Talent Acquisition Business Partner - UKIFS Ltd

STEPtoFusion; Abingdon; On-site; GBP 51,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company engaged in fusion energy seeks a Talent Acquisition Business Partner to help build a workforce committed to innovation and sustainability. This role focuses on attracting and retaining top talent while enhancing diversity and inclusivity in the hiring process.

Benefits

Outstanding defined benefit pension scheme

Corporate bonus scheme up to 7%

Flexible working options

Generous annual leave allowance

Wide range of career development opportunities

Qualifications

• Extensive expertise in talent acquisition and workforce planning.
• Proven track record in sourcing hard-to-fill roles.
• Strong knowledge of employment legislation and best practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead the full lifecycle of recruitment, from job design to onboarding.
• Implement creative sourcing strategies for specialist roles.
• Use data-driven insights for recruitment decisions.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Data analysis

Employee engagement

Education

Degree or equivalent

CIPD or equivalent qualification

Job description

Company Description

The UK Government has established UK Industrial Fusion Solutions (UKIFS) Ltd., a subsidiary of UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), to lead the charge in delivering fusion energy through design and delivery of the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) prototype fusion plant. UKIFS is establishing itself, setting up the company, attracting talent, engaging with industry, developing a supply chain, and planning and constructing of the STEP prototype.

Fusion energy, crucial for combating climate change and ensuring energy independence, is expected to be commercially viable by mid-century. The UK, led by UKIFS, aims for a prototype fusion plant, targeting first operations around 2040. UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd. will lead delivery, collaborating with industrial partners and building a fusion supply chain with an estimated global sector value of £7tn per year. Join UKIFS and the STEP programme to be involved in this ground-breaking journey.

As an employee of UKIFS, you will benefit from:

• Outstandingdefined benefit pension scheme, details of which can be found below.
• Corporatebonus schemeup to 7% and aRelocationallowance (if eligible).
• Flexible working optionsincluding family friendly policies and the right to request flexible working from the start of your employment.
• Employee Assistance Programmeand trained Mental Health First Aiders,
• Generous annual leave allowance starting with 25 days, plus 3 days Christmas closure and 2.5 privilege days, in addition to UK bank holidays
• Wide range ofcareer development opportunities
• A vibrantculturecommitted to being fullyinclusive
  
  

A full list of our benefits can be found here https://careers.ukaea.uk/life-at-ukaea/employee-benefits/

The salary for this role is £50,311.

UKIFS employees can be based at either of our sites; West Burton, Nottinghamshire or Culham, Oxfordshire, and onsite working is expected for 3 days each week.

Job Description

The Role

As a Talent Acquisition Business Partner, you’ll play a vital role in realising the STEP vision by recruiting and retaining the exceptional talent required to meet the objectives and milestones of this ambitious programme. You will be instrumental in building the workforce that will help make fusion energy a commercial reality.

Your responsibilities include:

• Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning
• Lead the full lifecycle of recruitment, from job design to onboarding.
• Define and implement creative sourcing strategies for hard-to-fill, specialist roles.
• Develop and manage a talent pipeline, ensuring readiness for future workforce needs.
• Partner with hiring managers and leadership teams to identify and deliver on recruitment requirements.
• Use data-driven insights to inform recruitment decisions and workforce planning.
• Ensure compliance with employment legislation, with a strong emphasis on equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Onboarding & Retention
• Design and implement a seamless onboarding process aligned with UKIFS’s values and Employer Value Proposition (EVP).
• Ensure candidates meet all compliance requirements, including Right to Work and security checks.
• Collaborate with managers and People Business Partners to develop and execute effective retention strategies.
• Employer Value Proposition (EVP) & Branding
• Develop and embed UKIFS’s EVP into all recruitment strategies and materials.
• Enhance the visibility and appeal of UKIFS through careers pages, job boards, and recruitment campaigns.
• Act as an ambassador for the organisation, ensuring candidates understand the value and opportunities offered by UKIFS.
• Stakeholder Collaboration
• Build trusted relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including hiring managers, Whole Plant Partners, and other collaborators.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and innovative team culture across the organisation and partner networks.
  
  

Finding the right person for the role is crucial to the success of our team and the STEP programme. We are particularly keen to hear from candidates who have worked in house, and from those who have experience of working strategically with hiring managers on workforce planning and organisational design.

Qualifications

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent demonstrable level of experience
• CIPD or equivalent qualification/experience
  
  

Experience:

• Extensive expertise in talent acquisition, workforce planning, and onboarding, ideally inhouse in a growing organisation.
• A proven track record of sourcing specialist, hard-to-fill roles through creative methods.
• Strong knowledge of employment legislation and equity, diversity, and inclusion best practices
• Experience of at creating job descriptions and salary benchmarking. Experience of job evaluation methodologies would be highly advantageous but not essential.
  
  

Skills:

• Exceptional stakeholder management and relationship-building abilities.
• Strategic and operational agility, with the ability to balance competing priorities.
• Proficiency in data analysis and reporting to drive decision-making.
• High attention to detail and ability to meet tight deadlines.
  
  

Additional Information

We welcome applications from under-represented groups, particularly women in STEM and individuals from British black and ethnic minority backgrounds, and individuals with disabilities. Our Executive team, supported by our 'Equality, Diversity and Inclusion' (EDI) Partner and Inclusion Ambassadors, actively promotes EDI and takes steps to increase diversity within our organisation. We reinforce best practices in recruitment and selection and evaluate approaches to remove barriers to success.

UKIFS is committed to being accessible. Please email [e-mail] if you have any questions or require help or adjustments to compete on a fair basis, for example, changes to the way we interview or share information.

This role requires employees to complete an online Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), including the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions. Whilst not required at this time, there is a possibility of an SC Clearance being required in the future. If a candidate already holds an SC clearance, that clearance can be transferred to UKIFS.

For applicants applying from outside the United Kingdom or those who have spent time outside the UK in the last five years, please visit the following link for information on criminal records checks:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants If your country of residence or previous residence is not listed on the website or if the UK Government does not have information on obtaining a criminal records check from that state, we regret to inform you that we cannot process your application.

Please note that vacancies are generally advertised for 4 weeks but may close earlier if we receive a large number of applications. We may consider your application for future positions or similar positions within the organisation.

For more information on UKIFS, visit: https://careers.ukaea.uk/wp-content/uploads/download/UKIFS_CandidateRecruitmentPack.pdf

We have a number of exceptional opportunities available at the moment, to view them all please visit Careers - STEP