Emma Hughes

Partner & Head of HR Services, Browne Jacobson LLP

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 multi-academy trusts are facing today.

Emma hosts a number of our collaborative forums for clients and non-clients. Well networked, Emma is able to bring insights and great practice from organisations across the sector to help inspire new approaches to HR. Whilst at Browne Jacobson, Emma has carved out expertise supporting boards with executive pay setting and reward redesign. Emma has also carried out many senior level investigations, ranging from fraud allegations through to tricky bullying and harassment issues.

Emma has led on many business transformation projects, including a complex national restructure. 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 and strike action.

Emma is a regular speaker at education conferences across the country and will often take part in sector-wide webinars and other HR commentary. Until recently, Emma was the Chair of Trustees at a school trust comprising of 16 primary academies. This role gave Emma great insight into the challenges that boards face.

Emma is currently a Trustee for the Institute for Employment Studies, a research organisation that works to bring about sustainable improvements in employment policy and HR management.

1 Workshops series one

Flourishing through change: Values-led workforce decisions in financially challenging times

With almost 9 in 10 school leaders reviewing staffing structures and with financial confidence at a low, school trusts are under intense pressure to make tough choices. But in the face of restructures, cost-cutting and uncertainty, how can we protect staff wellbeing, live out our values, and avoid unintended harm to equity and inclusion? This practical session explores how strong organisational development practice can help trusts respond to financial challenges without compromising their people or principles. We will equip delegates with frameworks to support thoughtful, human-centred and strategic workforce decisions that align with the mission to help both adults and children flourish - even through change.

1 Workshop series two

Developing operations leaders in education

What qualities do effective leaders of operations in education need and how do we nurture and develop people in these roles? In this session, Emma Hughes and Jo Marchant will reflect on their journeys into senior leadership and the learnings that have shaped their style and practice to consider how we build and support the next generation of operational leaders in our trusts.