Hr advisor jobs in Westminster, greater london

WORKING WITH US

The founder and sponsor of the Harris Federation, Lord Harris of Peckham, opened our first school in 1990. We have, over the past thirty years, implemented ideas and initiatives that have transformed the opportunities of pupils from working class and disadvantaged backgrounds. Harris academies are widely recognised as a force for social mobility. We are immensely proud of the role that our alumni are now beginning to play in the world and of what we believe our current generation of pupils will go on to achieve.

We now have over 50 schools educating more than 40,000 young people across London and Essex, and employ over 5,000 staff across our academies and head office. With the majority of our academies located in areas of high socioeconomic disadvantage, a high-quality education is key to the futures of the pupils we serve.

As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.

Our work will impact many generations to come, and our staff come from all backgrounds and walks of life, coming together to inspire young minds. We promote an inclusive culture that embraces the valuable and enriching contribution that all of our community make. We continue to be proactive in uplifting and supporting all voices at Harris.

To discover more about our culture, ethos and what it is like to work here, visit the page.

ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY

We are seeking a proactive and knowledgeable HR Advisor to join our central HR team. You’ll support a group of academies, providing expert guidance on HR policies, employee relations and workforce initiatives, while contributing to projects that shape the future of education.

This is a dynamic generalist role requiring strong communication, analytical skills and a collaborative mindset. You’ll be part of a pioneering multi-academy trust known for transforming schools and empowering communities. With access to outstanding CPD, a supportive team and a culture of excellence, this is a fantastic opportunity to grow your HR career in a purpose-driven environment.

MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Your responsibilities will include:

• Delivery of a generalist HR advisory service to the Federation and our Academies, providing up to date and informed HR guidance and support on HR policies, processes and systems
• Providing professional advice and support to Federation and Academy leaders in all areas of HR practice and employee relations such as grievance, disciplinary, performance management and sickness absence management, escalating complex cases as appropriate to the Head of HR and HR Business Partners
• Supporting the HR Business Partner with organisation change programmes including redundancy, restructuring and TUPE transfers; preparing documents, supporting planning, due diligence completion etc.
• Participating in the development and delivery of HR policy skills workshops for line managers and academy HR
• Assisting with end-to-end employee lifecycle and payroll processes
• Preparing HR documents and create and maintain templates
• Producing management information reports
• Evaluating job descriptions and providing advice and guidance on salary bandings to ensure a consistent and fair approach
• Assisting with the development and implementation of HR policies and procedures

For a full job description, please download the Job Pack.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

You should be able to demonstrate:

• Experience providing generalist HR advice on terms & conditions, application of policies and first line employee relations
• Up-to-date knowledge of employment law & current HR practice
• Qualifications to degree level, or equivalent experience
• At least part qualification to CIPD Level 5 or equivalent by experience with a willingness to study
• Excellent spoken and written communication skills
• Confidence and ability to develop and maintain professional relationships at all levels
• Discretion and diplomacy, with the ability to adhere to confidentiality requirements

For a full job specification, please download the Job Pack.

APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION

If you would like to discuss the opportunity further, or if you have any questions, please contact us via email to arrange a conversation.

Before applying please ensure you download the job pack from our careers website, this will help with completing your application. Please note that we only accept applications submitted online before the closing date.

When applying, you will have the option to import your CV or use a LinkedIn profile which will auto populate the online application. 

A reminder to check your junk mail for our email communications and add us to your safe senders list to ensure all future email communication is received.

OUR VISION & VALUES

Our vision, from the start, has been to provide the structure and services needed for our schools to amount to more than the sum of their parts, and to free-up our teachers and leaders to focus on one thing and one thing only: the outstanding education of all their pupils. Our young people and communities are at the heart of everything we do. Our core mission has always been to close the educational gap between young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers. Our ambition is one where every child in London, no matter their background, has equal access to high quality education, giving them the same opportunities and potential to succeed.

We know there are many challenges facing our young people and the communities we serve, and that’s why we need determined people like you to help us tackle those inequalities. Whilst each of our academies has their own unique cultures and values; as a whole Federation, we have four core values which are central to successfully achieving our vision: Excellence, Collaboration, Support, and Innovation. We are proud of our values because they guide us in how we work allowing us to achieve the best possible outcomes for our young people, communities, and colleagues.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates. We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

Harris has a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.

