.jpg?variant=HeroImageDesktopVariantDefinition)
Emma Hughes
Partner
Birmingham
emma.hughes@brownejacobson.com
+44 (0)330 045 2338
Emma Hughes, Chartered Fellow of the CIPD - Head of HR Services, Emma has over 15 years’ experience in generalist HR in both the private sector and the public sector. Emma has worked as HR director and regional HR business partner for two large, national school trusts and regularly networks with other HR leaders in the education sector. This enables Emma to keep abreast of the challenges that schools, academies and school trusts are facing today. Emma hosts a number of our collaborative forums for clients and non-clients including the Confederation of School Trusts (CST) endorsed Large MAT HRD forum and the Browne Jacobson regional HR forums held across 5 of our offices. Well networked, Emma is able to bring insights and great practice from organisations across the sector to help inspire new approaches to HR and organisational development and design.
Emma has led the HR practice at Browne Jacobson since 2017 and during this time she has carved out expertise in executive pay setting and school trust reward re-design resulting in her support of the of the sector’s first executive salary benchmarking survey in October 2021 by CST. Emma has also utilised her past experience as a Chair of Trustees to contribute to several knowledge pieces for CST including, executive pay setting, executive performance review and she has also contributed to CST’s Chair Development Programme and their masterclass series.
Emma has led on several business transformation projects, including a national restructure that involved HR/finance/estates functions across the whole organisation. Emma has also worked with trade unions at a national level covering everything from policy negotiation to terms and conditions through to more tricky industrial disputes involving ACAS conciliation. More recently Emma has supported several clients manage contentious trade union disputes including coaching and advising a Headteacher in order to help stave off strike action.
Emma became a qualified Executive Coach in 2021 and this year became a TRiM Practitioner. Both of these qualifications enable Emma to broaden her advisory skills and offer wider value to clients beyond the traditional realms of HR.
Expertise
Testimonials
"Emma is a questioner, an advisor and a challenger and I have full confidence in her. We have a great relationship."
"Emma is fab, strong, highly skilled, good for a second opinion and is engaged with our Board."
"Emma is deeply knowledgeable about the Trust sector and she uses her expertise incisively and with thoughtfulness and sensitivity."
You may be interested in...
Legal Update
School staff pay – how are academies responding to national recommendations?
Press Release
Browne Jacobson announces twelve partner and legal director promotions for 2023
On-Demand
Flexible working in schools webinar
Legal Update
New report highlights risk of sidelining ED&I in school trusts
Legal Update
#EdCon2023 virtual event hailed a success
Legal Update
EdCon2023 launch: Thursday 12 January
Legal Update - Teachers' Pay Survey
Teacher Pay Survey 2022
Guide
Recruiting school staff on a budget – top tips
Regardless of the outcome of ballots on industrial action, unless there is drastic change to funding for schools in relation to pay increases, it will be unusual to find any organisational budget that is not impacted by the current economic situation.
Opinion
The role of benchmarking in setting pay in schools
Emma Hughes, head of HR services at Browne Jacobson, explains how CST’s updated executive pay report and the linked benchmarking service from XpertHR can help trust boards make robust decisions on pay.
Published Article
It's time for education to embrace flexible working
If NHS staff can request a flexible approach to working patterns then the sector needs to get serious about what it can offer staff, too, if it is to avoid further strain on recruitment and retention.
Legal Update
Can long Covid amount to a disability?
On 7 May 2022, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) tweeted “Discussions continue on whether ‘long Covid’ symptoms constitute a disability. Without case law or scientific consensus, EHRC does not recommend that ‘long’ be treated as a disability.”
Press Release
Browne Jacobson’s C-suite exec level coaching team appoints two new education specialists
National law firm Browne Jacobson has grown its team behind its dedicated Space + Time executive coaching programme with the addition of two more qualified coaches who will work with clients in the education sector.
On-Demand
Dynamic workforces: Getting it right - navigating your way through statutory obligations
View our second part of our dynamic workforces webinar series. In part two, We all want to provide a dynamic workforce to our people and teams, where we will help you to navigate this journey and meet your statutory obligations.
On-Demand
Dynamic workforces: workforce wonders - unlocking the secrets to a healthy, happy team
This on-demand webinar explore the secrets of developing a healthier, happier workforce – no mean feat in these challenging times!
Guide
Executive pay setting in school trusts
For many years now the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) have written to academy Chairs asking for justification and rationale on executive pay. School trusts have reached out to us for advice to help them meet their obligations within the Academies Financial Handbook.
Published Article
Out with 9 to 5, in with 24/7
Does the always-on work culture – especially while remote working – liberate you from the 9 to 5, or shackle you permanently to your job?
On-Demand
Keeping children safe 2020 – managing allegations and agency staff
Our leading HR and safeguarding experts Emma Hughes and Dai Durbridge will provide you with all the information you need in order to meet your statutory obligations in the on-demand recording.
On-Demand
Back to School - preparing for the reopening of schools in September
On-Demand
Back to school – preparing for a potential phased reopening of schools - 18 May 2020
On-Demand
Coronavirus and your school workforce - 7 May 2020
A round-up of advice covering the most frequently asked about issues from our clients when it comes to coronavirus and its impact on the school workforce.
On-Demand
Keeping children safe during Covid-19
On 27 March the Department for Education (DfE) released new guidance to schools and academy trusts to help keep children safe, including online, during the Coronavirus pandemic.