Senior HR Advisor

Highgate School; Greater London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An independent school in Greater London is seeking a dynamic Senior HR Advisor to lead HR across multiple sites. You will manage the full employee lifecycle, including HR administration, compliance, and strategic improvements. This hands-on role requires excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to handle complex HR challenges while supporting well-being and contributing to a positive organizational culture. The position offers opportunities for professional growth in a fast-paced environment.

Benefits

AVIVA pension scheme with 26% employer contribution

Complimentary lunch

Access to sports facilities

Help with sustainable travel

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience working in an HR role.
• Experience with HR/MIS Systems.
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law.

Responsibilities

• Act as point of contact for HR queries.
• Manage absence and leave processes.
• Handle employee relations support.

Skills

Strong verbal reasoning

Critical thinking

Excellent organisational skills

Interpersonal skills

Confident engaging with staff

Education

HR qualification

Strong academics

Tools

HRIS

Common office software

Job description

Job Type: Permanent, Full Time, Monday to Friday (8am-5pm)

We are seeking a dynamic and detail‑oriented Senior HR Advisor to lead HR for several client groups within our large, multi‑site independent school. This is a truly hands‑on role where you’ll take ownership of the full employee lifecycle, from day‑to‑day HR administration and compliance to employee relations and strategic improvement projects. If you thrive on variety and want to make a tangible impact while advancing your HR career, this opportunity is for you.

As the first point of contact for staff queries, you’ll manage everything from contracts and absence to policy updates and HR systems, while playing a key role in shaping the future of our HR function. Expect a mix of administrative work and more complex HR challenges, including supporting managers with employee relations cases and contributing to reward benchmarking, along with the chance to influence culture, compliance and staff experience.

As our HR function evolves, you’ll have the opportunity to grow into a more senior role with broader strategic responsibilities, making this an excellent career‑building position for an ambitious HR professional. This is a fast‑paced and varied role that will suit someone highly organised, resilient and confident managing competing priorities. You will make a meaningful contribution to staff experience, wellbeing and organisational culture while developing your HR expertise across all areas of the employee lifecycle.

The Department

At Highgate, our HR team is on an exciting journey of transformation. Our vision is to build a trusted, people‑centred HR function that supports every member of our school community to succeed, now and in the future.

We aspire to be:

• Reliable and compliant – safeguarding records and ensuring integrity across all schools.
• Supportive and empowering – fostering wellbeing, inclusion and respect.
• Efficient and modern – leveraging digital systems and data‑driven insights.
• Strategic and forward‑looking – anticipating future staffing needs and shaping culture.
• A trusted partner – providing professional, accessible advice and acting as a stable pillar in a dynamic environment.

What this looks like in practice:

Over the next few years, we are implementing digital‑first HR processes, standardising staff records and building a robust data foundation to inform workforce planning and improve staff experience. We aim to deliver a responsive HR service that is easy, transparent and consistent, while driving initiatives that enhance wellbeing, inclusion and professional growth.

By joining us, you’ll play a key role in building strong, efficient HR processes and helping us evolve into a strategic partner that shapes culture, talent and leadership for the future.

Job Description

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Employee Lifecycle

• Act as first point of contact for all HR queries (contracts, terms, pay/benefits, leave, flexible working, etc.)
• Manage absence and leave: sickness, annual leave, family leave, special leave, return‑to‑work and long‑term absence tracking
• Handle contract changes, promotions, working pattern modifications and flexible working arrangements
• Maintain accurate personnel records and data: contracts, amendments, safeguarding checks, training records, benefits, and contact details
• Manage exit processes: resignations, retirements, leaver administration, payroll liaison and system updates
• Provide employee relations support for informal grievances, performance or attendance issues, investigations and disciplinary hearings, escalating complex cases as needed
• Support staff wellbeing and welfare queries, acting as an approachable and trusted HR contact
• Carry out reward & benefits benchmarking checks as and when queries arise
• Operate and maintain the HRIS or equivalent database for your group, ensuring accurate data entry and reporting
• Produce routine HR reports: headcount, absence statistics, compliance audits and workforce data for leadership

