HR Operations Manager

Join Our People Team

The Dean Trust is seeking an experienced and proactive HR Operations Manager to play a key role in delivering a high-quality, efficient and compliant HR service across our growing family of schools.

Reporting to the HR Director, you will lead the Trust's HR operations function, ensuring excellent service delivery, effective HR systems and processes, robust compliance, and a positive employee experience. This is an exciting opportunity for a skilled HR professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is passionate about continuous improvement and people-focused service delivery.

About the Role

As HR Operations Manager, you will:

1. Lead and develop the Trust's transactional HR service across multiple schools.
2. Provide expert HR advice and guidance to leaders and colleagues across the Trust.
3. Ensure compliance with employment legislation, safeguarding requirements and HR best practice.
4. Manage and enhance HR systems, data reporting and operational processes.
5. Support the delivery of the Trust's People Strategy through operational excellence and HR improvement projects.
6. Line manage and develop HR Assistants and HR Administrators, fostering a high-performing HR team.Line manage and develop HR Assistants and HR Administrators, fostering a high-performing HR team.

This is an office based role and your normal place of work will be Ashton on Mersey School in Sale. You will be part of a wider HR team who are distributed across different sites across the Trust and regular travel between all Trust sites will be required as part of the role.

Why Join The Dean Trust?

The Dean Trust is an educational charity established in April 2012, that currently comprises of 11 academies, 6 secondary, 4 primaries and 1 through school, operating in 3 hubs covering Trafford, Manchester, Knowsley and Wigan local authority areas, including some of the most deprived areas of the country. The Trust has seen steady growth since incorporation and aspires to grow further in the future.

At The Dean Trust, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to creating a positive and supportive working environment where colleagues can thrive professionally and personally. You'll join a collaborative team dedicated to delivering excellent outcomes for our schools, staff and students.

Working together as a team has clearly made us stronger, and the support and challenge of each other has enriched each of our academies and the Trust. As an employer, the Trust is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community, a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit regardless of background or characteristics. Our aim is to create an environment in which individual differences and the way in which everyone contributes is recognised and valued.

As a highly regarded and successful trust, our operations have a strong social impact and desire to improve the lives of all young people and communities that it serves. To achieve this, we employ talented and committed people who also believe that every pupil can do their best given a chance and encouragement.

If you have any questions about the role please contact us on 0161 973 1179 or email katiehurst@thedeantrust.co.uk Thank you again for your interest in working for The Dean Trust. We look forward to hearing from you.

APPLICATION CLOSE DATE: 9AM MONDAY 29TH JUNE 2026

INTERVIEW DATE: THURSDAY 2ND JULY 2026

We are an Equal Opportunities employer committed to ensuring inclusion, diversity and equality of opportunity. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates including those from underrepresented groups, and/or with protected characteristics.

The Dean Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All post holders are subject to pre-employment safeguarding checks, including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Check.