Recruitment Lead

Recruitment Lead (Maternity Cover)

Full Time | 37 Hours Per Week | Fixed Term (Up to 12 Months)
Salary: £41,177.45 - £45,529.48
Location: Swindon
Start Date: October 2026

Affinity Partnerships are proud to be partnering with The White Horse Federation to recruit an experienced Recruitment Lead for a maternity cover position.

This is an exciting opportunity to join The White Horse Federation, a successful Multi-Academy Trust supporting 30 schools across Swindon, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. As part of the Trust's Central Professional Services team, you will play a key leadership role in delivering an outstanding recruitment service across a diverse and growing organisation.

As Recruitment Lead, you will oversee recruitment activity across the Trust's schools and Central Office functions, leading a team of Recruitment Officers and ensuring a proactive, efficient and candidate-focused approach to talent acquisition.

About the Role

Reporting into senior stakeholders, you will be responsible for managing and developing the recruitment function, ensuring vacancies are filled effectively while maintaining compliance with safeguarding and safer recruitment requirements.

This role would suit an experienced recruitment professional with strong leadership capabilities, excellent stakeholder management skills and a track record of managing high-volume recruitment within a complex, multi-site environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and manage a team of Recruitment Officers, providing day-to-day support and performance management.
• Oversee end-to-end recruitment processes across schools and Central Office functions.
• Manage and continually improve the Applicant Tracking System (ATS), ensuring data accuracy and compliance.
• Monitor recruitment performance and provide meaningful reporting and insights to senior leaders.
• Develop innovative attraction and sourcing strategies to improve candidate quality, diversity and application volumes.
• Build strong relationships with Headteachers, School Leaders and hiring managers, providing expert recruitment advice.
• Oversee recruitment advertising across job boards, social media and wider attraction campaigns.
• Ensure compliance with employment legislation, safeguarding requirements and safer recruitment practices.
• Manage onboarding processes, offer documentation and pre-employment checks to deliver an excellent candidate experience.
• Lead recruitment projects that improve efficiency, employer branding and candidate engagement.
• Work collaboratively with HR and operational teams to support workforce planning initiatives.
• Manage recruitment enquiries and shared inboxes, ensuring a professional and responsive service.
• Support the development of Recruitment Officers through training, mentoring and regular reviews.
• Maintain accurate recruitment records in line with GDPR and data protection requirements.
• Analyse recruitment trends, identify risks and opportunities, and recommend improvements to attraction and retention strategies.

What We're Looking For

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Previous experience in a recruitment leadership or senior recruitment role.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience of working in a fast-paced, high-volume recruitment environment.
• Confidence using Microsoft Office, Outlook and Teams.
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach and a commitment to delivering exceptional service.
• An understanding of compliance, safeguarding and recruitment best practice.

What's on Offer?

In return, The White Horse Federation can offer:

• A busy, varied and rewarding role where no two days are the same.
• A friendly and supportive team environment.
• The opportunity to join a forward-thinking Trust with ambitious plans for staff, students and school improvement.
• Access to excellent CPD and career development opportunities.
• Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Employee Assistance Programme and a range of additional employee benefits.

Apply Today

If you are an experienced recruitment professional looking for an opportunity to lead a high-performing recruitment team and make a real impact across a large Multi-Academy Trust, we'd love to hear from you.