Strategic, Compliance & HR Improvement

• Audit existing staff files and records, identify gaps and lead remediation
• Standardise and consolidate personnel records (digital/paper), ensuring data protection and safeguarding compliance
• Manage compliance obligations: background checks, safer recruitment documentation, training renewals and regulatory requirements
• Review and maintain HR policies and staff handbook materials relevant to your client group
• Support implementation and maintenance of HRIS or other digital HR systems, including data migration and workflow configuration
• Work with leadership to embed staff development, wellbeing, and inclusion initiatives
• Contribute to workforce planning aligned with the school’s development strategy
• Provide HR insight and data to support senior leadership decision‑making

General

• Provide excellent (internal and external) customer service and building strong relationships
• Ensure confidentiality of all written and verbal communication
• Assist other members of the HR Team or with other HR Projects as required
• Maintain up to date awareness of current employment law, best practice issues and changes to KCSIE and ISI guidelines that are relevant to the role

These duties and responsibilities are intended as a guide only. They are not exhaustive: the Senior HR Advisor will be expected to undertake any reasonable task or responsibility as required by the People Director.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

• Qualifications / Professional Bodies:
  • Strong academics that demonstrate learning agility.
• Experience:
  • Demonstrable experience working in an HR role in a similar role.
  • Extensive use of HR/MIS Systems.
  • Experience of telephone, video calls, email and face‑to‑face contact with stakeholders.
• Skills / Knowledge:
  • Relevant HR qualification or demonstrable HR experience.
  • Previous experience of handling ER casework independently.
  • Strong knowledge of UK employment law.
  • Strong verbal reasoning and critical thinking skills.
  • Strong drafting skills.
  • Excellent organisational and record‑keeping skills with meticulous attention to detail.
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills, confident engaging with staff at all levels.
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently across operational and strategic tasks.
  • IT literate with experience using HRIS/databases and common office software.
  • A pragmatic, hands‑on approach – willing to deliver administrative tasks as well as higher‑level HR challenges.
  • Integrity, discretion, resilience and commitment to safeguarding and fairness.
  • Familiarity with staff development, performance management and wellbeing initiative.
• Personal Attributes:
  • Strong customer focus.
  • Energetic and approachable with excellent communication, organisational and interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to build and maintain strong relationships.
  • Flexible with a ‘can‑do’ approach and able to work effectively and use initiative.
  • A proactive approach to work, and meeting targets.
  • An ability to identify process improvement needs and suggest solutions.
  • The ability to maintain in strictest confidence any information received concerning School matters.
  • Demonstrates professionalism and integrity as an ambassador for the School.

Desirable Criteria

• Qualifications / Professional Bodies:
  • CIPD Level 5.
• Experience:
  • Previous HR experience in a regulated or complex multi‑site environment.
• Skills / Knowledge:
  • Knowledge of child protection and safeguarding policies.
  • Good understanding of GDPR and data protection principles (willingness to quickly learn).
  • Familiarity with SharePoint and intranet platforms.
  • Project management skills for HR improvement or compliance projects.
• Personal Attributes:
  • Interest in change management and internal communications.
  • Interest in HRIS implementation and digital HR systems.

Location | Highgate Village, adjacent to Hampstead Heath, with quaint shops and easy connections across London.

Pension | AVIVA workplace pension scheme offered with a generous 26% employer contribution, with the ability to flex up to 16% of this as additional non‑pensionable salary, employees contribute a minimum of 5%.

Personal development | Comprehensive induction support for new staff. Focus on continued professional development for all employees.

Leisure facilities | Free access, at stipulated times, to our sports facilities, including a fitness suite and swimming pool (recently refurbished).

Lunch | A complimentary lunch.

Help with sustainable travel | Access to the Cycle to Work Scheme and a Season Ticket Loan scheme for public transport.

Family‑friendly policies | Highgate appreciates that employees sometimes have family commitments so we try to be as supportive as possible, for example with enhanced maternity pay (8 weeks’ full pay, then 10 weeks’ half pay) and paid dependant leave.

