Pact HR

What Pact HR does

Pact HR is a UK-based HR services provider specialising in the education sector, founded in 2012 and headquartered in Bradford as a fully traded service within City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (CBMDC). It serves Multi Academy Trusts, academies, schools, nurseries, Local Governments, and Arm's Length Management Organisations (ALMOs), delivering subscription-based Service Level Agreements (SLAs) across three tiers: Advisory SLA (unlimited HR Business Partnering), MAT/Bespoke SLA (targeted multi-trust support), and Contracts & Admin SLA (documentation and payroll compliance). Customers gain access to the SLA Information Hub, which contains policies, templates, and guidance documents pre-consulted with recognised Trade Unions.

The company's core technology centres on web-based service portals including Prospects Online, a recruitment advertising platform with over 18,000 registered candidates, and DBS Online, a 24/7 DBS checking system now featuring Digital ID Check verification. Underlying infrastructure leverages SAP HR/Payroll for payroll processing, CIVICA EDM for secure document management, Google Analytics for web telemetry, and Mailchimp for newsletter distribution. Additional offerings include consultancy services (HR audits, workplace mediation, TUPE transfers, leadership recruitment), accredited training courses (Safer Recruitment, Leadership Essentials, Sexual Harassment training), and a Helpdesk with both phone/email support and 24/7 online document access.

Pact HR generates revenue through three primary mechanisms: recurring SLA subscriptions (quote-based, tailored per organisation), Pay-as-You-Go transaction fees for Prospects Online recruitment advertising and DBS Online checks, and professional services fees for consultancy and training. SLA clients receive bundled discounts across all pay-as-you-go offerings. The company expanded nationally across England in 2024, while maintaining its original West Yorkshire district presence across Bradford, Leeds, Kirklees, and Calderdale. Strategic positioning is reinforced through partnerships with the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL), the Local Government Association, the Safer Recruitment Consortium, and Skills4Bradford for training delivery.

Name

Pact HR

Legal name

City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (CBMDC)

Website

https://pact-hr.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pact HR is a UK-based HR services provider and traded service within City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, delivering subscription-based SLAs, consultancy, training, DBS checking, and recruitment advertising to schools, academies, Multi Academy Trusts, and local governments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bradford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Subscription-based contracts providing tiered HR support levels. SLA types include: Advisory SLA (unlimited HR Business Partnering), MAT/Bespoke SLA (targeted support), and Contracts & Admin SLA (documentation and payroll compliance). SLA Information Hub access included.
2. Consultancy & Training Services: Bespoke project work without SLA requirement, fully indemnified. Includes Leadership Recruitment, HR Audit, Mini HR Audit, Workplace Mediation, Investigation Service, Hearing and Appeals Support, HR Strategy, and TUPE services. Training includes Safer Recruitment courses, Sexual Harassment Training, and Leadership Essentials modules.
3. Prospects Online Recruitment Advertising: Pay as You Go recruitment advertising service with web-based application management. Adverts automatically posted to Prospects Online, social media (Facebook, X, LinkedIn), neighbouring districts and nationwide publications. SLA customers receive discount.
4. DBS Online Checks: Pay as You Go DBS checking service providing Basic, Standard and Enhanced checks. Includes Digital ID Check and Digital Right to Work verification. SLA customers receive discount on this service.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Pact HR is a traded service within City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council that delivers subscription-based HR services to nurseries, schools, academies, Multi Academy Trusts (MATs), colleges, local governments and ALMOs. Its portfolio includes tiered Service Level Agreements (Advisory SLA with unlimited HR Business Partnering, MAT/Bespoke SLA, Contracts & Admin SLA), web-based pay-as-you-go services (DBS Online and Prospects Online recruitment platform), and bespoke Consultancy & Training including accredited Safer Recruitment, Leadership Essentials modules, and Sexual Harassment e-learning.

Product overview

Pact HR operates as an HR services provider for the education sector, offering a modular portfolio of subscription-based SLA services supplemented by pay-as-you-go offerings. The core subscription services include Advisory SLA (HR Business Partnering with unlimited access to HR professionals), Contracts & Admin SLA (contractual administration), and MAT/Bespoke SLA (targeted support for Multi Academy Trusts). Standalone web-based services include DBS Online (24/7 DBS checking portal with Digital ID verification) and Prospects Online (recruitment advertising with 18,000+ candidate database). Additional offerings include Consultancy & Training, an E-Learning Hub with compliance courses, and a Helpdesk with 24/7 document access. The SLA Information Hub provides policy and template access. Training encompasses accredited Safer Recruitment, Leadership Essentials modules, and Sexual Harassment E-Learning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DBS Online: DBS Online system providing Disclosure and Barring Service checks including basic, standard and enhanced checks, digital ID checks, and digital right to work checks.
• Prospects Online

