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Overview

Job Title: People Partner

Salary: Up to £45,000 per annum not pro rata (dependent on experience and qualifications)

Location: Bolton - Hybrid

Contract: Full time, Permanent

Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Mon-Fri 9-5

JOB PURPOSE: This is a strategic, standalone People Partner role, ideal for a commercially astute HR professional with strong business partnering experience. You’ll be the trusted adviser to leaders across three core areas – Momenta, Blenheim Schools, and Central Services – acting as the key point of contact for all people-related matters. Working closely with the Head of HR, you’ll shape and embed our people strategy, supporting leaders with organisational design, workforce planning, culture and engagement initiatives, and complex employee relations. You’ll also contribute to integration activities during acquisitions and provide HR insights that inform business decisions. This role requires a confident, solutions-focused partner who can balance operational HR delivery with proactive, strategic input. You’ll coach and challenge leaders, build capability, and ensure our people practices are compliant and aligned with OFG’s vision.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with divisional leaders to understand business priorities and provide proactive HR solutions.
• Support and advise on workforce planning, organisational design, succession planning, and talent management.
• Coach and upskill managers to handle people issues confidently and build leadership capability.
• Lead on complex employee relations, including restructures, TUPE, change management, and high-level casework.
• Analyse HR data and metrics to provide insights, identify trends, and recommend improvements.
• Design and deliver engagement, wellbeing, and L&D initiatives tailored to divisional needs.
• Support integration activity for new acquisitions, embedding consistent people processes and culture.
• Partner with recruitment colleagues to ensure attraction, selection, and retention align with divisional growth.
• Stay abreast of employment law and best practice, ensuring advice and policies are compliant and fit for purpose.
• Collaborate with the wider HR function to share knowledge and ensure consistency across the Group.
• Travel occasionally to sites to build relationships and maintain visibility.

Essential experience, skills & qualifications

• Proven experience in a HR Business Partner or equivalent senior HR generalist role.
• Strong track record of partnering with senior leaders to deliver people strategies and drive organisational performance.
• Significant employee relations experience, including complex case management and organisational change.
• Excellent knowledge of UK employment law and HR best practice.
• Confident communicator with strong stakeholder management skills.
• Commercial awareness with the ability to balance people priorities with business objectives.
• Highly organised, adaptable, and solutions-focused.
• Willingness to travel occasionally to sites.

Desirable

• Experience in education, care, or multi-site environments.
• CIPD qualification (or working towards).

Benefits

• Life Assurance
• Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
• “Your Wellbeing Matters” – access to mental health support services and physical health checks
• Family Growth Support - enhanced maternity and paternity leave, plus paid fertility treatment support
• Flexible benefits platform, Vista — choose the package that’s right for you, including:
• A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
• Discount options, Cycle to Work, Electric Car Purchase Scheme, Critical illness cover

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and we expect all employees to share this commitment and undertake appropriate checks. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS. We are an Equal Opportunities Employer. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. Outcomes First Group is committed to a fair, thorough and efficient recruitment process in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.

Outcomes First Group is the largest independent provider of high quality special needs education and care, with divisional brands including Acorn Education, Options Autism, Blenheim Schools and Momenta Connect. In 2024, Outcomes First Group was certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the fifth year running.