Job Purpose

The purpose of this role is to support the HR Manager in strengthening employee relations, communication, and organisational awareness across art-K. Central to this role is the ability to build trusted relationships, understand employee experiences, and help create a connected, engaged, and high-performing culture.

Working closely with the HR Manager, you'll gather employee feedback, support engagement initiatives, contribute to strategic people projects, and help ensure a consistent and positive employee experience across our studios.

As a growing organisation supporting over 8,500 students each week across 60 studios, art-K is committed to investing in its people and culture. The successful candidate will have opportunities to develop professionally while helping support the company's continued growth.

Job Responsibilities & Tasks

This is a dynamic and varied role supporting employee relations, engagement, HR administration, recruitment, and people-focused projects.

Employee Relations & Engagement

• Build strong relationships with employees and managers across the organisation through regular studio visits (minimum two per week).

• Act as a visible and approachable HR representative, supporting communication and reinforcing company values.

• Help foster a culture of recognition through employee appreciation initiatives and engagement activities.

• Support the planning and delivery of company events, training opportunities, and engagement programmes.

• Assist with quarterly employee engagement surveys, analysing feedback and helping develop meaningful actions.

• Support complex employee relations matters including disciplinary, grievance, absence, redundancy, and retirement processes.

• Provide confidential minute-taking for formal meetings and hearings where required.

Employee Lifecycle & Recruitment Support

As part of a collaborative HR & Recruitment team, you'll provide support across the employee lifecycle and recruitment processes when required.

• Support recruitment activities from application through to onboarding.

• Utilise recruitment platforms and tools to engage prospective candidates.

• Conduct candidate screening and support a positive recruitment experience.

• Assist with onboarding processes and ensure all required documentation and compliance checks are completed.

• Help maintain fair, consistent, and transparent recruitment practices aligned with company values.

HR Administration

Accurate administration is essential to ensuring a positive employee experience and smooth business operations.

• Maintain accurate employee records, including sickness absence, attendance, holidays, and benefits administration.

• Support studio operations by coordinating cover arrangements where necessary.

• Ensure compliance with Ofsted, DBS, safeguarding, and company requirements.

• Assist with payroll administration and maintain payroll trackers.

• Support employee lifecycle processes including onboarding, changes to employment terms, probations, and leavers.

• Maintain and update HR documentation, policies, and records.

Training & Project Support

• Assist with the creation of training materials, presentations, and learning resources.

• Coordinate training schedules and support the delivery of HR inductions where required.

• Gather feedback from training participants to support continuous improvement.

• Support the HR Manager with strategic projects and people initiatives.

• Contribute ideas and participate actively in weekly HR and Recruitment team meetings.

• Assist with policy reviews and updates to ensure compliance and alignment with company values.

Building Relationships & Collaboration

You'll be a key point of contact across the organisation, making strong interpersonal skills essential.

Success in this role relies on building trust, understanding employee experiences, and maintaining positive relationships at all levels of the business. You'll work closely with studio teams, managers, and the wider central team to create an environment where employees feel supported, informed, and engaged.

You'll need excellent communication skills, emotional intelligence, and the confidence to navigate sensitive conversations with professionalism and empathy.

This role includes travelling to art-K studios (minimum two visits per week). This is an essential part of the position, and applicants should be comfortable commuting regularly.

Formal Qualifications

Essential

• Degree qualification (2:1 or above).

Desirable

• CIPD Level 3 qualification or working towards it.

• Safer Recruitment qualification.

Experience

Desirable

• Previous experience within HR, employee relations, recruitment, or people-focused administration.

• Experience supporting managers or employees within a customer-facing or multi-site environment.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.

Specific Skills

• Strong ability to build trusted relationships across the organisation.

• Genuine curiosity about employee behaviour, engagement, and motivation.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Confidence facilitating meetings and training sessions.

• Strong organisational and time-management skills.

• Ability to manage changing priorities and balance short-term demands with long-term objectives.

• High attention to detail and accuracy when maintaining records and carrying out compliance checks.

• Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and confidentiality.

Company's Core Values

Feeling connected to art-K's values is essential for success in this role:

Growth Mindset

Embracing development with a willingness to learn and continuously improve.

Sharing and Educating

Collaborating with others and contributing to collective success.

Ownership and Connection

Taking responsibility while building meaningful relationships.

Compassion

Creating a supportive environment where people feel heard, valued, and respected.

You'll thrive in this role if you're excited to contribute to a family-owned brand and work as part of a conscientious, values-driven team.

Training

art-K inducts all employees through a certified training provider, Citation, covering HSE and HR policies.

During your first three months, you'll receive extensive support through collaboration, shadowing, demonstrations, and studio visits to help you develop confidence and success in the role.

The company actively encourages professional development and provides financial support and study time for relevant qualifications, including CIPD and management courses. Employees who are eager to learn and grow with the business are strongly supported.

art-K's Feedback Culture

At art-K, we place great value on continuous growth and development through constructive feedback.

As part of the team, you'll receive regular feedback designed to help you build confidence, strengthen your skills, and thrive in your role. You'll also be encouraged to share feedback that supports the growth of colleagues and the wider organisation.

By embracing a growth mindset and a culture of open communication, we create an environment where everyone can achieve their potential while maintaining the high standards that make our studios inspiring places to work and learn.

Benefits

• 24/7 access to mental health support through BUPA.

• Wellbeing benefits platform through Heka.

• Blue Light Card benefits.

• Vitality health insurance (following probation).

• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay (following one year of continuous service).

• Additional annual leave linked to length of service, starting after one year.

• 28 days annual leave.

• Company-funded external training after two years of service.

• Death in Service insurance (3x annual salary).

• NEST pension scheme.

Location

In-person role with regular travel to art-K studios.

Possible base locations include:

• Beckenham

• Greenwich

• Wandsworth

• Central Office

Salary

£29,000 per annum (full-time equivalent)

Salary calculated pro rata for part-time hours.

Working Hours

Minimum 4 days per week.

Working patterns can be discussed with the successful candidate.

Safeguarding Statement

The organisation is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff, volunteers, and those contracted to work on our behalf to share this commitment.

This commitment is underpinned by a rigorous safer recruitment process. All appointments are subject to satisfactory completion of all pre-employment checks.