You will also have access to a variety of benefits, support programmes and initiatives including:

• Excellent opportunities for continuous professional development and career progression
• Annual performance and loyalty bonus
• Pension scheme (Teachers' Pension Scheme or Local Government Pension Scheme) with generous employer contribution
• 26 days' annual leave (inclusive of our Christmas Eve closure day) plus bank holidays, rising to 27 days after 2 years' service, or equivalent for staff on term time contracts
• Harris Wellbeing Cash Plan including cover for routine and specialist healthcare
• Employee Assistance Programme for free and confidential advice
• Cycle to work salary sacrifice scheme
• Wide range of shopping, leisure, and travel discounts
• 20% off at Tapi Carpets, exclusive to Harris employees
• Interest-free ICT and season ticket loans

For most non-teaching staff based at our Head Office in East Croydon, we also offer lifestyle friendly working arrangements including flexible start and end times, and hybrid working with two days from home and three days on site.

Prisoners Abroad is a unique welfare and human rights charity providing advice and emotional support to people affected by overseas imprisonment. We help people during their incarceration, when they return to the UK and need resettlement services, and we also support their family and friends throughout the trauma.

In this role, you will provide crucial advice to British embassies, consulates and country caseworkers at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) on human rights issues affecting British nationals abroad, including claims of torture and cases where a British national could be or has been sentenced to death. You will also support Prisoners Abroad’s caseworkers with advice and information on individual cases, ensuring a holistic approach is taken to supporting people jointly, and provide training on Human Rights topics as needed.

An outstanding communicator with an in-depth, comprehensive practical knowledge of human rights law (particularly relating to fair trials and prisoner rights), you must hold a legal degree and a formal qualification in human rights.

SENIOR HR ADVISOR – GENERALIST STAND ALONE ROLE

We are looking for a dedicated and experienced Senior HR Advisor to join our team starting, ideally, from early 2026. This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced HR generalist, transitioning to managing an HR standalone function. This is permanent full-time role based in Old Street – London, with occasional travel to our Bristol office.

You will be involved in the whole employee lifecycle, from when candidates apply for a job to when staff leave the organisation. You will also help provide training and development opportunities for employees, and guidance around issues such as performance, career progression, and managing disciplinary issues where they arise.

You will have the opportunity to significantly contribute to the ongoing development of the HR function at Deighton Pierce Glynn (DPG).  The role supports all aspects of HR, including recruitment & development, diversity & inclusion support, promoting positive employee relations and employee wellbeing, salary and benefits; all aspects of HR administration, and maintaining/upgrading the HR System and HR processes to fully utilise automation where it makes sense.  The role will also involve ensuring relevant HR policies and procedures are understood and followed. You will have the opportunity collaborate with the DPG team and the Senior HR Consultant to evolve the HR function, at DPG.  You will also have the chance to undertake HR initiatives that help deliver the DPG People and Culture objectives.

You will have the ability to truly grow and continuously develop within the role as you will be the main HR contact for all HR matters, with support from the Managing Partner, Practice Manager and HR Consultant.

Requirements:

• At least 2 years’ experience as HR Advisor or equivalent, in a generalist role.
• A desire to continue developing your HR experience and growing your career in this area.
• Ideally level 5 CIPD qualified with a desire to continue to professionally develop.
• Able to demonstrate professionalism, discretion and confidentiality at all times.
• Work style is consultative and actively listens to understand differing perspectives and problem solve.
• Strong emotional intelligence, relationship building skills and a genuine desire to help ‘make a difference’ in terms of helping the team to be successful through a fair and consistent approach to developing HR practices that support their growth, motivation and wellbeing.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
• A proven track record of refining HR processes and ideas of how to implement AI into HR operations, with strong skills in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to work at pace and multitask in a productive, delivery focused, empathetic and self-motivated way.
• There is no requirement to already have experience of working for a law firm, however we are looking for someone with a keen interest in working for a law firm with a strong ethos of ‘using the law for good’ and promoting civil rights.

DPG’s work is widely recognised and admired for our client focused approach and high-profile litigation assisting the vulnerable. This is a great opportunity to join our top ranked legal team.

We know that diversity makes us a better law firm and helps us attract the best talent, drive innovation with diversity of thought, and deliver the best service to our clients. We recruit on the basis of merit, irrespective of age, disability, gender, gender identity, race or ethnicity, marital status, religion, sex, sexual orientation.  We particularly welcome applicants from a minoritized background to apply for this role.

How to apply

To apply, please send your CV and a cover letter through our website, outlining why you feel you are a great candidate for this role.  Please quote job reference 2025/16/LONHR in the subject line of your email 

Closing date:  9am, Monday 12 January 2026

Applications received after this time cannot be considered.

Interviews: Suitable candidates will be invited to attend a skills test and interview in the New Year.