Senior HR Business Partner

Salary: £60,000 + wellbeing cash plan + pension scheme (LGPS) + additional Lift Schools benefits

Hours: 37 (full-time)

Contract: Fixed-term maternity cover for up to 12 months

Start date: As soon as possible

Hybrid working: typically three days on site, two days remote

Base location: Lift New Rickstones, Witham, Essex with regular travel across Essex schools

A role where your impact is felt every day

At Lift Schools, we believe every child deserves an excellent education. Behind every great school is a strong, supported team and that's where you come in.

We are looking for a senior HR business partner to to provide maternity cover and lead people strategy across our East region. This is a high-impact role supporting 12 schools in Essex, working directly with principals and regional leaders to build positive, inclusive cultures where colleagues thrive and pupils succeed.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced HR professional, interim HR consultant, or senior HR generalist looking for a meaningful, values-driven role within a growing national trust.

What you'll be doing

Lead HR across the region

* provide strategic and operational HR leadership across 12 schools * lead, coach and develop a team of HR advisors and coordinators * work closely with the lead HR business partner and head of HR services to deliver a consistent, high-quality service

Be the expert on complex people matters

* manage high-level employee relations cases, including disciplinary, grievance, absence and capability * lead on safeguarding and child protection-related investigations * offer clear, confident and balanced advice in sensitive situations

Partner with leaders to drive improvement

* support organisational change, restructures and workforce planning * contribute to Ofsted readiness and follow-up activity * build trusted relationships with school and regional leaders * bring practical, solutions-focused thinking to complex challenges

About you

You bring credibility, sound judgement and a calm, confident approach.

You might come from education, local government or another large, complex organisation. What matters most is your ability to lead, influence and deliver.

You will:

* have strong experience in HR, including complex employee relations * be confident handling safeguarding-related cases * have experience working across multiple sites or services * build trust quickly with senior leaders * support and develop others within a team * stay organised and focused in a fast-paced environment

We also welcome applicants with transferable experience from large organisations or consultancy backgrounds who are ready to bring their expertise into education.

Join us and help shape what's possible

This is more than a maternity cover. It's an opportunity to step into a senior role, lead with purpose and make a lasting impact across a region.

Early applications are encouraged. We review applications as they come in.

Who is Lift