Senior Recruitment Onboarding Officer

Senior Recruitment & Onboarding Officer

Salary: £31,000 per annum

Hours: 40 hours per week

Location: Hybrid office base in Birmingham, with travel to our homes, schools and other sites as required

Reports to: HR Manager

Direct reports: HR Administrator

This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS check.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Senior Recruitment & Onboarding Officer leads the day-to-day recruitment and onboarding function for Resicare Alliance. You will make sure every new starter across our homes, schools and Head Office is recruited safely, compliantly and quickly.

You will line manage our HR Administrator, oversee the Onboarding inbox, temp to perm and agency relationships, and be the main recruitment contact for managers across the organisation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership and line management

Line manage the HR Administrator, including daily prioritisation of work, one-to-ones, probation, appraisals, absence and development.

Set clear service standards (for example, offers issued within 48 hours and queries answered within 48 hours) and monitor performance against them.

Oversee and quality-check onboarding tasks carried out by the HR Administrator and HR Admin Apprentice(s).

Work hands-on when needed, covering and supporting with recruitment and onboarding tasks during busy periods, absence or leave.

Act as the escalation point for recruitment and onboarding queries, and deputise for the HR Manager on recruitment matters when required.

Recruitment and working with managers

Lead day-to-day recruitment for all roles across our homes, schools and Head Office, prioritising high-vacancy areas and new developments.

Act as the main recruitment contact for Registered Managers, Regional Managers and Head Teachers, holding regular catch-ups on vacancies and upcoming staffing needs and keeping them updated on progress.

Write and post adverts, shortlist candidates, arrange interviews and support interview panels where needed.

Ensure all recruitment follows safer recruitment practice, including employment gap checks and values-based interview questions.

Attend and support job fairs, careers events and open days, and build links with local colleges and Jobcentre Plus.

Support recruitment campaigns for new services and hard-to-fill roles.

Onboarding and the Onboarding inbox

Oversee onboarding so that every new starter is fully compliant before their start date, with checks completed in line with Schedule 2 (Children's Homes Regulations 2015) and CQC Schedule 3, including Enhanced DBS, Right to Work and references.

Ensure offer letters and contracts are issued promptly and new starters are set up on systems and booked onto induction training.

Take ownership and oversight of the shared Onboarding inbox, including the daily rota, cover and 48-hour response target.

Ensure personnel files are accurate and audit-ready, and support staff file audits and inspection readiness (Ofsted and CQC).

Temp to perm and agencies

Manage the temp-to-perm process, tracking agency workers' hours weekly and working with managers to confirm permanent placements at the right time.

Ensure all compliance checks and sign-off are in place before any temp-to-perm worker starts or shadows a shift.

Act as the main point of contact for recruitment agencies, making sure supplier agreements and Terms of Business are in place and agreed ways of working are followed.

Monitor agency use and costs, and flag issues to the HR Manager.

Sponsorship

Coordinate recruitment of sponsored workers, supported by the HR Manager, who keeps overall responsibility for sponsor licence compliance.

Prepare information for Certificates of Sponsorship, keep sponsored workers' files compliant and track visa expiry dates.

Report changes affecting sponsored workers (such as absences, role changes and leavers) to the HR Manager promptly.

Applicant tracking system (ATS)

Act as lead user of our ATS and support the move away from manual recruitment processes.

Make sure vacancies, candidates and agency submissions are managed through the ATS, and that data is accurate and GDPR-compliant.

Train and support the HR Administrator, apprentices and hiring managers to use the ATS.

Act as the first point of contact with the ATS provider for any issues.

Reporting and improvement

Produce recruitment, onboarding and temp-to-perm figures for weekly and monthly management reporting.

Keep the organisation chart and vacancy information up to date in our HR systems.

Suggest improvements to recruitment and onboarding processes.

Carry out any other reasonable duties as requested by the HR Manager.

ABOUT YOU

Essential

Good standard of education, including GCSE English and Maths (or equivalent)

Experience of high-volume, end-to-end recruitment and onboarding

Experience of supervising or line managing staff

Experience of using an applicant tracking system

Experience of carrying out pre-employment checks (DBS, references, Right to Work)

Experience of working with recruitment agencies

Understanding of safer recruitment principles and Right to Work requirements

Able to lead and develop a team member

Excellent organisation, with the ability to manage high volumes and tight deadlines

Strong attention to detail

Excellent communication and relationship-building skills

Confident IT user

Commitment to safeguarding and confidentiality

Desirable

CIPD Level 3 (or working towards it)

Safer recruitment training

Recruitment experience in social care, children's services or education

Experience of recruiting sponsored workers

Knowledge of Schedule 2 and CQC Schedule 3 requirements

Knowledge of Skilled Worker sponsorship duties

Experience of attending job fairs or recruitment events

Full UK driving licence

SAFEGUARDING

Resicare Alliance is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all staff to share this commitment. This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.

Why Choose Resicare Alliance Children's Care?

We are a growing organisation and our future is shaped by our shared values. We genuinely strive to make the differences we promote, and our fantastic team is the enabler of our ambition to deliver outstanding care and support.

• Meaningful Work: You will be at the forefront of transforming young lives, offering guidance, stability, and emotional support to children in need.
• Professional Growth: RCA is committed to your professional development. We offer ongoing training and advancement opportunities to help you reach your career goals.
• Supportive Team: Join a team of caring professionals who share your passion for making a difference in the lives of vulnerable children.
• Competitive Compensation: We value your dedication and expertise and offer competitive salaries and benefits.

All applications are assessed in detail and processing them is subject to safer recruitment regulations, as governed by both the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Ofsted. The application process may be more demanding, but the job is also more rewarding.

We look forward to receiving and reviewing your application.