Workforce Recruitment and Retention Advisor

The Methodist Church in Britain; Normanton on Trent; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday plus bank holidays, 30

Flexible working opportunities

Local Government Pension Scheme

Life assurance of three times annual?

On-site day nursery rated outstanding

Season ticket loan

Lease car salary sacrifice scheme

Opportunities to grow and develop your

Job summary

Reading Borough Council’s Children’s Services is seeking a proactive recruitment and workforce planning professional for a 12-month fixed-term post. The role involves coordinating campaigns, onboarding new starters, and delivering workforce insights to reduce agency use, with regular liaison across operational managers, Corporate Resourcing and HR.

You will contribute to recruitment campaigns, onboarding, retention initiatives and workforce surveys, building strong relationships with managers

Qualifications

• Experience in recruitment, HR administration, organisational development, workforce planning or service improvement.
• Experience supporting projects or programmes through to completion.
• Experience working with a range of stakeholders and building positive relationships.
• Experience producing reports and analysing data to identify trends and themes.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate recruitment campaigns, events, careers fairs and outreach across Children’s Services.
• Act as the key contact to progress recruitment and resolve delays.
• Coordinate onboarding and induction for new starters.
• Provide candidates with a positive experience through recruitment and onboarding.
• Support retention initiatives, stay interviews and workforce surveys.
• Monitor and coordinate agency reduction and conversion activity.
• Produce workforce reports on recruitment, vacancies, turnover, onboarding and retention.
• Analyse workforce information to identify trends, risks and opportunities.
• Support workforce improvement and service development projects.
• Build relationships with managers, corporate services and external partners.
• Support development of recruitment materials and promotional content.
• Gather feedback from new employees and identify opportunities for improvement.

Job description

This 12-month fixed-term post sits within Children's Services at Reading Borough Council, supporting the council's workforce planning. The work centres on recruitment campaigns, onboarding, retention initiatives and reducing reliance on agency staff. Based on a 37-hour week, the role involves regular liaison with operational managers, Corporate Resourcing and HR, and tracking workforce data. Experience in recruitment, HR or workforce planning decides fit, and Children's Services experience is desirable but not required.

What the job involves

• Coordinate recruitment campaigns, events, careers fairs and outreach across Children's Services
• Act as the key contact to progress recruitment and resolve delays
• Coordinate onboarding and induction for new starters
• Provide candidates with a positive experience through recruitment and onboarding
• Support retention initiatives, stay interviews and workforce surveys
• Monitor and coordinate agency reduction and conversion activity
• Produce workforce reports on recruitment, vacancies, turnover, onboarding and retention
• Analyse workforce information to identify trends, risks and opportunities
• Support workforce improvement and service development projects
• Build relationships with managers, corporate services and external partners
• Support development of recruitment materials and promotional content
• Gather feedback from new employees and identify opportunities for improvement

What’s required

Experience

• Experience in recruitment, HR administration, organisational development, workforce planning or service improvement
• Experience supporting projects or programmes through to completion
• Experience working with a range of stakeholders and building positive relationships
• Experience producing reports and analysing data to identify trends and themes

Skills & knowledge

• Strong organisational skills and managing competing priorities
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Good analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Confidence using Microsoft Office and workforce, HR or recruitment systems
• Working independently while knowing when to escape issues
• Commitment to continuous improvement and excellent customer service

Other

• Organised, proactive and solution-focused approach

Nice to have

• Experience within Children's Services, social care or local government

What’s offered

• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays, rising to 30 days after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years, with option to buy additional leave
• Flexible working opportunities
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Life assurance of three times annual salary (LGPS members)
• On-site day nursery rated outstanding by Ofsted
• Season ticket loan for rail or bus travel
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme including insurance, servicing and road tax
• Opportunities to grow and develop your career