HR Officer (TUPE / Integration) - Fixed Term Contract for up to 12 months

Overall Purpose

The Canford Group employs in the region of 600 staff and the role of the Human Resources department is to provide a professional and effective HR function for all member schools ensuring that all practices are compliant with Safer Recruitment, Safeguarding Children, other compliance and legislative requirements. 

Reporting to the HR Operations Manager and working closely with colleagues across the HR Team, the HR Officer (TUPE/Integration) will play a key role in supporting the delivery of TUPE related activity as the Canford School Group evolves and grows.  The postholder will work closely with the Head of HR, Chief Operations Officer and Chief Growth and Integration Officer to ensure smooth, compliant and well managed transfer process.

Alongside this core focus, the HR Officer (TUPE/Integration) will provide broader support to the team, contributing to generalist HR support during periods of lower TUPE activity.  This includes supporting the HR team in leading recruitment processes and safer recruitment checks, providing advice and guidance on day-to-day employment matters, supporting employee relations and wellbeing initiatives, managing appraisals, assisting with training and development, and ensuring HR systems and records are accurate and compliant. 

The role is key in ensuring both high quality TUPE delivery and the ongoing provision of effective HR support, helping the Canford School Group maintain best practice in people management while creating a positive and supportive experience for staff throughout their employment.

Duties

TUPE Support         

• Support the management of TUPE transfers, including due diligence, consultation and post transfer integration
• Conduct TUPE due diligence ensuring legislative compliance at all times
• Identify and mitigate any employment risks
• Work closely with all stakeholders to facilitate a smooth transition process
• Engage in union, staff representative and 1:1 consultations in line with statutory requirements
• Post transfer – support harmonisation whilst ensuring TUPE compliance
• Advise on post transfer changes to terms and conditions

Recruitment activity

• Prepare adverts, liaising with HoDs, advertising agencies and marketing department where necessary and upload details to Access Recruit and social media as required.
• Ensure recruitment documentation is up to date eg. Job Descriptions, Person Specs etc and Access Recruit is updated
• Manage the recruitment process ensuring that applicants are notified at every stage using Access Recruit
• Ensure that references are requested at the appropriate stage (eg prior to interview for teaching staff and at offer for support staff)
• Arrange interviews and organise interview schedules, ensuring that applicants receive relevant information prior to interview, also that they are advised in advance of the interview process.
• Supporting managers and assisting in interviews as required
• Collate feedback from interviews and retain evidence that safer recruitment procedures have been followed.
• Liaise with the HR Operations Manager and Head of HR with regard to successful candidates, confirming teaching appointments with the Headmaster
• Working closely with the HR Assistant and HR Administrator, manage and oversee the preparation of offer letters and contracts and ensure that these are sent out as a priority
• Working closely with the HR Assistant and HR Administrator and using Access Screening manage the process of ensuring all safer recruitment checks are in place prior to an employee’s start date (to include DBS check, online search, references, prohibition checks, overseas checks, prohibition from management checks)
• Updating the Single Central Register (SCR) with starters, references and other checks.
• Ensure that My Canford is up to date with all starters, checking that all relevant fields have been completed prior to payroll deadlines.
• Liaise with HoD on successful candidate, preferred start date etc.
• Ensure that new support staff receive onboarding information and follow up as necessary.
• Conduct new staff inductions sessions (to include the New Teaching Staff pre-start visits and induction day at the start of each academic year)
• Ensure that paper and electronic files are signed off in accordance with the safer recruitment process

Employee relations

• Support Managers as required attending meetings with employees (eg Interviews of Concerns, flexible working requests, first stage formal meetings, redundancy consultations etc) and ensure an accurate record of the meeting is kept
• In conjunction with the HR Operations Manager and Head of HR, support Heads of Department and Line Managers dealing with any disciplinary, capability and grievance issues including conducting investigations.
• Deal with staff queries regarding employment matters, contract issues, pay queries etc.
• Conduct “three month check in” meetings as required
• Supporting the HR team by conducting Exit and Stay interviews as required
• Actively promote staff wellbeing, working with other members of the HR team to develop and implement initiatives across the School to support and improve physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of employees

