HR & Payroll Assistant

Location: Cumbria Education Trust (based out of Yewdale Primary School)
Hours: Flexible – full‑time or part‑time considered
Salary: Grade 5–7 depending on experience
Contract: Permanent
Start Date: As soon as possible

Join Us and Grow Your HR Career

Cumbria Education Trust (CET) is seeking a motivated, people‑focused HR & Payroll Assistant to join our central HR team. This is an exciting opportunity for someone looking to develop their HR career within a collaborative, supportive and forward‑thinking Trust.

Whether you already have HR and payroll experience or are still growing your skills, we want to hear from you. We welcome applications from candidates with a range of backgrounds and experience levels. Hours and working patterns can be flexed to suit the right candidate, and salary will be matched to your skills and experience.

What You’ll Be Doing

You will play a key role in delivering a proactive and responsive HR service across our academies, supporting colleagues with:

• Day‑to‑day HR and payroll queries
• Accurate and timely processing of payroll data (new starters, leavers, changes, calculations)
• Maintaining and updating employee records and HR systems
• Recruitment administration across the full process
• Supporting school administrators with HR and payroll tasks
• Providing data, reports and information to support HR decision‑making
• Contributing to the development and roll‑out of HR systems and processes

This is a varied, interesting position where no two days are the same.

We Offer…

✔ Flexible working patterns

We recognise that the best people don’t always fit into standard working patterns. Part‑time, school‑hours, compressed hours and flexible start/finish times can all be discussed.

✔ Salary matched to your experience

We will appoint on Grade 5–7 depending on your skills, experience and qualifications.

✔ Commitment to your growth and development

We actively support and encourage:

• CIPD qualifications
• Specialist HR/payroll training
• On‑the‑job coaching and mentoring
• Opportunities to take part in Trust‑wide HR projects
• Regular CPD and learning opportunities

✔ A positive, supportive team culture

You’ll join a forward‑thinking HR team who work together with the aim of delivering high‑quality support to our schools.

What We’re Looking For

You’ll bring:

• Experience of HR or payroll administration (or the motivation and potential to learn quickly)
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail
• Excellent communication and customer‑focused approach
• Ability to work under pressure and prioritise effectively
• Confidence with IT systems and Microsoft Office
• A commitment to confidentiality, accuracy and high‑quality service

Experience in the education sector is helpful but not essential.

Safeguarding

Cumbria Education Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare and safety of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Enhanced DBS disclosure and Barred List checks are required for this post. In line with Keeping Children Safe in Education, online searches are carried out on successful candidates.

Apply Today

If you’re looking for a varied HR role with flexibility, development opportunities and a supportive team, we’d love to hear from you.