HR Officer / HR Administrator

Job Description:

Location: Kettering, Northamptonshire - NN15 6JB
Salary: £150-180 a day, based upon experience
Contract: Full-time / Term-time + inset
Start Date: ASAP Until Easter - with the potential to be extended

We are seeking a highly organised and proactive HR professional to join our school and provide a comprehensive HR service that supports staff, leadership, and the wider school community. The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring compliance with legislation, managing safer recruitment processes, and maintaining accurate staff records, while promoting best HR practice across the school.

• Ensure annual legislative updates, including Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), are implemented and adhered to

• Support staff and leaders with HR policies and procedures, including absence management and disciplinary processes

• Keep up to date with current employment legislation and HR best practice

• Support safer recruitment processes across the school

• Prepare and place job adverts and manage advertising options to ensure cost-effective recruitment

• Upload application packs to MyNewTerm, collate applications, and prepare shortlisting packs

• Organise interview schedules and manage candidate correspondence

• Complete all pre-employment and safer recruitment checks

• Administer volunteer appointments in line with safer recruitment legislation

• Produce HR documentation including contracts, offer letters, probation documentation, and leaver paperwork

• Manage staff probation processes

• Work with the Senior Leadership Team to strengthen the school's employer brand and presence

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date staff records

• Manage the Single Central Record (SCR) and DBS processes for staff, volunteers, and external agencies, liaising with the Safeguarding Lead and Headteacher as required

• Complete and submit the annual Workforce Census

• Update staff absence, holiday entitlement, and CPD records on SIMS, providing reports when required

• Manage contract variations (e.g. maternity, paternity, flexible working), liaising with payroll providers and checking monthly payroll reports

• Respond to staff HR queries, escalating complex matters to the external HR Advisor when appropriate

• Organise new starter inductions and leaver interviews, sharing feedback with SLT

• Monitor staff absence in line with policy, identifying trends and escalating concerns to the Business Manager

• Track absence patterns and produce statistical reports

• Manage health-related matters including medical certificates, occupational health referrals, and leave of absence requests

• Administer staff wellbeing initiatives, including the annual flu vaccination programme

• Previous experience in HR administration, ideally within a school or education setting

• Strong understanding of safer recruitment and safeguarding requirements

• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail

• Confident communicator with the ability to handle sensitive information professionally

• Competent IT skills, with experience using SIMS and MyNewTerm desirable

INDHBB