HR Business Partner (Schools)

Salary range: £52,194 - £55,323 p.a. inc. London weighting Contract: Permanent  Hours of work: 36 hours per week (Flexibility on core hours and possibility of either term time only or all year round working) Location: Civic Centre and school’s across the borough    We are excited to offer an opportunity to join Brent Council’s HR & OD team as a HR Business Partner (Schools). In this role, you will provide expert employee relations support to a portfolio of schools as part of our Brent Schools HR traded service.     
  Brent is a tremendously vibrant London borough where the iconic arch of Wembley Stadium dominates the skyline. Spanning both inner and outer London, it is a borough of huge contrasts in terms of its economic, environmental, ethnic and social make up. Brent’s diversity is evident to all who visit our borough and our long history of ethnic and cultural diversity has created a place that is truly unique and valued by those who live and work here.     
  The council is pursuing a far-reaching transformation agenda that better meets the needs of our community so it is an exciting time to join us.   The Post

In this role, you will act as a trusted advisor to Governing Boards, Head Teachers, and school leaders, providing expert guidance on complex staffing matters including performance and absence management, conduct, capability, organisational change and TUPE.

You will also advise on employment practices, pay and conditions, and ensure compliance with legal and best practice standards.

Additionally, you will manage a high volume of employee relations casework from start to finish, delivering effective outcomes for both schools and individuals while maintaining a high-quality service throughout.

You will work closely with managers and HR colleagues to develop and implement workforce strategies, focusing on talent management initiatives that attract and retain the best people for our diverse school roles.

We encourage flexible working, meaning you will have the option to work two days a week from home.

The Person

You will be a passionate HR professional with excellent knowledge and understanding of human resources best practice in employee relations coupled with a thorough understanding of the practical application of current and upcoming employment law.

The successful candidate will be an effective communicator, with influencing and persuasion skills together with evidence of success in building and forming working relationships based on credibility and integrity.

You will possess sound experience of managing and bringing to a successful conclusion a high volume of human resources casework including discipline, grievance, capability and harassment.

Experience in schools/education sector is desirable but not essential.

Why join us?

We know people achieve their best when they feed valued. At Brent, you’ll benefit from:

• Up to 33 days annual leave (depending on length of service) plus bank holidays
• Excellent pension with generous employer contributions (LGPS)
• Hybrid and flexible working options available for most roles
• Supportive family-friendly policies for parent, guardians, and carers
• Health and wellbeing support, including access to eye test support and a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
• Financial support such as education sessions, childcare deposit loans, and season ticket loans
• Travel perks including Zipcar access, affordable parking nearby, a Cycle to Work scheme, and great onsite facilities
• Learning and development opportunities to help you grow your career
• Access to My Brent Rewards with exclusive discounts on shopping, travel, leisure, and entertainment
• Closing Date: 15 January 2026 (23:00)
• Assessment & Interview Date: 27 and 29 January 2026   

Additional Information 

If you are interested in applying for this job, please start by clicking the "Apply Now" button below. You must provide a supporting statement as part of your application that clearly shows how you meet the criteria on the Person Specification. We will accept a CV in support of your application, however, you should still provide a supporting statement.

Brent Council values the diversity of its community and aims to have a workforce that reflects this and therefore encourage applications from all sections of the community. We positively encourage all applicants to self-identify their characteristics in the diversity survey section in the application.

We are committed to safer recruitment and safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants should be aware that posts working with children, young people and vulnerable adults are subject to an Enhanced DBS check as well as other employment clearances.   The information we collect from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas and your data protection rights, can be found here.   Brent has a positive approach to flexible working.     
  As a disability confident employer Brent welcomes applications from people with all disabilities, including “non-visible” disabilities and mental health conditions. We will interview any disabled applicant who meets the essential criteria. If you require reasonable adjustments to be made to any part of the recruitment process due to your disability, please contact us.      
  Job Description