Recruitment Operations Manager

A&O Shearman; Northern Ireland; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global law firm in Northern Ireland seeks a Recruitment Operations Manager to lead a team in delivering exceptional recruitment services. The ideal candidate has proven global recruitment operations experience and outstanding communication skills. This role involves enhancing efficiency, championing data governance, and driving global recruitment strategies, while offering benefits like flexible working and comprehensive health services.

Benefits

Occupational pension scheme

Private medical insurance

Mental health resources

Qualifications

• Proven global recruitment operations experience.
• Outstanding communication and teamwork skills.
• Experience leading high-performing teams.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end recruitment administration processes.
• Drive operational excellence for recruitment.
• Lead process improvements for global HR initiatives.

Skills

Client service delivery

Stakeholder management

Process improvement

Mentoring

Collaborative teamwork

Education

Graduate certification, CIPD preferred

Tools

Kenexa BrassRing

PeopleSoft

Job description

Job Description

We have an exciting opportunity for a Recruitment Operations Manager to join our HR Services team, based in the A&O Shearman Belfast office.

If you have global recruitment experience and a strong track record in operational delivery, we would love to hear from you! Apply today via the link below, or reach out to me at [e-mail] for more information.

HR Services - Belfast

Our HR Services team is dedicated to delivering exceptional support and strategic guidance across the business. We partner at a senior level to provide expert support and comprehensive services through specialist teams, including Recruitment Operations.

Within this, our Recruitment Administration team manages all administrative aspects of recruitment activity - including interview management, employment contract generation and background screening - whilst supporting the delivery of an exceptional candidate and client experience. The team provides recruitment services to teams across our global network, including the UK, Middle East, Paris, Belgium, and the Netherlands and works in close partnership with our global Talent Attraction teams.

What you will do

As a Recruitment Operations Manager, you will manage a team of nine talented professionals - including Specialists, a Senior Administrator, and Recruitment Administrators - delivering exceptional recruitment administration services across the UK, UAE, and Europe. With global expansion on the horizon, your leadership will be key in centralising processes, enhancing efficiencies, and supporting strategic initiatives.

In this role, you will also:

• Lead and develop: Manage, mentor, and grow a team of nine.
• Deliver operational excellence: Oversee end-to-end recruitment administration processes, driving quality, compliance, and efficiency.
• Drive global impact: Support resourcing activities for experienced hires and some early careers programs across multiple regions, focusing on interview management, offers, onboarding and candidate experience.
• Uphold data integrity and governance: Champion data integrity, employment contract compliance, and effective use of our ATS (Kenexa BrassRing).
• Foster stakeholder collaboration: Act as the first point of escalation, building strong relationships with internal teams and external partners.
• Champion innovation: Lead process improvements and contribute to global HR transformation projects.

What you will have

• Trusted advisor mindset: You excel at delivering exceptional client service by building strong, trusted relationships and becoming an integral part of your client's leadership team.
• Global expertise: Proven experience in global recruitment operations whilst working in partnership with Talent Attraction, driving process efficiencies and implementing best practices across diverse markets.
• Influential communication skills: Outstanding communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to foster collaboration.
• Leadership excellence: Skilled in people management, capable of building and leading high-performing teams that consistently deliver results.
• Commitment to quality: A track record of high performance, meticulous attention to detail, and the ability to manage self, team, and tasks effectively to uphold the highest standards.
• Innovative problem‑solving approach: Evaluate processes, partner with global networks to develop practical solutions, and enable teams to focus on value‑added activities. Exceptional organisational and planning skills to ensure resilience and service excellence.
• Collaborative approach: Open, enthusiastic, and engaging approach to teamwork, thriving in fast‑paced environments.
• Project experience: Experience in leading projects focused on process improvement and innovation, driving meaningful change across the organisation.

You will stand out if you bring

• Leadership in recruitment operations: Proven experience leading recruitment administration teams, with a strong ability to identify, develop, and nurture talent.
• Expertise in resourcing processes: Deep functional knowledge of resourcing systems and processes within multinational professional services or commercial organisations.
• Process innovation: Skilled in designing, implementing, and monitoring efficient resourcing solutions, driving automation of manual processes, and managing global process transitions.
• Professional credentials: Graduate certification, with CIPD certification preferred.
• Technical proficiency: Hands‑on experience with Kenexa BrassRing and PeopleSoft platforms.

What we can offer you

We recognise that our people are our most valuable asset, which is reflected in the wide range of benefits that are available to our employees. Some of these benefits include: our occupational pension scheme, group income protection cover, private medical insurance, mental health resources and free apps, health and wellbeing services encompassing GP service, emergency back‑up care support, parental and special leave, holiday entitlement increasing with length of service, holiday trading, online discounts and lifestyle management services.

We recognise the value of flexible working and embrace hybrid working, allowing our people to work from home up to 40% of their working time. We do, however, remain committed to working together in person for the remaining 60% of time so that we can learn, grow and succeed together.

Should you require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process due to a disability or a health condition, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our recruitment team who will work with you to provide any adjustments as required.

We are an equal opportunities recruiter and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

If this role is not of interest we may have another suitable opportunity here for you at A&O Shearman! Visit our careers portal at A&O Shearman Careers and submit your CV to our Talent Network to be notified when the perfect opportunity becomes available.