HR Policy and Projects Officer

Westcountry Schools Trust (WeST) is a family of schools united by a shared ambition: to ensure every child attends a great school and receives the education they deserve.

We are seeking an organised, proactive and professionally curious HR professional to join our growing HR Operations team as an HR Policy and Project Officer.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys bringing order to complexity, producing clear guidance, supporting organisational improvement and helping colleagues navigate HR policy with confidence.

Working closely with the Director of People, Head of HR Operations, Head of Employee Relations and the wider HR team, you will support the Trust's policy framework by supporting and delivering a range of key transformation projects and coordinating programmes of work that underpin our HR, payroll and workforce systems.

The HR Policy and Project Officer plays a key role in ensuring that HR policies, guidance and processes remain current, accessible and easy to follow.

You will:

• Coordinate the review and maintenance of HR policies and supporting documentation.
• Manage policy review schedules, consultation arrangements and version control.
• Undertake policy and project work, maintain project plans, action logs and programme documentation.
• Support governance meetings through agenda management, reporting and action tracking.
• Develop guidance, templates, FAQs and practical resources for managers and employees.
• Coordinate responses to policy enquiries and ensure colleagues are directed to the right advice and support.
• Support consultation activity with trade unions and staff representatives.
• Contribute to the development of modern, efficient and digitally enabled HR services.

You will be a highly organised HR professional with excellent communication skills and a passion for continuous improvement.

You will have:

• CIPD Level 5 qualification or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience supporting HR policy development, review or implementation.
• A good working knowledge of employment law and HR practice.
• Excellent written communication skills and the ability to produce clear guidance for a non-specialist audience.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Confidence managing competing priorities and coordinating multiple workstreams.
• Strong digital skills, including Microsoft 365 applications and collaborative technologies.
• Digitally fluent, confident, using or self-teaching contemporary AI-enabled tools to improve workflow, insight and assurance.

Experience within education is not essential. We welcome applications from candidates with experience gained in education, local government, the NHS or other regulated, complex or public sector environments. Familiarity with education sector terms and conditions, including NJC and School Teachers' Pay and Conditions arrangements, would be advantageous but can be developed through the role.

At WeST, our values are at the heart of everything we do:

Collaboration - Stronger Together
Aspiration - We believe every child can succeed
Integrity - We do the right thing
Compassion - We support one another
Respect - We value every individual

You will join a collaborative and forward-thinking People team at an exciting time of organisational development, with opportunities to contribute to meaningful Trust-wide projects and further develop your professional career.