Job Title: Talent & Recruitment Manager
Location: HM Naval Base, Portsmouth (HMNBP)
Service Area: Human Resources
Hours of Work: 37 Per week
What You’ll be doing:
As Talent & Recruitment Manager at KBS Maritime, you’ll report directly to the Head of HR and play a central role in shaping our recruitment strategy and talent delivery service while leading a dedicated team to deliver best-in-class hiring outcomes. You’ll drive performance, coach and develop the Talent & Recruitment team, and ensure recruitment operations align with business priorities, making a measurable impact on workforce capability and organisational growth. You’ll also be a trusted partner to hiring managers across the business, guiding them through the vacancy approval processes, refining job advert optimisation, and ensuring every role is aligned with the right candidate. From headhunting and supervising screening, to supporting interviews and formal on-site or online assessments, you’ll lead, manage and continuously improve every step of the hiring journey. You’ll also drive improvements in onboarding and retention, by leading new starters integrate smoothly and successfully into our organisation.
From a strategic lens, you’ll be expected to gather time-to-hire data, monitor SLA’s/KPI’s, oversee external partnerships and gather job board metrics for high level reporting, to create solutions to meet business demands including workforce planning routes and shape wider programmes such as entry to employment opportunities (apprenticeships, future graduate schemes, work experiences etc). Furthermore, you’ll lead temporary resource planning, succession for critical and high-risk roles leaning into the KBS HiPo programme, and the development of talent pipelines that ensure long-term capability and resilience across the business. Weekly/monthly reports, board packs, hiring manager training, invoicing and wider HR duty are also expected to ensure a seamless connection between the talent acquisition team and the wider people strategy.
This is a high-impact role where your management expertise will directly influence the quality and strength of our growing team and business. Lastly to note, with a strong and proactive approach, you’ll take ownership and accountability in identifying continuous improvements activities along the recruitment lifecycle, furthering our commitment to One KBS, driving business excellence and fostering a culture of collaboration where every recruitment touchpoint reflects our shared values and contributes to a more inclusive, agile, and high-performing workforce.
You’ll Have:
You’ll bring proven experience operating at Recruitment or Talent Manager level or above, with a strong track record in resource planning and managing full lifecycle recruitment, ideally within an in-house environment. Familiarity with HR systems such as ITrent and hands-on experience with job boards will be advantageous and given the fast-paced and high-visibility nature of the role, you’ll need the confidence to build and maintain strong stakeholder relationships, coupled with a proactive, solutions-focused mindset that drives momentum across all recruitment activity. Above all, you’ll be passionate about delivering exceptional experiences for both candidates and hiring managers, ensuring every interaction reflects the professionalism and values of KBS Maritime, and be confident in assuring CPD for the Talent & Recruitment team.
Additionally, you’ll be able to demonstrate exceptional organisational skills and a sharp eye for detail, whilst taking ownership of managing and overseeing a diverse portfolio of vacancies across KBS Maritime. From coordinating timelines and ensuring compliance with recruitment protocols to maintaining accurate documentation and tracking progress, you’ll bring structure and clarity to every stage of the hiring process in tandem with strategic outputs. Your ability to communicate clearly, adapt to changing priorities, and build trusted relationships will be key in supporting high-quality hiring outcomes.
About you:
As a senior member of the HR team, you’ll thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment where strategic thinking and relationship-building are key. With highly developed communication and organisational skills, you’ll engage confidently with key stakeholders and, ensuring every interaction is thoughtful, responsive, and aligned with business goals. Your ability to listen actively and interpret stakeholder needs will be instrumental in shaping recruitment outcomes that build trust and deliver results.
You’ll bring a future-focused mindset, proactively identifying opportunities to enhance recruitment practices, anticipate evolving talent demands, and contribute to continuous improvement across the wider people strategy. With sound judgement and the ability to manage multiple priorities, you’ll operate with autonomy and initiative, driving forward recruitment excellence at every level of the organisation.
You’ll get:
* A competitive salary
* 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
* Enhanced pension scheme
* Life assurance
* Access to our internal benefits and discounts programme for all colleagues
* Cycle to work scheme
* Additional holiday purchase scheme
* Group income protection
* Flexible parental benefits (if applicable)
* Access to our Internal employee assistance network, giving you the opportunity to reach the heights of success within your new position.
* Continued professional career development
* Kudos reward opportunities (internal achievements scheme)
* Occupational Health & Wellbeing Services
* 50% off entry into the Historic Dockyard
Application process:
Applications are urged to apply prior to the advertising closing date of Friday 14th November 2025 with a view of interviews scheduled to commence week commencing 24th November 2025. For all queries, please contact the Recruitment Team in the first instance who will advise accordingly.
About Us:
At KBS Maritime, we're not just another company – we're an exciting and dynamic joint venture between industry leaders BAE Systems and KBR. Our team is dedicated to providing Asset Management, Infrastructure Management, Energy Solutions and Alongside Services at His Majesty's Naval Base Portsmouth (HMNBP), the beating heart of the Royal Navy.
With almost two-thirds of the Royal Navy's surface ships stationed at HMNBP, working with KBS Maritime means being at the forefront of innovation and progress. We operate in a unique and fascinating environment, with a mix of historic dockyards and cutting-edge infrastructure that's unlike any other.
By delivering state of the art solutions to the Royal Navy, KBS Maritime offers the chance to work on projects that make a real difference to the safety, security, and sustainability of the UK's National Defence and Security. But it's not just about the work – at KBS Maritime, we believe in the value of our people. We have the ethos of a small business, which means we value and empower our team members to succeed