Recruitment Specialist

Hutchison Ports (UK); Felixstowe; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 53,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension 8%

Life Assurance 14x

Profit & performance bonus

Employee Assistance Program

Private medical insurance

On-site Occupational Health

Paid leave & sick pay

Volunteering days

Perkbox discounts

Development pathways

Job summary

Hutchison Ports UK in Felixstowe is seeking a Recruitment Specialist to lead specialist and technical hiring across the UK business. You will partner with the Recruitment Manager to source, headhunt and build talent pipelines, delivering timely, high‑quality candidates for critical roles.

The role emphasizes end‑to‑end recruitment, market insight and collaborative partnership with hiring managers, unions and operations.

Qualifications

• Experience in recruitment focusing on specialist/technical roles.
• Strong headhunting and direct sourcing capabilities.
• Experience managing multiple, complex vacancies with deadlines.
• Proven ability to work with numbers, data, details and processes.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end recruitment for specialist and hard-to-fill roles, including sourcing, pipeline development, assessment design, interview delivery and ATS management.
• Provide strategic recruitment partnership with market intelligence, benchmarking, attraction strategies and guidance to hiring managers.
• Build relationships and lead campaigns, coordinating recruitment initiatives across departments, unions and external partners.
• Promote safety by assessing candidates' understanding of safe working practices in operational/technical environments.

Skills

Specialist recruitment

Head hunting

Direct sourcing

Vacancy management

Data & processes

Stakeholder management

Communication

Job description

RECRUITMENT SPECIALIST

The Role

Hutchison Ports – Port of Felixstowe is the UK’s largest deep water container port and a major gateway for global trade. As a Recruitment Specialist, you will be responsible for specialist and technical recruitment across Hutchison Ports UK. Working with the Recruitment manager, to provide expert advice to hiring managers, securing high quality candidates through direct sourcing, headhunting and market mapping to ensure effective and timely delivery of recruitment.

Our Benefits – Rewarding the people who keep our port moving

We offer a strong, reliable benefits package designed to support your financial security, wellbeing and long‑term development:

Financial & Security

• Competitive pension: 8% employer contribution (min 4% employee)
• Life Assurance: 14× annual salary for pension scheme members (4× for non‑members)
• Annual profit share bonus and performance related bonus

Health & Wellbeing

• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP): confidential counselling, stress & anxiety support, financial wellbeing guidance, plus access to our Wellbeing Hub
• Private medical insurance
• On site Occupational Health Team and wellbeing support

Time, Flexibility & Community

• Paid leave, enhanced sick pay terms, and family friendly policies
• Volunteering days supporting our local community
• Perkbox retail discounts, wellbeing content and savings across hundreds of brands

Growth & Development

• Access to development pathways, accredited training, and career progression opportunities across our port network

Role Overview

Key responsibilities

• Lead proactive, end‑to‑end recruitment for specialist and hard‑to‑fill roles, including direct sourcing, talent pipeline development, assessment design, interview delivery and ATS management.
• Provide strategic recruitment partnership, offering market intelligence, benchmarking insight, attraction strategies and best‑practice guidance to hiring managers.
• Build strong relationships and lead campaigns, coordinating recruitment initiatives, designing assessment centres and collaborating effectively across departments, unions and external partners.
• Promote a strong safety culture by ensuring candidates are assessed for their understanding of and commitment to safe working practices, particularly for roles in operational and technical environments.

What you need

• Previous experience in recruitment, focusing on specialist and technical roles
• Strong headhunting and direct sourcing capability
• Experiencing managing multiple, complex vacancies with conflicting deadlines
• Proven ability to work effectively with numbers, data, details and processes
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills

Shifts & Pay

• Basic salary: Up to £53,251 depending on skills and experience
• Hours: 37.5hrs per week – Monday to Friday 08:30 – 17:00.

Inclusion & Community

We are committed to creating an inclusive, welcoming workplace where everyone can thrive. We celebrate individual differences and believe that embracing diversity drives innovation, creativity, and stronger collaboration across our teams.

As part of this commitment, we consider all qualified applicants and encourage open conversations about flexible working. We offer a supportive, community‑focused environment and are proud to hold Chartered Status from Women in Maritime.

We are also committed to making reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process to ensure all candidates have an equal opportunity to succeed. While we may not always be able to accommodate every request, we will always do our best to understand individual needs and explore suitable adjustments. These may include:

• Providing application materials in alternative formats (e.g. large print or accessible documents)
• Giving additional time for assessments or interviews
• Sharing interview formats in advance where appropriate
• Providing interview questions in a clear, readable printed format for all candidates
• Where possible, offering virtual interviews as an alternative to in‑person attendance
• Adjusting interview environments (e.g. quiet rooms or reduced distractions)
• Allowing the use of assistive technology or support persons
• Providing clear communication and instructions throughout the process

Our dedicated Diversity & Inclusion committee supports a range of employee networks, including our Women’s Network, PRIDE, Early Careers, Veterans & Reserves, Disability, and Culture groups.

The Recruitment Process - What is involved?

Our recruitment process has been designed for you to easily apply and highlight the best of your skills, expertise and personal attributes. We want you to be prepared, confident and the best version of you for this role.

• Anonymous shortlisting – all identifiable details are removed before hiring managers review applications.
• Interview & task – scenario‑based activity, in try task and a competency interview.
• Outcome – we aim to update all candidates once the process is completed.

Hutchison Ports UK is able to sponsor skilled worker visas in cases where the role fits the requirements set out by the UK government. Please refer to the government website to understand the requirements needed. In cases where a post‑study visa is used initially, it may be the case that the skilled worker visa requirements will not be met once this visa has expired.

Hutchison Ports is committed to creating and developing an inclusive work environment with a diverse workforce. We will consider all qualified applicants and encourage discussion about flexible working opportunities. We offer a supportive, community environment and have been awarded Chartered status by Women In Maritime. We have our own Women’s Network, offer leadership, mentoring and role specific training.