Overview
In a nutshell: This adventure is about leading people who support people. As an HR Business Partner, you’ll play a pivotal role in enabling high‑performing teams across JAG UK by delivering expert, pragmatic and values‑led people support, while also leading a core HR operations team.
Company Description
This adventure is about leading people who support people. As an HR Business Partner, you’ll play a pivotal role in enabling high‑performing teams across JAG UK by delivering expert, pragmatic and values‑led people support, while also leading a core HR operations team. You’ll partner closely with Heads of Education & Wellbeing and General Managers, acting as a trusted advisor across the full employee lifecycle. Alongside hands‑on HR and ER delivery, you’ll lead and develop a team of People professionals, ensuring HR operations, payroll and onboarding are delivered with consistency, care and pace. Balancing empathy with accountability, you’ll create clarity in complex situations, strengthen leadership capability and ensure our people processes are compliant, efficient and aligned to our values. This is a role for someone who enjoys leading others, improving ways of working and making a tangible difference to the experience of our teams and the children we support.
Job Description
People Leadership
* Provide day‑to‑day leadership to the People Advisor, Senior People Administrator, HR & Recruitment Administrator, Onboarding Administrator and Payroll Administrator.
* Set clear priorities, objectives and expectations for the team, ensuring workloads are managed effectively and service levels are consistently high.
* Coach, develop and support team members through regular 1:1s, performance reviews and development planning.
* Create a collaborative, supportive and accountable team culture aligned to JAG values.
* Identify opportunities to improve capability, resilience and succession within the People team.
HR & Employee Relations
* Lead and manage employee relations cases end‑to‑end, ensuring outcomes are fair, timely and legally compliant.
* Provide expert advice and coaching to HEWs and GMs on performance, absence, disciplinary and grievance matters.
* Support managers to handle people issues confidently and consistently in line with JAG policies and values.
* Maintain high standards of documentation, reporting and case management, identifying themes and trends.
HR Operations & Payroll
* Oversee day‑to‑day HR operations, ensuring people processes are efficient, accurate and consistently applied.
* Provide leadership and oversight of payroll activity, ensuring accurate data submission, timely processing and issue resolution.
* Work with your team to improve systems, workflows and reporting to enhance efficiency and data quality.
* Ensure compliance with employment legislation, internal policies and audit requirements.
Safer Recruitment & Onboarding
* Lead and assure safer recruitment practices across the business, ensuring safeguarding and compliance standards are met.
* Oversee recruitment and onboarding activity, ensuring a smooth, timely and positive experience for candidates and new starters.
* Ensure all pre‑employment checks, vetting and right‑to‑work requirements are completed accurately and on time.
* Champion a consistent, welcoming and high‑quality onboarding experience across JAG UK.
Business Partnering
* Act as a trusted HR partner to Head of Education & Wellbeing and General Managers, supporting delivery of people priorities.
* Use people data and insight to inform workforce planning, engagement and retention strategies.
* Support organisational change, growth and restructure activity with clear, compassionate and compliant HR guidance.
* Build strong, credible relationships across the business, providing both support and appropriate challenge.
People & Culture
* Champion JAG’s values, behaviours and people‑first culture in everything you do.
* Support initiatives that enhance engagement, well‑being and retention.
* Contribute to the ongoing development and continuous improvement of HR policies, tools and training.
* Role‑model professionalism, integrity and care in all interactions.
Requirements
* You love people – it’s wired into your DNA.
* You’ve led a high‑performing team and love to develop from within.
* Whilst not a deal breaker, you’ve got your CIPD Level 5 (or equivalent experience).
* You’re commercially minded – you understand the financials and how our people contribute to this.
* You think outside of the box and are always looking for better ways to do things.
* You’re as cool as a cucumber in a high‑pressure, fast‑paced environment.
* You’re a big‑kid at heart.
* You have aligned experience. You love to create meaningful moments for people.
* You are driven, perceptive, ask questions and strive to understand.
* You enjoy solving problems and don’t get flustered easily. You’re comfortable managing your time and can be counted on to skilfully handle feedback and complaints.
* You are people‑focused, warm, honest and genuine.
* You get a kick out of creating unexpected experiences which make people go wow.
* You’re cool under pressure, self‑assured and listen intently.
* You speak eloquently and can explain just about anything to anyone at all levels. You’re authentic in expressing yourself and people trust you.
* You have a can‑do approach, think on your feet and juggling multiple priorities comes naturally to you.
Success Metrics
* Be considerate – show care for others and the world around us.
* Be passionate – love what we do and inspire others.
* Be courageous – we are role‑models with great responsibility.
* Make a difference – create brighter futures for all.
Missions Achieved
* Employee Relations Effectiveness
* Manager Capability & Confidence
* People Operations & Payroll Accuracy
* Safer Recruitment & Onboarding Compliance
* Team Performance & Development
* Process Improvement & Efficiency
* Engagement & Retention Outcomes
What We Offer
* The chance to build brighter futures for children.
* Access to 24/7 Employee Assist Programs through Health Assured.
* Discounted wrap‑around school care and holiday club (if you have little ones).
* A little bit of security for your future with a workplace pension scheme.
* A place where you can let your personality shine.
* Rewards for recommending family and friends to join the family.
* Paid training and regular personal and professional development.
* Fun – it’s what big kids do. We like to be 100% human rather than corporate.
Additional Information: Please note this role is remote‑based; we are looking for someone who lives within a 1‑hour commute of Wokingham, where our head office is based. The contract for this position is for a fixed period of 14 months.
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