Head of People Services

Head of People Services

Based in Cuckfield, West Sussex

SLT Scale L £45091 - £47181 (based on 37 hours) subject to experience

34 - 37 hours per week

(with some flexibility to work more hours in term time and less during school holidays if required)

Are you ready to make Monday mornings something to look forward to?

At Sussex Learning Trust, we’re growing—and so is our commitment to our people. We’re looking for a dynamic HR Leader to step into this brand-new role and help shape the future of our People Services.

As a key partner to our Chief People Officer, you’ll be the bridge between big-picture strategy and high-impact operational delivery. If you are a "people person" who loves the "people process", we want to hear from you.

The Role

You’ll take the helm of our daily HR operations and payroll, leading a growing team in a fast-paced, evolving environment. We need a leader who is change-savvy - someone who can guide individuals through transition with empathy and clarity.

Your primary mission:

• Deliver Excellence: Lead a credible, customer-focussed HR service that supports our academies and staff with sensitivity and expertise.
• Coach & Mentor: Be the go-to expert for complex casework, coaching your team to provide top-tier advice across the Trust.
• Operational Precision: Ensure our payroll is accurate, timely, and seamless.
• Strategic Partnership: Collaborate with the CPO and academy leaders to drive initiatives and programmes that genuinely improve the working lives of our staff and the outcomes for our pupils.

About You

You’re a natural leader who is just as comfortable "getting stuck into the details" as you are advising senior leadership. You possess:

• Resilience & Rapport: The ability to build instant credibility and navigate organisational change with a positive, "can-do" attitude.
• Expertise: A proven track record of coaching managers and solving complex people puzzles.
• Balance: A team-player mindset with the autonomy to own your workspace.
• Flexibility: An outcome-focussed approach that values results over rigid processes.

Why Sussex Learning Trust?

In return for your hard work and commitment to our communities, we offer:

• A High-Impact Culture: A forward-thinking, supportive environment where you have the space to shine.
• Flexibility: We recognise your life outside of work and offer some flexibility in how you achieve success.
• Purpose: The chance to directly influence the educational experience and future of children across our region.

(Note: This role involves some travel to our academies.)

Ready to make a difference?

If this feels like your next chapter, our Chief People Officer julie.keylock@sussexlearningtrust.co.uk would love to hear from you.

PLEASE NOTE WE DO NOT ACCEPT APPLICATIONS MADE BY CV

Closing Date: 9.00am 25th May

Interview Date: TBC 1st week of June.



We advise applying promptly for this post as we reserve the right to close and interview early if sufficient suitable applications have been received.