HR Officer: Sponsorship and Compliance

We are looking for an experienced HR Officer to join the Federation Central HR function at our Head Office in East Croydon.  The successful candidate will provide an efficient and professional HR service as part of the Federation Central Team supporting  Academies.  We are keen to hear from talented HR professionals who share our vision for creating exceptional places of learning and are committed to making a difference to the young people in our Academies.

About Us

The Harris Federation is a leading education charity with 51 Harris primary and secondary academies across London and Essex. The founder, Chairman and sponsor of the Harris Federation, Lord Harris of Peckham, opened our first school in 1990. We now educate some 38,000 young people and closing the gap between children from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers has always been a core mission. 

The Harris Federation has a track record of accomplishment in achieving success through rapid school improvement and has built an unrivalled reputation for running outstanding academies in London. 

Our Federation central team comprises of a dedicated group of departments working providing support across the Federation and all of our academies. Across a multitude of key departments, we maintain an outstanding body of staff all integral to supporting central and academy finance, HR, Data, Estates management, Talent and Compliance.

Main Areas of Responsibility

Working from our East Croydon head office, you will provide expert guidance and support on the Right to Work processes, including sponsorship and visas, maintenance of the EU Settlement Scheme and the administration of the UK Government Sponsorship Management System. Candidates will also be involved in organising and facilitating Learning and Development Events.

Immigration and Sponsorship

• Acting as the first point of contact offering expert guidance and support in relation to the right to work in the UK.
• Monitoring UKVI requirements and changes and implement appropriate compliance measures to minimise risk to the Federation.
• Providing guidance and support with the Immigration Points Based System, ensuring compliance with current immigration legislation.
• Maintaining systems and processes which comply with the Federation’s sponsor duties and obligation under the Points Based System.
• Adhering to the required record keeping duties for individuals sponsored under the Immigration Points Based System.
• Adhering to required record keeping duties for individuals sponsored under the Immigration Points Based System, including leavers, absences, changes to contractual hours, changes to salary, unpaid leave, substantial changes to duties etc.
• Maintaining the Federation’s Sponsorship Management System (SMS); including reporting changes to Level 1 or 2 users.
• Conducting regular sponsorship audit visits within Academies who are Licence holders.
• Supporting the Federation and Academies with an UKVI audits as and when required.
• Ensuring compliance for the EU Settlement Scheme across the Federation and Academies.
• Providing relevant training to SMS users at the Federation and at Academies.
• Tracking and monitoring all sponsored employee data.
• Escalating complex cases as appropriate to the Head of HR or HR Business Partners.

Learning and Development

• Organising and facilitating training events; Safer Recruitment training, HR Network training, Central Office
• Safeguarding (including updating the SCR).
• Managing new starter Induction each term with the support of an HR Assistant.
• Recording and maintaining a log of Learning and Development activities.
• Issuing participants with certificates, where applicable.

Qualifications & Experience

• Educated to a Level 3 qualification or equivalent
• Excellent communication skills both verbal and written
• Confidence and ability to develop and maintain professional relationships at all levels within the Federation, as well as with external customers
• Collaborative approach, effectively working with others to achieve team success
• Demonstration of a problem solving attitude
• Excellent time management, planning and prioritising skills
• High level of ICT capability
• Strong attention to detail and ability to work under pressure
• A keen interest in Immigration, HR and Immigration/ Employment Law
• Experience in immigration compliance and managing sponsorship process (Tier 2)

Next Steps

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please contact careers@harrisfederation.org.uk to arrange a conversation with the Director.

Before applying, please download the Job Pack for full details on the job responsibilities and person specification. You will need this when completing your application.

Please note: we may hold interviews as and when applications are received and we reserve the right to offer to a candidate prior to the closing date. We only accept applications submitted online via our careers website and which are completed before the closing deadline. With this in mind, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible and advise you check the job information as per the listing on our careers site.

Rewards & Benefits

Our people are at the heart of our success. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level to senior leadership.

We look for talented individuals who share our vision for creating exceptional places of learning, and are committed to ensuring that every child in London has access to the best possible education.

In addition to the opportunities for career progression, training and development, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes our Harris Allowance, a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme, a Wellbeing Cash Plan and many other benefits.

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed for all applicants. Before applying, please review our Policy Statement on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.