Administration

• Support the HR Operations Manager and Head of HR with the preparation and sending out of staff letters (salary changes, resignations, change of hours etc) and ensure Payroll are advised accordingly
• Ensure that My Canford is updated accurately with any changes
• Ensure that pay tables are maintained on My Canford and create pay models as required to support with the annual salary review process
• Ensure that staff files are maintained and archived along with other ad-hoc administrative tasks as required
• Support the HR team with organisation of staff training and development – first aid, inductions, INSET etc
• Completion of regulatory annual census information in conjunction with the Bursar’s Office and the Head’s Office

Disclosure & Barring Service / Safeguarding

• Ensure DBS checks are in place for all new staff and where check not received prior to employee start date ensure a List 99 and Risk Assessments are carried out and recorded appropriately
• Process and verify online DBS applications ensuring ID documents have been checked as appropriate
• Notifying HOD’s when DBS disclosures are returned

Appraisals

• Manage the support staff appraisal process using the appropriate systems
• Set up staff on the School’s appraisal system
• Offer support to Line Managers and staff in relation to the appraisal process and appraisal software

Systems & Compliance

• Ensure an up-to-date awareness of any changes in Employment legislation
• Ensure that all staff recruitment is compliant with the safer recruitment requirements and recorded accurately on the SCR
• Ensure that the interview process is carried out in line with safer recruitment requirements and the ACAS code of practice.
• Ensure an up to date awareness of any changes to the "ISI” and “National Minimum Standards” for independent schools.
• Ensure that all HR activity is conducted in line with GDPR legislation
• Support the HR Operations Manager and Head of HR with the management of the HR system, appraisal system and SharePoint

Training

• Support the team in the organisation of group training and events eg. Inset Days, Child Protection and First Aid training.
• Support HoDs in identifying staff training needs
• Co-ordinate development needs with the HoDs via appraisals
• Design and deliver training workshops, eg. Appraisals, Induction etc

Other

• Support the HR Operations Manager and Head of HR in any other HR activity as required – Pension switch, Pension auto-enrolment, departmental re-structures, Standards Tracker, salary reviews etc

Knowledge / Experience

• Educated to A-level standard or equivalent  (E)
• CIPD Level 5 or similar proven experience  (D)
• Relevant short courses – employment law, disciplinary processes etc.  (E)
• Proven experience managing TUPE transfers  (D)
• Proven experience of managing change within organisations  (D) 
• Experience of managing recruitment activity  (E)
• Record of managing employee relations matters  (E)
• Experience of working as a generalist in a large organisation – 450+ staff  (D)
• Dealing with disciplinary and capability cases  (E)
• Experience of managing grievances  (E)
• Training & development, implementation of strategy, TNA, central function  (E)
• Running training sessions, eg managing absence, effective appraisals etc.  (D)
• Management of policies and procedures  (E)
• Excellent communication & interpersonal skills:  (E)
• Ability to work to tight deadlines and to a high level of accuracy  (E)
• Teamwork: - ability to work as part of a small, busy team  (E)
• Demonstrate a high degree of organisation and initiative  (E)
• Ability to be robust yet tactful in chasing staff for responses/input to issues  (E)
• Ability to be robust in ensuring that policies and procedures are adhered to  (E)
• Ability to provide expert advice and support  (E)
• Excellent written and spoken English  (E)
• Excellent IT skills, Word, Excel and ability to use WCBS and other school systems  (E)
• Organised, able to manage time effectively  (E)
• Natural affinity with attention to detail  (E)
• Proactive and hard working  (E)
• Good team player, flexible and calm under pressure  (E)
• Discreet and tactful in all matters where sensitivity or confidentiality is critical  (E)
• Sympathetic with the aims, objectives and values of an independent school.  (E)
• Friendly and approachable  (E)
• Flexible  (E)
• Ability to work full year  (E)

INTERVIEWS WILL TAKE PLACE ON FRIDAY, 17th APRIL 2026

We are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in our workplace and encourage applications from a diverse range of suitable qualified candidates

Canford School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.  All successful job applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening.