PA to Principal/HR Lead

Job role

• Administration, HR, data and finance

Visa sponsorship

Visas cannot be sponsored

Working pattern

Full time

Contract type

Permanent

Full-time equivalent salary

£36,363.00 - £39,152.00 Annually (FTE) Actual salary £33,683 to £36,266 per year, term time only plus 20 additional days

PA to Principal/HR Lead job summary

Fairfield High School, part of the Excalibur Academies Trust, is looking to appoint a highly organised, professional and proactive PA to the Principal / HR Lead, to play a key role in the smooth running of the school.

If you thrive in a fast-paced environment, have the confidence to manage competing priorities with discretion and professionalism, we would love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities for this role are:

Provision of a full range of PA services to the Principal / Senior Leadership Team

Manage the Principal’s diary

Organise travel and accommodation for the Principal and SLT

Point of contact for staff regarding HR issues

Oversee the monitoring and reporting of staff absence

To be responsible for the maintenance of the Single Central Record and all staff DBS checks

To manage the recruitment process and administration for all teaching and support staff vacancies

Manage pay for Teaching and Support Staff, eg manage pay changes, new starters & leavers ensuring a smooth and efficient process across the employee lifecycle

Manage SIMS Personnel

Manage all Occupational Health Referrals

Attend regular Support Staff Managers Meetings

Compile Permanent Exclusion paperwork as and when required

Plan and organise internal/external meetings, ensuring the appropriate rooms, facilities and refreshments are provided

Act as the primary point of contact for students, staff, parents, Governors and visitors who wish to contact and meet with the Principal

Line manage the Office Manager & HR Assistant

Salary is based on NJC points 25 - 28, full time equivalent of £36,363 to £39,152, term time only plus 20 additional days, paid weeks of 48.3, increasing to 49.3 after 5 years service. Actual salary pro rata is £33,683 to £36,266 per annum (pending pay award from 01 April 2026).

Hours of work are 37 per week, Monday to Thursday 8.00am to 4.00pm and Fridays 8.00am to 3.30pm (inclusive of an unpaid 30 minute lunch break). Start and end times can be discussed with the Principal.

Please refer to Job Description attached for a full list of duties and responsibilities and Person Spec.

We are looking for someone who:

Has a background in providing highly effective administrative support

Has an understanding of HR practice

Is proficient in minute taking

Is highly organised with excellent attention to detail

Has excellent written and verbal communication skills and is personable

Understands the importance of confidentiality, discretion and data protection

Is adaptable, proactive and able to work independently

Is confident using Microsoft Office 365

Is able to multi-task

A busy and engaging role you will truly be immersed in, where no day is ever the same!  In return you will be working in an educational setting which additionally will support your personal professional development.  

You will additionally be supported by Trust’s central HR team for the human resources elements of your role.  

In return we can offer you the following benefits:

Local Government pension scheme

Free parking

Clear onboarding and professional development pathway

Flexible working opportunities

Cycle to work scheme

Free confidential advice, information, and counselling service (Employee Assistance Programme)

Onsite canteen

If you are interested in this position and would like to look around the school / discuss this post, please contact the school, Mrs Anne Dando, PA to Principal.

Safe Guarding Statement:

Excalibur Academies Trust is an equal opportunities employer. The Trust is proud to serve a diverse student and parent community. The aims of the Trust’s recruitment policy are to ensure that the best possible staff are recruited on the basis of their merits, abilities and suitability for the position; to ensure that all job applicants are considered equally and consistently; to ensure that no job applicant is treated unfairly on any grounds including race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or religious belief, sex or sexual orientation, marital or civil partner status, gender reassignment, disability or age; and to ensure that the School meets its commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people by carrying out all necessary pre-employment checks.

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.Visas cannot be sponsored.If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

Commitment to safeguarding

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.

Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.

Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant): childcare disqualification Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) medical online and social media prohibition from teaching right to work satisfactory references suitability to work with children

You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

Applying for the job

This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

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