Recruitment Officer 12-month Maternity Cover

NHS; Loughborough; On-site; GBP 36,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading children's hospice in Loughborough is seeking a passionate Recruitment Officer for a 12-month fixed-term contract. This role involves managing the recruitment cycle, championing inclusive practices, and ensuring a positive onboarding experience for new hires. The ideal candidate has proven recruitment experience and a CIPD qualification. This full-time role offers a salary of £35,560 annually, along with various benefits.

Benefits

Free onsite parking

Healthcare Cashback plan

Life Assurance

27 days holiday plus bank holidays

Contributory pension scheme

Affordable meals

Wellbeing support

Fun events and staff away days

Qualifications

• Proven experience designing and embedding effective, inclusive recruitment practices.
• Confident using and optimising an ATS.
• Solid ability to conduct and train others in different types of interviews.

Responsibilities

• Lead exceptional recruitment experience ensuring inclusive practices.
• Manage the end-to-end recruitment cycle.
• Organise and deliver onboarding for new starters.

Skills

Recruitment practices

Relationship building

Data analysis

Interview techniques

Event representation

Education

CIPD qualification or equivalent experience

Tools

Applicant Tracking System (Talos)

MS Office

Job description

Job summary

Are you a skilled recruitment professional looking for a fixed-term opportunity where your work truly makes a difference? If so, we’d love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

We’re looking for a passionate and proactive Recruitment Officer to join our friendly People Team on a 12 month maternity cover contract. You’ll play a key role in attracting, engaging, and onboarding the talented individuals who help make Rainbows such a special place to work. Location: Onsite at Rainbows Hospice in Loughborough. Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday 9:00am – 5:00pm. Contract details: Fixed Term until January 2027 (12 months). Ideal start date: January 2026.

About us

Here at Rainbows Childrens Hospice, we provide specialist palliative care and end‑of‑life support to over 750 Babies, Children, and Young People living with life‑limiting conditions and terminal illnesses as well as approximately 3,000 people, including families, siblings, and carers, across the East Midlands. Simply put, we’re here to brighten short lives and support families, wherever they are.

Job details

Date posted: 03 November 2025

Location: Rainbows Hospice, Lark Rise, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 2HS

Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday 9:00am – 5:00pm

Contract: Fixed Term until January 2027 (12 months)

Salary: £35,560 a year

Working pattern: Full‑time

Reference number: RAI1152502

Job description

About the role: This is a varied and rewarding role where you’ll lead on delivering an exceptional recruitment experience, ensuring our hiring practices are inclusive, efficient, and reflective of Rainbows values. Some of the key responsibilities include:

• Support the rollout of the new Applicant Tracking System (Talos), ensuring it is compliant, efficient, and user-friendly, including delivering training to hiring managers.
• Manage the end‑to‑end recruitment cycle, leveraging technology to provide a seamless, people‑focused service.
• Champion inclusion and diversity throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process.
• Provide professional advice and support to managers, employees, and candidates on all aspects of recruitment.
• Organise and deliver Rainbows Corporate Induction for new starters, ensuring a positive onboarding experience.
• Continuously review, refresh, and improve recruitment practices to ensure alignment with current best practice and organisational priorities.
• Successfully recruit new Trustees to the Board, ensuring a transparent and inclusive process.
• Represent Rainbows at careers events, promoting current vacancies and raising awareness of Rainbows as a charity and employer of choice.

Requirements: We’re seeking a confident and experienced recruiter who can hit the ground running and make a real impact from day one. You’ll be someone who enjoys building relationships, improving processes, and finding creative ways to attract exceptional talent. Proven experience designing and embedding effective, inclusive recruitment practices. Confident using and optimising an ATS. Strong knowledge of selection methods and interview techniques. Able to build strong, collaborative relationships across teams. Experienced in conducting and training others in competency‑based and assessment interviews.

Benefits

• Free onsite parking at the Hospice, Lark Rise, Loughborough.
• Eligibility to join blue light card discount scheme and Company Shop.
• Healthcare Cashback plan.
• Life Assurance.
• 27 days holiday plus bank holidays.
• Contributory pension scheme or Salary Sacrifice Pension Scheme.
• Affordable meals at the Hospice, Lark Rise, Loughborough.
• Free Tea, Coffee and Fruit whilst at the Hospice.
• Free access to an employee assistance programme.
• Wellbeing support and access to Mental Health First Aiders.
• Unofficial benefits: Fun events, All staff away days, Guest visitors.

Person Specification – Essential

• CIPD qualification or relevant equivalent experience.
• Demonstrable experience in creating, implementing and embedding robust recruitment practices using up‑to‑date processes.
• A passion for resourcing and able to headhunt effectively using innovative methods and where appropriate without the use of a platform such as LinkedIn.
• Proven experience as a recruiter.
• Hands on experience with various selection processes.
• Demonstrable ability to establish effective and cooperative working relationships.
• Solid ability to conduct and train others in different types of interviews (competency‑based, assessment centre etc).
• Working with applicant tracking systems.
• Demonstrable experience of use of qualitative and quantitative data analysis to understand activity, trends and areas of focus to make informed recommendations and decisions.
• Prepared to constructively challenge the views of others and manage interpersonal differences effectively.
• IT literate (MS Office) and ability to report on data.
• Interpersonal skills and ability to influence, motivate and engage as well as appropriate challenge required, working towards a pragmatic solution.
• Strong planning and organisational skills able to prioritise workload and appropriate level of activity and engagement.
• Ability to prioritise workload and managing conflicting demands being flexible with a high degree of emotional intelligence.
• Ability to deliver well‑developed verbal, written and analytical information with good presentation skills for a range of audiences and contexts.
• Ability to work to deadlines.
• A passion for recruitment.
• A leader on equality of opportunity who values diversity and removes barriers to equality.
• Ability to work on own initiative.
• Commitment to equality of opportunity and staff development.
• One Team – working together with fairness and respect.
• People Centred – championing inclusivity, compassion and clarity.
• Aim High – adapting, learning and sharing our expertise.
• Own It – focused, committed and accountable.

Person Specification – Desirable

• EDI Qualification.
• Experience of recruitment practices in a Hospice/Health and Social care sector.
• Experience of recruitment in the charitable sector.
• Experience using Networx ATS.
• Experience of internal company recruitment.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People

Rainbows Hospice, Lark Rise, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 2HS

Contact information

For further information about this role and the responsibilities please contact Emma Burton, Recruitment Officer, on [e-mail].

To apply for the role please click apply now to complete an online application form. If you require an alternative method of applying or would like to discuss reasonable adjustments further, please contact the Recruitment Team at [e-mail].

This role is subject to a Standard DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check and comprehensive pre‑employment screening, including employment referencing covering the past five years. Please note: We reserve the right to close this advert early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. We encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.