I really enjoy working in an environment which is focused on education and wellbeing. And the kids are great!

— New member of support staff

Working at Highgate

A culture of community, kindness and belonging

Highgate is a caring, open‑minded community, where we promote kindness, empathy and friendship. Everyone who works and studies with us deserves to feel they are part of a welcoming environment that enables them to be themselves and to thrive as individuals.

Our community extends beyond the school, through partnerships, charity work and our commitment to equality, inclusion and sustainability. All members of our school community are encouraged to look outwards and play an active role.

Following a visit from the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) in September 2024 to assess Highgate’s regulatory compliance and school standards, we are pleased to share the inspection findings, which reports compliance in all five areas and a ‘significant strength’ in our teaching expertise.

Highgate is committed to staff wellbeing, which we promote by encouraging a strong work‑life balance; trying our best to support flexible working requests; providing a nutritious complimentary lunch in the dining hall; and offering access to sporting facilities including our recently renovated swimming pool.

The Staff Wellbeing Committee, with representatives across the School, meets regularly to drive forward initiatives, and a selection of staff have been trained as Mental‑Health First Aiders.

We encourage an open culture throughout our school, with regular staff surveys, action committees and opportunities to feedback. We strive for continual learning and improvement, and staff training and development is paramount. There are opportunities to participate in the wider life of our school, such as taking part in trips or societies and getting involved in partnership projects.

More details about working at Highgate can be found here:

As an independent school, we want to use our position as a charity effectively: to make high‑quality education accessible to as many children as possible – through our bursary programme at Highgate and through our work with local state schools. We have partnerships with over 60 state schools across 7 London boroughs, and we are the principal educational sponsor for London Academy of Excellence, Tottenham – an academically‑selective state sixth form in a community where such opportunities are lacking.

Alongside this, our staff and pupils undertake charitable activities throughout the year. These range from staff giving up their time to neighbourhood schools and charitable organisations, focused fundraising campaigns, to pupils undertaking community work in the local area or further afield.

As a school, we have a central role to play in educating our pupils, staff and parents about the importance of environmental sustainability. We are taking positive action to adapt our operational performance to tackle the negative effects of climate change. We encourage all our staff to reflect upon their personal and professional practices, to support our environmental agenda and to make positive changes wherever possible.

Early Application: Applications will be considered ‘as and when’ received and we may close the vacancy if we appoint before the closing date.

We know that more diverse teams are stronger teams, and that the more inclusive we are, the more our staff and pupils will feel a sense of belonging and will thrive. To enable us to make reasonable adjustments, please let us know of any disabilities (including neuro‑divergence) when you submit your application.

Safeguarding

As this role will have regular unsupervised contact with children you must, if appointed, comply with Highgate’s Safeguarding Policy and Staff Code of Conduct. If in the course of carrying out the duties of the post the post holder becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety and welfare of our pupils, these concerns must be reported immediately in accordance with the Safeguarding Policy. If whilst in the post, Highgate becomes aware of any safeguarding concerns to staff, pupils or the community; these will need to be followed up in line with the safeguarding policy and code of conduct which is underpinned by KCSIE and other legislation. These concerns may need to be shared with other agencies. A copy of these policies will accompany all offers of employment. Training will also be provided to all staff to support Safeguarding practice.

Please read before you apply

Highgate is committed to the safeguarding and welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to this post, including checks with past employers, the Disclosure and Barring Service and overseas police check if necessary. Candidates from overseas must provide information about their past conduct, for example, by providing documents issued by overseas teaching authorities. DBS Privacy Policy

Please note that this role is ‘exempt’ from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore, you are required to declare any convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings that are not ‘protected’ (i.e. filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013). Shortlisted candidates will be asked to provide details of all unspent convictions and those that would not be filtered, prior to the date of the interview. DBS Code of Practice

In accordance with the latest guidance from KCSIE, we shall be conducting online searches on any candidates who are shortlisted.