HR Director
Posted
26th August 2025
Closing Date
21st September 2025
Salary
Competitive
Location
Cambridge / Chelmsford
Interviews Scheduled
30th and 31st October 2025

ARU is a global university transforming lives through innovative, inclusive and entrepreneurial education and research. ARU holds a Gold award for the quality of its education, awarded through the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).
ARU’s research institutes, four faculties, academic partners and Writtle College bridge scientific, technical and creative fields. We deliver impactful research which tackles pressing issues and makes a real difference to our communities. Our academic excellence has been recognised by the UK’s Higher Education funding bodies, with 16 of our research areas assessed as world leading. We are one the largest providers of Nursing, Midwifery, Health and Social Care students in the UK, and among the UK’s leading universities for degree apprenticeship provision, working with hundreds of employers across the UK.
We are seeking to appoint a HR Director to play a leading role in the realisation of our collective aims and strategy. This is an exciting time to join ARU and an outstanding opportunity to drive innovation across the institution.
Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer as the new HR Director, you will ensure that HR plays a proactive and pivotal role in the development and delivery of the university’s strategy. Contributing to the strategic leadership of the University as part of UET you will lead the focus on staff matters. Identifying and securing innovative initiatives and approaches to HR, you will continue to drive service effectiveness, business partnering and ongoing improvements. Working with a variety of stakeholders both internally and externally, including but not exclusive to academic colleagues, unions and governing bodies.
We are seeking an exceptional leader with a proven track record of developing and implementing HR strategies and policies across comparably large scale, diverse and complex portfolios. You will possess excellent interpersonal, communication and stakeholder management skills, and will be enthusiastic and passionate about delivering customer-focused HR Business Partnering services.
The role offers a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious professional to play a leading role in the future success of the University and its wider impact across the region.
How to apply
Applications should be made via email to simon@dixonwalter.co.uk and will include on separate documents:
- a letter of application setting out your interest in the role and details of how you match the person specification (no more than 2 pages)
- a comprehensive Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- details of three referees and notice period (referees will not be contacted without your permission)
- a completed Personal Details Form (available above)
Closing date for applications is midnight on Sunday 21st September 2025.
Longlist interviews are expected to be held with Dixon Walter via Microsoft Teams in the weeks commencing the 29th September and 6th October 2025.
Final interviews are expected to take place in person on Thursday 30th October and Friday 31st October 2025
In making an application for this role we ask you also to view our Privacy Notice which outlines our compliance to General Data Protection Regulations and the use and storage of your data. Personal Data is held and processed on the lawful basis that such action is in the Legitimate Interest of the company in pursuing the purposes described and has been considered through the use of a Legitimate Interest Assessment utilising the Balance Test to not be outweighed by risks to the rights, freedoms and interests of the Data Subject.
Please note that our client is legally obliged to confirm that the appointee is eligible to work in the UK. As of 1 January 2021, government restrictions have changed. For further information visit the Home Office website at http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk
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