Director of People and Culture

Heartwood Learning Trust

Director of People and Culture Role overview

Post: Director of People and Culture

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours of work: Full Time

Salary: £68,671.00 - £77,938.00 Annually (Actual)

Location: York

Closing date: Midnight, Sun 31st May, 2026

Interviews will be held: 5th June 2026

Who we are

We are a strong, inclusive and collaborative Church of England Academy Trust, with a clear vision - to create schools where children and young people thrive, as we help them prepare to live life in all its fullness.

For us, a place to thrive means much more than a place simply to be comfortable. Instead, our aim is to develop schools and an educational offer which enables each pupil to flourish academically, practically, emotionally, socially and spiritually. We help them to understand what their own successful and fulfilled life could be, by opening doors, providing choice, and encouraging ambition.

Guided by our Christian ethos and values of kindness, respect and teamwork, we welcome pupils, colleagues and schools of all faiths and none.

There are fourteen academies within our Trust, located within York, Hull and North Yorkshire. The Trust comprises six secondary, six primary and two alternative provision academies.

Our mission & values

We have a simple mission which is to provide environments where children and young people can thrive.

We are proud that our key values were chosen by our pupils and colleagues.

Kindness, always backed up by action

We believe in the power of kindness, generosity and consideration. Treating others as we would wish to be treated ourselves. It is the right thing to do, and it helps to create places where people thrive. However, our commitment to kindness doesn't mean that we shy away from constructive challenge, or from making tough decisions for the right reasons.

Respect for each other and ourselves

We encourage everyone in our community to respect and value each other, and to treat each person as a unique individual of inherent worth. Some of our schools are faith based, others are not, and we serve a wide range of urban, rural and coastal communities. This rich tapestry makes us who we are, and we believe that diversity makes us stronger.

Teamwork, together we are more than the sum of our parts

We believe in the strength of teamwork - that we learn and achieve more by working collaboratively. We are committed to building a strong, resilient and sustainable multi academy trust by developing a talented team of like-minded people, with the common goal of delivering great learning experiences. With a forensic focus on improvement, we work together to achieve our objectives.

Our approach

We want our pupils, colleagues and school communities to be given opportunities so that they can live life in all its fullness, now and in the future. Our Trust values, Kindness, Respect and Teamwork, underpin everything that we do and the way that we do it.

The diversity of our schools makes our Trust richer. It is important to us that our schools serve their local communities. Each school has its own distinct character which we believe makes us even stronger as a family of schools.

Our schools work collaboratively, to share and develop great practice. We make sure that we have strong foundations through working together and bringing together expertise so that we can give our pupils the very best. We have a common approach to curriculum and teaching across the Trust to ensure quality and to reduce the workload of our colleagues.

About the role

This is a significant strategic leadership opportunity for an experienced HR professional who is passionate about people, organisational culture, and educational improvement. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the successful candidate will lead and develop a high-quality Trust-wide HR function, providing both strategic direction and operational leadership across all aspects of people management, workforce development, and organisational culture.

As Director of People and Culture, you will work closely with senior leaders, Principals, Trustees, and colleagues across the Trust to ensure that we attract, develop, and retain talented staff who feel valued, supported, and empowered to thrive. You will lead on workforce strategy, employee relations, organisational change, wellbeing, inclusion, talent development and compliance, helping to create a culture where collaboration and professional excellence flourish.

The role is primarily based at our central office in Vale of York Academy, with travel required across all of the academies within the Trust.

What we can offer

• Experienced and supportive leadership with a collaborative approach and an appreciative culture
• An established, experienced and friendly central team
• Holiday entitlement 25 days (increases after 5 years continuous service) plus bank holidays
• Local Government Pension scheme
• Occupational Health
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to Work scheme

Who we are looking for

We are seeking an exceptional and values-driven leader to join our Executive Team as Director of People and Culture across Heartwood Learning Trust. Our Trust's values of Kindness, Respect, and Teamwork underpin the vision 'Life in all its fullness - a place to thrive' and are central to all Trust activities and aims.

We are looking for a confident and credible leader with substantial senior HR experience, ideally within education or the public sector, although we welcome applications from candidates who can demonstrate transferable strategic leadership experience from similarly complex organisations. You will bring expert knowledge of employment law and people practice, alongside the ability to influence at a senior level, build trusted relationships, and lead with integrity, warmth, and clarity.