Products and services

• DBS Online Pay-as-you-go web-based DBS checking portal providing Basic, Standard and Enhanced DBS checks, Digital ID verification and Digital Right to Work checks, available 24/7 for education sector employers and other organisations.
• Prospects Online Self-service recruitment advertising platform for schools and academies with 18,000+ registered candidates, advert upload, applicant management and automatic posting to social media (Facebook, X, LinkedIn) and partner publications.
• Advisory SLA Subscription-based HR Business Partnering service providing unlimited access to experienced HR professionals who work directly with senior leadership teams on people agenda development, case management, and statutory compliance.
• Contracts & Admin SLA Subscription-based administrative support for the employment contract lifecycle from new starter to resignation, including salary calculations and payroll query assistance for schools and academies.
• MAT / Bespoke SLA Subscription-based targeted HR support service tailored to Multi Academy Trusts and other organisations with bespoke HR support requirements across multiple sites.
• Consultancy & Training Bespoke project-based HR services and training delivered without requiring an SLA, fully indemnified. Includes Leadership Recruitment, HR Audit, Mini HR Audit, Workplace Mediation, Investigation Service, Hearing and Appeals Support, HR Strategy, TUPE services, and various training courses.
• PACT HR E-Learning Hub Fully interactive e-learning platform offering online compliance training courses including Sexual Harassment Training for Leaders and awareness training for employees, accessible to clients on demand.
• Accredited Safer Recruitment Training Accredited Safer Recruitment training course approved by the Safer Recruitment Consortium, delivered face-to-face at Bradford City Hall or via fully interactive online sessions by accredited trainers.
• Leadership Essentials Training Four-module leadership training programme covering Handling Difficult Conversations, Improving Employee Performance, Improving Employee Attendance, and Managing Employee Behaviours, available as single modules or as a bundled package with a PACT HR Leadership Essentials Training Certificate.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% of instructions processed within 5 working days; 93.9% within 2 working days
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (CBMDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPACT HR is a fully traded service within Bradford Council. CBMDC provides infrastructure support including ICT department for server maintenance, SAP accounting system for HR data and payroll, and CIVICA secure document management. PACT HR profits support continuous improvement of services and technical expertise development.
• Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPACT HR is an approved partner of ISBL. They draft articles, attend and present at national conferences on educational HR matters. This partnership provides credibility and access to school business leadership community.
• Local Government AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPACT HR is a member of the Local Government Association and Yorkshire and Humber Employment Association. These memberships provide statutory updates on pay and conditions, government policy impacting education, and training opportunities for the team.
• Skills4BradfordmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTraining courses hosted and booked through Skills4Bradford platform. Sessions include Safer Recruitment training at Bradford City Hall and virtual options. SLA Agreement documentation also managed through Skills4Bradford for client renewals.
• Safer Recruitment ConsortiummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPACT HR is an approved trainer of the Accredited Safer Recruitment Course from the Safer Recruitment Consortium. Training delivered by accredited trainers Rhys Howarth and Karen Kershaw.
• Institute for Leadership and Management (ILM)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPACT HR has a number of ILM Accredited Workplace Mediators providing impartial employee mediation and conflict resolution services compliant with ACAS guidelines.
• ESFA, RSD and DiocesemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegulatory body liaison ensuring PACT HR advice meets statutory requirements for Education and Skills Funding Agency, Regional Schools Commissioner, and Diocese partners.
• Affinity Connect (Wealth at Work group)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThrough partnership working, Affinity Connect offers free online financial planning courses to school employees as part of PACT HR's employee wellbeing support.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Judicium Education: Education-specialist HR, legal and compliance services provider to schools, academies and MATs. Direct competitor to PACT HR's Advisory SLA and Contracts & Admin offerings in the same education vertical.
• Citation Group: UK professional services firm providing HR, health & safety, and employment law support to SMEs including schools and academies. Closely comparable to PACT HR in target customer, advisory/outsourced HR model, and subscription-style pricing.
• Juniper Education: Provider of HR, governance, training and school improvement services to primary and secondary schools and MATs. Comparable education-sector HR advisory, policy and training proposition to PACT HR.
• Strictly Education (HR & Legal): Provides HR, employment law and training services specifically designed for schools and academies. Highly comparable to PACT HR's SLAs, training and statutory policy work in the UK education HR market.
• EPM (Education Personnel Management): UK consultancy providing HR and personnel management services to schools, academies and MATs. Comparable in target customer (education sector), service model (advisory + admin outsourcing) and HR compliance focus.

Broad incumbents

• IRIS Software Group (Education): Major UK software vendor providing payroll, HR and HRIS to schools and academies. Adjacent competitor in the education HR technology stack that could encroach on PACT HR's service-led offering.
• MHR (formerly MidlandHR): UK-established HCM, payroll and HRIS vendor with significant education sector footprint via iTrent. Comparable in serving UK schools' HR/payroll needs, though as a broad software incumbent rather than niche specialist.

Emerging players

• Aspire People: UK education recruitment and people services firm. Comparable to PACT HR's Prospects Online recruitment platform and DBS-style vetting in the schools talent market, though broader in scope.
• SSS Learning (Safety, Safeguarding, Standards): Education-sector e-learning and safeguarding training provider. Comparable to PACT HR's E-Learning Hub and accredited training courses (e.g., Safer Recruitment) for school staff.

Others

• Affinity Connect (Wealth at Work): Employee wellbeing and financial education partner of PACT HR. Ecosystem-adjacent participant - comparable as a complementary school-sector service provider rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pacthr
• Facebookfacebook.com/yourPACTHR
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pact-hr

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pact HR