HR & Payroll Assistant, Carlisle, Flexible Hours to Suit, £26,000 - £29,500 (FTE) - Pay Award Pending (April 2026) Site based role.
Foxgroves Education are looking for an HR professional to join a well known organisation in the Education Sector in Carlisle as their next HR Assistant. As HR & Payroll Assistant, you’ll be at the heart of a collaborative central HR team, supporting with everything from day-to-day HR queries to payroll processing and recruitment admin. You’ll help keep employee records accurate and up to date, provide key data for decision-making, and support the roll-out of new HR systems and processes. You’ll also be a trusted point of contact for site-based staff, helping them navigate the ins and outs of HR and payroll with confidence.
What sets this role apart?
Flexibility. Whether you’re looking for full-time, part-time, school hours, or compressed weeks, our client is open to working patterns that fit around you. Salary is matched to your experience, and there’s a genuine commitment to your growth—think CIPD support, specialist HR/payroll training, on-the-job coaching, and opportunities to work on company-wide projects.
Why Apply?
If you’re after a varied, interesting HR role with flexibility, development, and a positive, supportive team culture, this is for you. Experience in education is helpful but not essential - what matters most is your attitude and commitment to high-quality service.
Key Responsibilities
- Serve as a first point of contact for HR queries, providing timely and effective responses
- Process monthly payroll and support transactional HR activities
- Maintain accurate HR records in compliance with data protection legislation
- Support end-to-end recruitment and selection processes
- Assist with implementation and development of HR systems
- Support absence management and provide data analysis for HR decision-making
The Ideal Candidate
You’ll need experience in HR or payroll admin (or the drive and potential to learn quickly), solid organisational skills, and a real eye for detail. Communication is key, this is a team that values clarity, empathy, and a customer-first approach. If you’re confident with IT systems, thrive under pressure, and want to be part of a supportive, high-performing team, you’ll fit right in.
- GCSE Grade A-C (Maths and English) essential
- Level 3 qualification in a relevant area preferred but not essential
- Experience in HR administration and transactional HR processes including payroll
- Knowledge of key HR functions and basic employment legislation
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Strong IT skills including proficiency in MS Office
- Organised with keen attention to detail and ability to maintain confidentiality
- Ability to work under pressure, prioritise effectively, and meet deadlines
What's in it for you?
- Supportive working environment with professional development opportunities
- Excellent Contributory Pension
- Holidays increase with length of service
- Small friendly team
Contract Types Offered to Suit Including;
- Term-time only (plus minimum of 2 weeks during term breaks)
- Full 52-week contracts also available
- Part-time options: 4 or 5 days per week
Foxgroves Education (a division of Foxgroves Recruitment Ltd) is acting as an employment agency in relation to this vacancy and is working on behalf of our client.
We are committed to fair and inclusive recruitment practices in accordance with the Equality Act 2010. All applications will be considered on merit alone, without discrimination. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds regardless of: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. Our recruitment process ensures fair treatment based solely on skills, qualifications, and ability to perform the role effectively.
All applications are subject to our comprehensive pre-employment screening process which includes right to work checks, enhanced DBS checks, rigorous reference checks, and certification of qualifications. As specialists in education recruitment, we maintain the highest standards of safer recruitment practices in line with statutory safeguarding requirements for working with children and vulnerable adults. Reasonable adjustments will be made for individuals with disabilities at all stages of the recruitment process.