Casework Manager Teach First is a charity that believes education is the most powerful tool to help a child fulfil their potential. We find and train teachers to work in the schools that need them most, we equip school leaders with evidence-led training, we support local teacher training providers, and we plug education leaders into supportive professional networks. We are a community, working within the classroom and beyond, to bring an end to educational inequality. Because a child's future shouldn't depend on their postcode. The role The rundown: The Casework Manager plays a critical role within the Regulatory and Legal team, responsible for enabling managers and teams to navigate sensitive and often complex employee relations and organisational casework across the charity. In this role you’ll ensure that all casework is managed with compassion, professional- ism, and in line with legal, best practice and charity values. You will also champion inclusive practice, working collaboratively to help to embed equity, diversity, and inclusion throughout all casework. By monitoring trends and outcomes, you will also contribute to continuous case management improvement and the development of EDI best practice across the charity. The detail: day-to-day work • You’ll lead and manage formal employee relations cases, where informal resolutions have not been successful, including grievances, disciplinary, harass- ment, bullying, final-stage performance management. • You’ll act as a trusted advisor to managers, providing clear, practical advice and coaching to enable confident, effective handling of sensitive issues and ensuring all cases follow standard processes and timelines, are accurately documented, and are reported in line with internal protocols. • You’ll manage risk and complexity; handling all matters with discretion and integrity, compassion and empathy, ensuring outcomes follow current employment law, best practice and charity values whilst maintaining a commer- cial mindset. • You’ll support and manage employment tribunal claims in collaboration with other teams. • You’ll support and advise on consultation processes during organisational restructuring and redundancy ensuring legal compliance, fairness and support for affected employees and managers. • You’ll manage other organisational casework, including triaging and managing programmatic and internal cases via the Report and Support system, managing our account with the system provider (Culture Shift) and supporting colleagues with Subject Access Requests (SARs), programmatic complaints, and other sensitive cases as required. • You’ll stay up to date with UK employment law and sector-specific guidance and translate developments into practical advice regarding casework and policy updates, providing coaching, briefings, and support to build capability across the charity. • You’ll apply an inclusive lens to all casework, collaborat- ing with EDI experts across the charity to develop best practice for inclusive decision-making and language in all casework and use casework trends to inform continuous improvement. 1 language, and decision-making frameworks, and a strong commitment to inclusion in all aspects of work • You take a data informed approach and can analyse data to identify and manage casework trends to support the charity to learn from trends. The nice to haves: we want to hear from you even if you can’t demonstrate these yet. We’re looking for potential, so tell us about what you can bring to the role. • You are CIPD qualified or equivalent experience. • You have EDI knowledge and expertise • You have familiarity with safeguarding, SARs, or complaints handling. • You have a good understanding of UK employment law and HR best practice, and its practical application within the charity sector. The main responsibilities of this role are described here. As our needs as a charity change, we may need to make reasonable changes from time to time. We succeed when we work together. Here’s who you’ll be working with regularly: • People Business Partners and Advisors • Employee Experience Manager • Employee Development Manager • External legal advisors • Heads of and Managers across Teach First More info on how the role fits in with the rest of the team and charity: You’ll report to: Head of Legal & Regulatory This position is a level 3 role. Take a look at our role levels and where you’ll fit in. You’ll take ownership for: • Employee Relations Casework Management: Lead and manage formal ER cases, ensuring legal compli- ance, fairness, and best practice. Conduct or support investigations, hearings, and outcomes, including documentation, briefings and managing timelines. Liaise with legal advisors and external experts as needed, and support employment tribunal claims. Ensure all casework is handled with empathy, discre- tion, and integrity. • Organisational Casework Management: Manage the Report and Support system, triaging and tracking cases within agreed timeframes. Support the development and maintenance of robust casework reporting and administrative systems. Collaborate with People and Governance teams on sensitive cases, including SARs and programmatic complaints. • Enabling and Upskilling Managers: Provide expert advice, coaching, and training to managers on handling employee relations and organisational casework. Promote proactive, enabling approaches to case management and support the shift from reactive investigations. Design and deliver training to build capability and confidence, with a focus on inclusive practice. • Inclusive Practice and EDI: Ensure all casework and advice is inclusive, identifying and addressing bias, discrimination, or inequity. Develop and share best practice guidance for inclusive decision-making and communication. Collaborate with the EDI Community of Practice to align with the charity’s EDI strategy. Monitor and report on casework trends, using insights to recommend and drive improvements in inclusive practice. About you The Essentials: make sure you demonstrate these in your application. Even if you think you don't quite tick all the boxes we want to hear from you. • You have demonstrable experience in managing complex and sensitive casework with empathy, professionalism, and strong organisational skills to maintain accurate records and comprehensive case notes. • You have experience in assessing risk in the context of case work, including de-escalating cases and ensuring compliance with employment law and best practice standards. • You have excellent communication skills that can provide advice and translate complex information into accessible language for a range of audiences. • You have a coaching-led approach alongside an ability to develop and deliver training on sensitive and complex issues to enable ownership of casework within the charity. • You are committed to developing inclusive guidance, More about working for us There’s lots of great stuff about working here. For full details pop over to our webpages. Our culture: We live by our principles. They underpin our culture and identity. And inform everything we do. Find our more about our cultural principles Diversity and inclusion: We want to be a place where everyone can perform, learn and contribute with the confidence to be themselves. We particularly welcome applications from candidates who are disabled; Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic; Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans including non-binary, and related communities; and candidates whose socio-economic background reflects that of the pupils we work with. We’re committed to better representing the communities we serve. Find out more about what we’re doing to improve our diversity and inclusion. This role is suitable for agile and flexible working Our agile way of working gives you flexibility. Need to start late, finish early or fancy a change of scenery? That’s fine, our Agile Working policy focuses on what you achieve, not presenteeism. If you need a set and regular working pattern to support your life have a chat with us about flexible working options. Over 100 of us already have a flexible working agreement, with more than 70 different working patterns in place. We’re ready to hear your request. Find out more via our flexible working policy on our webpages. Our benefits: Our mission is critical and the work’s important, but so’s your life. We’ve put together a benefits package that means you can live and work well. Find out more on our Working at Teach First webpages. Registered charity no 1098294 3