Freelance Talent Coordinator (Part-Time 5-Month Contract)

Emperor; Greater London; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 48,000; Part time

Job summary

Emperor invites a proactive Freelance Talent Coordinator to join our People Team on a part-time basis for five months. You will support end-to-end engagement of freelance and contingent talent across our global business, collaborating with hiring managers, the Talent Acquisition Partner, Resource Management, Finance and the People Team.

The role combines freelance recruitment and sourcing with contractor compliance, onboarding and stakeholder coordination.

Qualifications

• Experience in recruitment, talent acquisition, resource coordination or contingent workforce management.
• Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
• Excellent organisational and administrative skills.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Experience using recruitment, ATS or workforce management systems.
• Understanding of contractor engagement and compliance requirements.
• Strong commercial awareness with experience negotiating contractor and freelance rates.
• Ability to balance hiring manager requirements, budget considerations and candidate expectations to achieve successful outcomes.
• Experience conducting IR35 assessments.
• Knowledge of Employer of Record (EOR) solutions and contingent workforce models.

Responsibilities

• Source and engage freelance talent across Client Services, Design, Production and Digital.
• Build talent pools across the UK, Middle East and other markets.
• Negotiate freelance rates and engagement terms.
• Guide hiring managers on rates, availability and cost-effective solutions.
• Maintain freelance rate benchmarks across regions and disciplines.
• Identify talent via LinkedIn, referrals and direct networking.
• Conduct screening interviews to assess fit and rate expectations.
• Present shortlisted candidates with clear recommendations.
• Manage freelance recruitment from brief to engagement.
• Coordinate freelance engagements from approval to start.
• Prepare and extend freelance agreements and extensions.
• Support IR35 assessments for UK contractor engagements.
• Maintain accurate contractor/freelancer records.
• Ensure engagements follow policies and governance with Finance.
• Assist with onboarding and compliance in internal systems.
• Support profitability, utilization and resource optimization initiatives.
• Assist with international freelance engagements and routing.
• Identify best engagement routes: freelance, contractor or EOR.
• Liaise with EOR providers and external partners.
• Ensure compliance with local engagement requirements with advisors.

Skills

Experience in recruitment

Talent acquisition

Resource coordination

Contingent workforce management

Job description

About Emperor

Emperor is for your great ambitions. We’re an employee-owned corporate communications and creative agency with more than 240 partners specialising in reporting, brand, digital, employee engagement, change and sustainability.

About Emperor

Emperor is for your great ambitions. We’re an employee-owned corporate communications and creative agency with 250 partners specialising in reporting, brand, digital, employee engagement, change and sustainability.

We want to be the agency of choice for ambitious talent. So, we’re looking for brilliant people who actively want to create great things with us.

Our culture is one where you’re free to do, learn and achieve better. We welcome every partner to experience a sense of belonging; whoever you are, wherever you’re working from, whatever your role. Our values guide how we work every day, with each other, our clients, and suppliers. And with our friendly inclusive environment, effort and empathy, we make the feeling real.

Our Pledges represent commitments from Emperor to each partner designed to promote personal and collective wellbeing, plus raise awareness of and address some of the bigger societal and environmental challenges, nurture our unique culture and make the business a healthier and more responsible place to work.

The wellbeing of our partners is a big focus at Emperor which why we have a dedicated Wellbeing and Pledges Manager to ensure our mind and bodies are working in sync to support our great ambitions.

Our employee-owned status helps us see working life differently, purposefully, and collectively. We’re fully committed to responsible business that leaves a positive footprint for our clients, our partners, communities, and society.

The role

We’re looking for a proactive and highly organised Freelance Talent Coordinator to join our People Team on a part-time basis for five months.

This role is responsible for supporting the end-to-end engagement of freelance and contingent talent across our global business. Working closely with hiring managers, the Talent Acquisition Partner, Resource Management, Finance and the People Team, you’ll help ensure we can access the right talent quickly, compliantly and cost-effectively.

The role combines freelance recruitment and sourcing with contractor compliance, onboarding and stakeholder coordination. You’ll be responsible for building talent pipelines across multiple regions, negotiating freelance rates and engagement terms, and ensuring engagements are structured appropriately through freelance, contractor or Employer of Record (EOR) arrangements where required. This role will also include working on permanent roles when freelance isn't as busy.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys building relationships, solving resourcing challenges and ensuring a smooth experience for both hiring managers and freelancers.

Key Responsibilities

Freelance Recruitment

• Source and engage freelance talent across key disciplines including Client Services, Design, Production, Strategy, Content, Artwork and Digital.
• Build and maintain talent pools across the UK, Middle East and other international markets.
• Negotiate freelance rates and engagement terms, balancing commercial objectives with market competitiveness.
• Provide guidance to hiring managers on market rates, availability trends and cost-effective talent solutions.
• Build and maintain an understanding of freelance rate benchmarks across disciplines, regions and specialist skillsets.
• Proactively identify and approach talent through LinkedIn, referrals, talent communities and direct networking.
• Conduct screening interviews to assess skills, suitability, availability and rate expectations.
• Present shortlisted candidates to hiring managers with clear recommendations.
• Manage freelance recruitment activity from brief through to engagement.

Compliance

• Coordinate freelance engagements from approval through to assignment commencement.
• Support the preparation and administration of freelance agreements and extensions.
• Support the People team to conduct and document IR35 assessments for UK contractor engagements.
• Ensure contractor and freelancer records are maintained accurately and compliantly.
• Work with the People Team and Finance to ensure engagements follow company policies and governance requirements.
• Monitor contract end dates and proactively coordinate extensions where required.
• Support onboarding and compliance processes through internal systems and platforms.
• Provide ad-hoc support to business initiatives focused on profitability, utilisation and resource optimisation.

Employer Of Record (EOR) Coordination

• Support the engagement of international freelancers and contingent workers.
• Assist hiring managers in identifying the most appropriate engagement route, including freelance, contractor and Employer of Record (EOR) solutions.
• Liaise with approved EOR providers and external partners where required.
• Support compliance with local engagement requirements in partnership with the People Team and external advisors.

Skills & Experience

• Experience in recruitment, talent acquisition, resource coordination or contingent workforce management.
• Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
• Excellent organisational and administrative skills.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Experience using recruitment, ATS or workforce management systems.
• Understanding of contractor engagement and compliance requirements.
• Strong commercial awareness with experience negotiating contractor and freelance rates.
• Ability to balance hiring manager requirements, budget considerations and candidate expectations to achieve successful outcomes.
• Experience conducting IR35 assessments.
• Knowledge of Employer of Record (EOR) solutions and contingent workforce models.

As an employer, we are committed to ensuring the representation of people from all backgrounds regardless of their gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, disability status, or any other aspect which makes them unique. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds to apply and would encourage you to let us know if there are steps we can take to ensure that your recruitment process enables you to present yourself in a way that makes you comfortable.