Head of People Operations

Reporting To: Director of People

Salary: S4 £56,682 - £61,294 per annum (subject to experience)
Line Management: People Services Assistants & Systems Admin
Location: TBC – Leicester, Nottingham or Derby. Hybrid working
Contract Type: Full-time, Permanent

Start date: as soon as possible

Closing date: Monday 8 December 2025 at 9am

Interview date: w/c 15 December 2025

 We are seeking to appoint to a key role an experienced people operations professional to join us as our Head of People Operations. Responsibilities will include leading and managing a multi-site team of People Services Assistants, supporting 84 schools across three CMATs (Catholic Multi-Academy Trusts) with a high-quality operations service for circa 4,000 employees. This role ensures the efficient delivery of operational HR services including attraction and onboarding, drives HR Information System development, and produces comprehensive people metrics to inform strategic direction and focus. The postholder will oversee key operational HR functions, ensuring recruitment, compliance, system administration, accuracy of pay (in conjunction with the Head of Pensions & Payroll) and alignment with organisational objectives. Knowledge of HRISs is essential (and ideally iTrent), as is a proven track record of leading high performing teams with a great attention to detail, high expectations, creativity and resilience. Experience in education is preferred, and wider public sector experience will also be considered

Our CMATs are in Nottingham, Leicester and Derby and the successful candidate will be based at the closest one to their home address. The role reports into the Director of People for the three CMATs and a hybrid way of working is offered. During term time there is a need for attendance at any location across the areas our schools serve, and during holiday periods full home working is available.

 If you have informal questions about the role please contact Debbie Stanley, Director of People by emailing Debbie.stanley@nottingham-des.co.uk

 To apply for this role please submit your application no later than the closing date stated above and note that right to work in the UK is required and other requirements are detailed in the person specification.

Why work for us?

We offer:

• A salary of £56,682 - £61,294 per annum (subject to experience)
• A team of talented and highly committed staff in a supportive working environment. 
• Automatic enrolment into the Local Government Pension Scheme for support staff, one of the most competitive on the market, with employer contributions of above 20% in most cases.
• Access to first-class CPD opportunities with a specialist support staff CPD programme.
• Professional assistance through our Employee Assistance Programme– emotional, financial and legal support to both you and your family by a team of qualified professionals.
• Health and wellbeing delivered through our occupational health provider.
• Staff discounts and a salary sacrifice scheme that includes a Cycle-to-work scheme.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and we expect all staff to share this commitment.  An enhanced DBS check and other pre-employment checks including online searches are required for successful applicants.

You do not need to be a catholic to work for our Trust and we warmly welcome those of different cultures, ethnicities, and beliefs.  This includes those of all faiths, the Catholic faith and those without a faith who are supportive of the Trust’s Catholic character and Christian ethos.  This diversity is fundamental to our values and enriches the lives of the students within our schools.

Our Trust strives to be a supportive, inclusive, caring, and positive community where every staff member has a sense of belonging.  We are committed to cultivating an equitable working environment where staff treat one another with dignity and respect and where every individual can fulfil their potential.

We are a Disability Confident Committed employer and welcome applications from people with a disability or long-term health condition.