Job Description
Head of Talent
Social Care & Education Provider
Full-Time
Salary: £70,000 + Performance Bonus
Remote (with regular travel as required) - West Yorkshire
We are seeking an experienced, commercially-minded Head of Recruitment to join a growing provider of Social Care and Education services.
This is a pivotal leadership role within the People function, responsible for driving high-volume recruitment across frontline care, education, and support roles. You will ensure workforce capacity keeps pace with ambitious growth plans - without compromising on quality, compliance or candidate experience.
Your leadership will directly enable sustainable expansion and help ensure children and young people receive the safe, consistent support they deserve.
The Role
Leading a team of recruiters and onboarding specialists, you will design and deliver a scalable recruitment strategy aligned to operational demand and commercial objectives.
You will be accountable for creating a seamless, efficient and candidate-focused journey from application through to compliant start date, while reducing agency reliance and improving workforce stability.
This role requires a strategic thinker who can operate at pace in a competitive, regulated environment.
Key Responsibilities
* Develop and deliver recruitment strategies aligned to growth and workforce planning targets
* Lead, coach and develop a high-performing recruitment and onboarding team
* Partner with operational leaders to forecast workforce demand and tailor attraction strategies
* Reduce third-party agency reliance through direct sourcing and internal talent initiatives
* Streamline onboarding processes to reduce time-to-hire
* Ensure candidates progress efficiently from application to compliant start
* Drive continuous improvement across systems, reporting and candidate communication
* Own and optimise the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and screening platforms
* Develop initiatives to improve bank usage, overtime utilisation and workforce flexibility
* Design retention-focused recruitment strategies to reduce attrition
* Deliver a positive, candidate-centric experience that enhances employer reputation
* Ensure full adherence to safer recruitment standards and regulatory requirements
* Oversee enhanced DBS, referencing and vetting processes
* Maintain consistent and robust recruitment governance across all services
* Position the organisation as an employer of choice within the care and education sector
* Develop innovative attraction campaigns across digital and offline channels
* Represent the organisation at recruitment events nationally
* Produce monthly management information reports with clear, actionable insights
* Track KPIs including time-to-hire, vacancy fill rates and workforce utilisation
* Manage the recruitment budget to ensure cost-effective delivery
* Align recruitment performance with operational and commercial targets
About You
You are a strategic recruitment leader who thrives in high-volume environments and understands the pace, complexity and compliance requirements of frontline recruitment within care, education or similarly regulated sectors.
Essential Experience & Skills
* Significant leadership experience in high-volume recruitment environments
* Experience within care, education or another regulated sector
* Proven success improving onboarding processes
* Strong knowledge of safer recruitment and compliance requirements
* Data-driven mindset with advanced reporting and analytical capability
* Experience with ATS, HRIS and candidate screening systems
* Demonstrable success in recruitment marketing and employer branding
* Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills
* Experience managing recruitment budgets
Desirable
* CIPD, REC or equivalent professional qualification
Apply below.