Head of People/HR

Location: London (Oval)

Type: Full-time

Our Mission:

We are creating a world where teachers and schools are no longer wasting time with expensive agencies because Zen allows them to reliably connect and get back to what really matters … our children! 

UK schools spend well over £2bn per year on covering short-term absences with supply teachers. The current model exclusively relies on agencies that charge a massive commission and are terribly inefficient (everything is paper and phone-call-based). We are consolidating this analogue, fragmented, and inefficient marketplace onto a digital platform. Think Uber for supply teachers. In the process, we're pulling hundreds of millions of waste out of the education system and making a huge positive impact on teachers and schools.

We are well-funded by high-profile investors and are led by start-up veterans behind two of London's most prominent tech companies. We have recently raised our Series B funding of $37mil, the largest round in European EdTech this year. This is an exciting opportunity to make a difference and be part of a high growth start-up that is expanding rapidly in the UK and US markets!

Looking to make a difference?

You’ll be joining Zen in a key position supporting our Co-Founders, Slava and Oren, Chief of Staff, and wider management team to deliver on key people priorities.

We’re still young and you’ll play a significant role in the development of the company and team. The Head of People/HR role is a crucial enabler to our growth and delivery and you will be a key part of how Zen helps to both transform the supply and recruitment experience for schools and generate the savings the education system needs. This is a great opportunity for someone looking to apply themselves for a great cause and with great responsibility and autonomy to shape the company for years to come.

Key Responsibilities

• Own all aspects of our people function including employee relations, learning & development, people operations, and retention

• Design and own Zen Educate’s People Strategy and be responsible for the delivery

• Directly manage a high-performing People Team (currently 4 individuals) within an organisation of 350 people looking to double over the coming year

• Communicate our People Roadmap at all levels of the organisation (at the Board, Management Team, and Company-wide level)

• Drive employee development and retention

• Participate in coaching, counselling and advising of management and staff to ensure resolution of all employment related matters

• Lead on investigations, grievances and other employee relations

• Support the Senior Leadership Team in Organisational Design

• Get your hands dirty. Like any true start-up, no two weeks will be the same and a general interest in ‘mucking in’ and just getting the job done is crucial

Our ideal Candidate

• 5+ years of hands-on experience in either People Functions (Human Resources), Talent Acquisition, or a related discipline

• Deep knowledge and passion for how to build a world class People Function – we’re looking for someone keen to roll their sleeves up and get stuck in

• Growth mindset – dedicated to growing your skills as a professional and ready to step in and own the entire People function

• Passion for the education sector and commitment to the company’s success

• Strong bias to action

• We’re happy to consider Full-time or Part-time candidates

What's in it for you?

- Work that you want to talk about

- Competitive salary

- Ownership in the company

- 25+ days of holiday (increases with tenure)

- Life Insurance

- Health Insurance

- Electric Car Scheme 

- Cycle to Work Scheme 

- Central London office with perks like fresh fruit, bike parking, showers and an on-site gym and café

- Fun-loving, tight-knit team solving a problem that makes a difference

Diversity and Inclusion

At Zen, we strive to build a culture of equity and inclusion, where everyone is respected, valued, and appreciated for their unique traits, experiences and perspectives. We are committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and equitable environment where our team can thrive, regardless of age, ethnicity, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, disability, religion or beliefs. We value our differences and believe that practices of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion help us create a fairer, more compassionate environment for all. 

We welcome applicants with diverse backgrounds and different experiences and perspectives — just like the staff who teach through Zen and the children at the schools we work with. We believe in hiring the best people from the widest pool and creating an inclusive culture where people’s voices are heard and all our team can look forward to coming to work. 

We are committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of our community and promoting an equitable and inclusive environment for all. We seek out diverse opinions, beliefs, and experiences because they collectively make us stronger; we’ve had former teachers, pilots, fundraisers, engineers, lawyers, marketers, social media experts and more join our team.

How to apply

Upload a CV and short introduction for why you would be a great fit on our careers page (https://jobs.lever.co/zeneducate).