People Officer

We are looking for a curious, organised and process‑minded People Officer to join our growing People Operations team.

Are you an experienced school or education administrator who enjoys understanding how things work, improving processes and making a positive difference for colleagues?

Do you take pride in delivering accurate, compliant work while providing thoughtful, solution‑focused support?

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with strong administrative foundations who is keen to broaden their experience, ask questions, and build a career in HR within a supportive multi academy trust environment.

About the role

As People Officer, you will deliver high‑quality, consistent and well‑structured operational HR and recruitment support across our three Trusts. Working closely with schools, senior leaders and the central People team, you will play a key role in ensuring people processes run smoothly, compliantly and with care.

You will be encouraged to take a curious and improvement‑focused approach, helping to refine processes, identify efficiencies and support positive outcomes for staff and schools. The role offers exposure to a broad range of people‑focused activities and clear opportunities to develop confidence and competence within a professional HR setting.

Key responsibilities

Recruitment & Onboarding

• Supporting end‑to‑end recruitment campaigns with a strong focus on process and candidate experience
• Managing adverts, pre‑employment checks, contracts and offer letters
• Maintaining the Single Central Record and managing exit questionnaires accurately and efficiently

Employee Relations & People Support

• Acting as a first point of contact for operational HR queries from schools
• Supporting absence management and return‑to‑work processes
• Coordinating occupational health referrals with professionalism and sensitivity

Training, Policies & Process Improvement

• Supporting the delivery of HR training for staff and governors
• Maintaining up‑to‑date HR policies, procedures and management toolkits
• Assisting with Trust pay, reward and workforce initiatives, with attention to detail and accuracy

Induction, Wellbeing & Compliance

• Supporting induction programmes, performance monitoring and wellbeing initiatives
• Producing workforce reports and statutory returns
• Maintaining accurate, GDPR‑compliant employee records and safeguarding documentation

You will also attend meetings, support senior colleagues and actively contribute to the continuous improvement of Trust‑wide HR processes.

Who we are looking for

This role would suit someone who:

• Is a highly organised, detail‑driven administrator who values clear, well‑run processes
• Brings experience of recruitment and/or HR administration, ideally within an education setting
• Is naturally curious and questioning, with a desire to understand and improve how things are done
• Can manage multiple priorities while maintaining high standards and meeting deadlines
• Communicates clearly, professionally and sensitively, especially when handling confidential matters
• Has strong IT skills, particularly in Microsoft Word and Excel
• Is motivated to learn, develop and progress along a People or HR career pathway

About us

St Ralph Sherwin, St Thomas Aquinas and the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi Academy Trust are part of the Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocesan Education Service, supporting 84 schools across three CMATs in the East Midlands.

The role is based primarily in Derby with St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust, with some travel to central teams in Nottingham and Leicester.

Contract and working pattern

• Full time, permanent (37 hours per week, all year round)
• Flexible working options considered (full time or part time)
• Hybrid working available

Why work with us?

We offer:

• Salary: £25,989 – £27,254 per annum (OLOL Band 3, SCP 6–9)
• A welcoming, professional and supportive central team
• Access to high‑quality CPD, including specialist support staff development
• Automatic enrolment into the Local Government Pension Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme (emotional, financial and legal support)
• Health and wellbeing support via occupational health
• Staff discounts and salary sacrifice schemes, including Cycle to Work

Interested?

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact 0115 851 5454 and ask to speak to Ruth Hayzen Smith or Fiona Sturt.

How to apply

Please complete the online application form before the closing date of Monday 18 May 2026 at 9.00am.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Appointment is subject to an enhanced DBS check and other pre‑employment checks, including online searches.

You do not need to be Catholic to work for our Trust. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities and beliefs who are supportive of our Christian ethos.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer and encourage applications from candidates with disabilities or long‑term health conditions.

For more information about our Trust and our Academies, please visit www.srscmat.co.uk

Connect with us on St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust | LinkedIn