Job details

HR Advisor (12 month FTC)

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Location: Leeds (Hybrid)

Salary: £32,000 - £35,000

About us

At Arbor, we’re on a mission to transform the way schools work for the better.

We believe in a future of work in schools where being challenged doesn’t mean being burnt out and overworked. Where data guides progress without overwhelming staff. And where everyone working in a school is reminded why they got into education every day.

Our MIS and school management tools are already making a difference in over 7,000 schools and trusts. Giving time and power back to staff, turning data into clear, actionable insights, and supporting happier working days.

At the heart of our brand is a recognition that the challenges schools face today aren’t just about efficiency, outputs and productivity - but about creating happier working lives for the people who drive education everyday: the staff. We want to make schools more joyful places to work, as well as learn.

About the role

The People Team at Arbor sit at the heart of the business and are passionate about creating an environment and culture for people to do their best work. In line with our values we believe in creating space for people to “own it with openness” and drive a culture where “everyday is a school day”.

We are looking for a collaborative and engaging HR Advisor to join our People team and help us create a world class experience for our UK team at all stages of their employee journey. The remit and focus of the role is to work closely with, and support, our People Business Partners to deliver on our people strategy as well contributing to some of our larger strategic projects that enable us to continue our growth. It’s a broad and exciting role, so we’re looking for someone up for a challenge - if you’re a communicative and passionate person, this is the role for you.

Core responsibilities

Employee Relations: Support with investigations, disciplinaries, performance management and sickness cases, escalating to the People Business Partners as appropriate.
Policies: You’ll be the first port of call for any questions on policies – helping our people find the information they need and flagging any updates we might need to make
Flexible Working: Managing requests and helping both employees and managers work through options
Data & Reporting: Owning our monthly people data packs, including metrics like eNPS, headcount, and turnover – and turning them into insights we can act on
Benefits Administration: From enrolments to queries, you’ll keep our benefits ticking over smoothly and make sure our offering stays fresh and competitive
Payroll: Working closely with our payroll provider to prepare monthly payroll changes and ensure a smooth run every time
Documentation: Reviewing and refreshing our suite of templates – offer letters, contracts, processes – to keep things consistent and on-brand
Employee Changes: Collaborate with the HR Administration Manager to ensure seamless processing of employee lifecycle changes and maintain accurate, up-to-date HR data

About you

We're seeking someone with a solid foundation in HR who’s confident managing the day-to-day while also comfortable getting into the detail of broader HR projects. You may already be in an HR Advisor role and looking to gain wider generalist exposure. A CIPD qualification at Level 3 or 5 (or equivalent experience) is preferred.. Beyond that, we’d love to see:

Prior experience in a generalist HR role – with good exposure to ER, policies, and payroll. You’ll need to have good knowledge of UK employment law
Experience following processes and taking ownership of these including creating new ones should the need arise
Great attention to detail, especially when it comes to documentation and data
A proactive, people-first mindset. We want someone who spots what needs doing and jumps in
Confidence using HRIS systems and Excel/Google Sheets for reporting
Clear communication skills, whether you’re writing a policy update, interpreting HR data, or chatting through a flexible working request
A caring but professional demeanour with the ability to earn people’s trust and handle sensitive situations
The ability to thrive in a fast paced environment
Strong organisation and prioritisation skills. You’ll be working on a lot of different things at any one time and it’s important you know what to prioritise and when

What we offer

The chance to work alongside a team of hard-working, passionate people in a role where you’ll see the impact of your work everyday. We also offer:

A dedicated wellbeing team who champion initiatives such as mindfulness, lunch n learns, manager training, mental health first aid training and much more!
32 days holiday (plus Bank Holidays). This is made up of 25 days annual leave plus 7 extra company wide days given over Easter, Summer & Christmas
Life Assurance paid out at 3x annual salary
Comprehensive wellness benefit provided by AIG Smart Health, which provides a 24/7 virtual GP service, Mental health support, Counselling, and personalised Health Checks
Private Dental Insurance with Bupa
Salary sacrifice Pension provided by Scottish Widows
Enhanced maternity and adoption leave (20 weeks full pay) and paternity (6 weeks full pay) pay
5 free return to work maternity coaching sessions, helping you adapt to this new exciting time of life!
Access to services such as Calm and Bippit (financial wellbeing coaching)
All of our roles champion flexible working and we are happy to discuss what this means to you
Social committees that plan team, office and company wide events to bring people together and celebrate success
Dedicated professional development training budget (CPD courses, upskilling resources, professional memberships etc)
Volunteer with a charity of your choice for a day each year
Dog friendly offices!

Interview process

Phone screen
1st stage
2nd stage

We are committed to a fair and comfortable recruitment process, so if you require any reasonable adjustments during your application or interview process, please reach out to a member of the team at careers@arbor-education.com.

Our commitment is also backed by our partnership with Neurodiversity Consultancy, Lexxic who provide us with training, support and advice.

Arbor Education is an equal opportunities organisation

Our goal is for Arbor to be a workplace which represents, celebrates and supports people from all backgrounds, and which gives them the tools they need to thrive - whatever their ambitions may be so we support and promote diversity and equality, and actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds.

Refer a friend

Know someone else who would be good for this role? You can refer a friend, family member or colleague, if they are offered a role with Arbor, we will say thank you with a voucher valued up to £200! Simply email: careers@arbor-education.com

Please note: We are unable to provide visa sponsorship at this time.

Average salary estimate

$33500 / YEARLY (est.)

min

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$32000K

$35000K

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What You Should Know About HR Advisor (12 month FTC), Arbor Education

Are you ready to take the next step in your HR career? Join Arbor as an HR Advisor in this engaging 12-month fixed-term contract role. Based in Leeds with a hybrid working option, you'll be part of our mission to transform the educational landscape and empower the people who contribute to it. Here at Arbor, we strive to create a supportive and vibrant work environment, so you’ll have the chance to connect with passionate individuals dedicated to creating joyful workplaces in education. In this role, you'll support our People Business Partners and be involved in diverse projects, including employee relations, managing flexible working requests, and handling payroll processes. As an HR Advisor, you’ll lend your expertise to ensure our policies shine and provide insights through meticulous data reporting. You'll be the go-to person for employees navigating HR policies and making administrative tasks seamless. If you're a proactive individual with a solid foundation in HR looking to bring your collaborative spirit to a company that values its people, this could be the perfect fit for you. We can't wait to welcome someone who is excited about making a meaningful impact in the education sector while enjoying a range of employee benefits and an environment that promotes professional growth and personal well-being.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for HR Advisor (12 month FTC) Role at Arbor Education

What are the main responsibilities of the HR Advisor at Arbor?

As the HR Advisor at Arbor, your primary responsibilities include supporting employee relations, managing flexible work requests, and assisting with payroll processes. You'll work closely with People Business Partners and be instrumental in driving our people strategy while contributing to special projects that enhance the employee journey.