping them build confidence in leading and managing their people.

  • Use workforce and colleague survey data to identify trends, highlight potential risks and support local action planning.

  • Contribute to organisational change and design work, helping settings prepare for and manage change effectively.

  • Work alongside the People Advisor to support more complex employee relations matters, including investigations, disciplinary, capability and sickness absence processes.

  • Help deliver training sessions and workshops for managers and leaders.

  • Contribute to Trust-wide projects that support the delivery of our People Strategy.

  • Take responsibility for a specific area of the people agenda, such as wellbeing, reward and benefits, or diversity and inclusion.

We're Looking for Someone Who:

  • A CIPD qualification, or be working towards a minimum of Level 5, or an equivalent qualification.

  • Up-to-date knowledge of employment law and equality legislation.

  • Experience working at Junior Business Partner, Senior HR Advisor or HR Officer level.

  • Experience coaching and developing managers.

  • The ability to build credible, collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

  • Strong problem-solving, critical-thinking and analytical skills, with the ability to consider wider implications and strategic priorities.

  • Excellent organisation and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

  • A flexible, adaptable and positive approach to changing priorities and workloads.

  • Confidence in presenting and delivering training on a range of people-related topics.

  • A commitment to continuous learning and your own professional development.

  • The ability to travel between Trust sites and other locations when required.

Why Join Discovery Trust?

At Discovery Trust, our values of Belonging, Ambition and Equity sit at the heart of everything we do. We believe that when colleagues feel valued, supported and empowered, they can make the greatest impact on the lives of our children and young people.

If you're looking for an opportunity to make your mark in a new role, contribute to a high performing People Team and deliver a service that genuinely supports our schools, we'd love to hear from you.

Join us and help ensure every colleague receives the outstanding support they deserve.

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

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 Discovery Schools Academies Trust Ltd

Type
Multi-academy trust

Discovery Schools Academy Trust is a multi academy trust of 13 primary schools and 2 special school dedicated to improving learning and teaching by creating a culture that promotes excellence.
The needs of all children are placed at the heart of all decision making regardless of the school they attend. Teaching and learning excellence is shared through learning networks, sharing of ideas and materials as well as leading practitioners between schools. Discovery has developed a school improvement system which focuses on improving outcomes for all children. It also places staff development, talent management and succession planning at the heart of achieving outstanding organisations.

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