HR and EDI Manager
Are you an experienced HR professional passionate about creating inclusive, high-performing workplaces? Do you thrive on influencing change, shaping people strategies, and championing equity, diversity and inclusion?
We're looking for an HR & EDI Manager to lead our people function and help us build an environment where staff and students can thrive.
As HR & EDI Manager, you'll take a lead role in delivering a comprehensive, professional HR service across the Students' Union. You will oversee the development of HR policies and processes, ensure legal compliance, and embed inclusive practices across the entire employee lifecycle. You'll work closely with senior stakeholders, managers, and staff networks to drive forward our organisational strategy — placing equity, diversity and inclusion at its heart.
You will provide expert HR advice across areas including recruitment, employee relations, performance management and organisational change, and review, develop and implement HR policies aligned with legislation and organisational priorities. You will lead and support EDI initiatives, embedding inclusive practices across all people processes, and advise and influence senior leaders and managers. You will design, deliver and evaluate training to build capability across the organisation, manage multiple projects and priorities effectively, and ensure compliance with GDPR and UK immigration legislation, all while supporting a culture of high performance, accountability and wellbeing.
ABOUT US
We are looking for skilled, friendly and highly motivated people who share our values. With our vibrant environment and organisational culture, the Students' Union is a dynamic workplace only a few places could match. Led by students, we are all about working with students to help them get the most out of their time here at the University of Sussex or Brighton and Sussex Medical School. Whilst being located on Sussex Campus — close to Brighton & Hove — we are separate from the University, something that is crucial to our campaigning and lobbying work. Although we have different departments, we think of ourselves as one big team and are often working all together on projects or helping each other out at big events such as Freshers Week or Elections.
Working on Sussex Campus and for the SU has lots of perks: our staff receive one day off each fortnight as part of our nine-day-fortnight working trial, and access to enhanced time off, which normally amounts to an extra 6 days leave in addition to 20 days of annual leave per year, plus bank holidays. We also allocate funding for staff socials, learning and development opportunities for all our roles, and create a supportive workplace through regular 1-to-1s, an employee assistance programme and professional health services.
If this sounds like the workplace you'd like to join, we would love to receive your application and get to know you!
KEY INFORMATION
Job Title: HR & EDI Manager
Responsible to: Head of Support Services
Rate of pay: Grade 6
Contract: Permanent
Hours of work: 36.5 hours per week (including some evenings and weekends)
Location: Falmer House, BN1 9QF
Applicants: Open to internal and external applicants*
Please note that applications from full-time students will NOT be considered for full-time positions, as it exceeds the recommended hours of work for individuals in higher education. This applies to both undergraduate and postgraduate students.
For more details please see the full Job Description and Person Specification.
KEY DATES
Applications close:
- External applicants: 10 August 2026 at 10:00 am
Interviews:
- At risk staff: 7th August 2026
- External applicants: 24th August 2026
Start Date: As soon as possible
INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS
We really welcome applications from abroad for all of our vacancies. Due to legal regulations we have to ensure that everyone is eligible to work in the UK, and this would be done by us checking and making a copy of the correct original identification/documentation before your first day of work. You may also be limited in the number of hours you would be allowed to work. Find out more information about applying to work in the UK.
In any case, we would encourage anyone to apply for a job in one of our friendly departments to give yourself the chance of being selected, and we would look to see the appropriate original documents before your first day of work.
GETTING PAID
Everyone working in the UK needs a National Insurance number in order to get paid. If you are a UK citizen you will automatically have this, however if you are not a UK citizen you might want to apply for an NI number at the same time as you apply for a job so there is no delay in your payments. You can do so using this link: https://www.gov.uk/apply-national-insurance-number. Please note you cannot apply for a National Insurance Number until you're in the UK, but this should not stop you from completing your application for this role.
COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION
We are really committed to maintaining a diverse workforce because we know how important it is to have decision makers and collaborators with varied lived experiences and backgrounds that reflect the range of needs from our diverse student community.
We welcome applications from everyone, and we want to strongly encourage applications from: people with an ethnic minority or Chinese background, people with a disability, people with dependents, and people who identify as LGBTQ+. We conduct anonymous shortlisting and all of our interview panels have Unconscious Bias Training in order to support the above. We also consider flexible working for those with care commitments. If you have any suggestions as to how we could improve our language or application process please let us know.
As a representative body, one of our key aims is to increase applicants that identify as Black, Asian or a minority ethnic to work in the Students' Union. To support this we will ask you an optional question about your ethnic origin. Not providing this information will not adversely affect your application for the role. This information will be hidden during the application process. Staff that identify as Black, Asian or minority ethnic are also welcome and supported to join our BAME Staff Network.
STAFF AND APPLICANTS WITH LONG TERM CONDITIONS
The Students' Union aims to implement reasonable adjustments for all staff and applicants with disabilities, creating a culture of cooperation, shared responsibility and proactiveness to ensure equitable access to jobs. We want to make sure everyone is supported in our selection processes, and are equipped to work safely and get as much as possible out of their role as possible.
