Job Description
The Chartered Association of Business Schools is looking for an HR Partner.
Purpose of the role
The HR Partner acts as a strategic partner to business leaders, aligning people strategies with organisational goals. You’ll balance operational HR delivery with forward-looking initiatives across talent, performance, engagement, and organisational change.
The post holder will report to the CEO
About the Chartered Association of Business Schools
We are the voice of the UK’s business and management education sector. We support our members to maintain world-class standards of teaching, research, and enterprise engagement. Through dialogue with policymakers, business, and stakeholders, we inform government policy to help create the best possible environment for our business schools, the economy and wider society to flourish.
We are highly motivated team that works within a fast-paced environment to deliver on our members’ priorities:
Securing the financial sustainability of the UK’s business schools: supporting members and advocating for fit-for-purpose policy development to maintain the contribution of business schools to the UK’s higher education sector and the economy.
Accelerating small business productivity and growth for the benefit of the UK economy: developing capacity and promoting the role business schools play in improving SME performance.
Embedded across our work are our organisational core values:
- Community Building
- Agile Expertise
- Authentic Accountability
- Purposeful Impact
Key responsibilities include:
Strategic Partnership
- Partner with CEO, directors and senior managers to develop and implement people strategies aligned to business objectives
- Provide expert advice on organisational design, workforce planning, and change management
- Use HR data and insights to influence decision-making
Employee Relations
- Lead and advise on day-to-day ER cases (disciplinary, grievance, performance, absence)
- Ensure compliance with UK employment law and internal policies
- Coach line managers on best practice and risk mitigation
Talent & Performance
- Support talent reviews, succession planning, and leadership development
- Drive performance management processes and capability building
- Partner with recruitment teams on strategic hiring needs
Engagement & Culture
- Lead employee engagement initiatives and action planning
- Support diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) programmes
- Champion company culture and values across the business
Change & Transformation
- Support organisational change initiatives including restructures where relevant
- Manage the people side of transformation projects
Person Specification
Candidates must be able to demonstrate that they meet the ‘essential’ criteria. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK. We do not sponsor work visa or permits.
About you
This is a stand-alone role that offers the opportunity to make a tangible impact to organisation. It is a rewarding position that will suit someone with vision, enthusiasm and creativity, who enjoys working independently. The postholder will see the results of their work quickly, and will play a key part in strengthening the community internally and externally at Chartered ABS.
Knowledge/Experience
We anticipate that the successful candidate will be able to demonstrate knowledge and experience of most of the following areas:
- Proven experience as an HR Business Partner
- Strong knowledge of UK employment law
- Experience influencing and coaching senior stakeholders
- Demonstrated ability to handle ER casework
- Commercial mindset with ability to link HR to business outcomes
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Qualification
- CIPD Level 5 minimum (Level 7 preferred) or equivalent experience
Key Competencies
- Stakeholder management & influencing
- Resilience and sound judgement
- Communication and coaching skills
- Strategic thinking with operational delivery
How to Apply
Please apply directly to the advert link below with your CV and cover letter by 30 November 2026 to people@charteredabs.org
The Chartered Association of Business Schools is an equal opportunities employer committed to creating an inclusive environment.
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and abilities. If you require reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know of your requirements and we will be happy to discuss how we can best support you
What you'll earn (you won't find "competitive salary” written instead of a figure on our watch!)
Salary range - £57,000-62,000 per annum plus benefits, we always pay to the start of the range as per policy
What you'll receive in return (Benefits)
Our benefits include:
- 31 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- Attractive 8% employer non-contributory pension
- Life assurance and wellbeing support
- Season ticket loans
- Cycle-to-work scheme
- EV scheme
- Eye care support
CIPD Requirement
Email Contact for candidates
Closing Date
Chartered Association of Business Schools is the voice of the UK’s business and management education sector. We support our members to maintain world-class standards of teaching, research, and enterprise engagement. Through dialogue with policymakers, business, and stakeholders, we inform government policy to help create the best possible environment for our business schools, the economy and wider society to flourish.