Job info	Job info details
Job title	Recruitment and Retention Lead
Strategic team/Directorate	Children's Services
Service	Learning and Partnership Hubs
Business unit	The Learning Academy
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Recruitment and Retention Team Manager
Accountable to (line manager)	Recruitment and Retention Team Manager
Salary grade	I
JE ref	JCT66

1. Key purpose of job

• To improve outcomes for all children, young people and families across Torbay.
• To recruit and retain the right candidates to enable Children’s Services workforce to deliver its services and meet its goals, objectives and aspirations. 
• To manage the development and implementation of effective and robust recruitment and retention practices for Children’s Services workforce.
• To work on recruitment and retention projects as requested by the Recruitment and Retention Team Manager.
• To ensure that Children’s Services recruitment and selection procedures and practices meet operational needs, are applied properly and effectively and are fully conversant with Council policy, good practice, legislation and safer recruitment practices.

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• A developed practice of joint working and shared learning across Children’s Services, promoting innovation in all areas of recruitment and retention.
• To support managers in their recruitment processes to increase success rates of recruiting the best candidates and reduce staff turnover in Children’s Services.
• Effective and sustainable relationships are built with managers across Children’s Services, Torbay Council, the South West regional local authorities and recruitment agencies.
• The current vacancy rates for permanent positions within Children’s Social Care reduce as a minimum to the national rate and the Council’s reliance on Agency staff diminishes and the number of staff remaining with the Authority for more than 3 years increases thus reducing the current turnover rates.
• An enhanced use of data and an intelligence led decision making process within the recruitment field.
• Collaborative working is in place with regional and national networks and bodies, promoting enhanced recruitment and retention initiatives. 

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

• As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.
• To improve outcomes for all children, young people and families across Torbay.
• Responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children at all times.
• To be responsible for the development and implementation of effective recruitment and retention practices for the Children’s Services workforce, ensuring that the recruitment and selection procedures and practices meet operational needs, Council policy, legislation and safer recruitment requirements.
• Ensuring that job descriptions and person specifications for roles remain current and accurate.
• Responsible for Children’s Services new employee and leaver administration for both permanent and agency staff ensuring completion and distribution to the relevant Council departments including new starter paperwork, pre-employment checks, onboarding and offboarding.
• To be responsible for ensuring that all vacancies are advertised and promoted effectively, in accordance with the needs of the service, Council policy and employment legislation to reach targeted audiences.
• To be responsible for following and monitoring procurement and DfE guidelines in relation to the appointment of agency workers and when they leave.
• To be responsible for undertaking announced and unannounced audits of all recruitment agencies on the Council’s approved supplier list by visiting them in person to ensure compliance with the Council’s contract.
• To be responsible for creating and maintaining effective communication channels with agency suppliers, ensuring their compliance and understanding of Torbay requirements.
• Responsible for ensuring relevant and appropriate challenge is in place to ensure appropriate recruitment decisions are made in line with policy, legislation, safer recruitment practices and that all those recruiting are appropriately trained.
• To manage the development of recruitment processes, including interview guidelines and shortlisting advice and ensure that Job Descriptions and Person Specifications for roles remain current and accurate.
• To lead and manage on the attendance of Children’s Social Care at national and regional Job Fairs including the follow up on leads following the event.
• To be responsible for undertaking exit interviews for Children’s Services as part of the leaver’s process and contributing to providing regular qualitative reports.
• To monitor GDPR compliance in line with Torbay Council’s policy with respect to the retention of documents held within recruitment and leaver documentation.        
• Responsible for keeping Children’s Services structure charts and data accurate and up to date.
• Develop regular reports that cover recruitment and retention statistics.
• Responsible for keeping up to date with relevant policy, legislation and professional developments at a local and national level, interpreting information and making recommendations.
• Responsible for the Children’s Services final approval and submission of the social workers career grade process.  
• Responsible for regularly monitoring, the Children’s Services authorisation and submission of key skills retention payments, including retention data in the regular reports.
• To develop and lead on supported internships and apprenticeships in Children’s Services to provide career pathways and wider employment opportunities for young people.
• Organise and host recruitment fayres and Children’s Services celebration events to engage with partners and the wider community, providing information and guidance on suitable employment, training opportunities and career pathways within Children’s Services. 

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

• To develop and implement ways to improve efficiency reduce costs through a range of approaches including service re-design, better demand management and supply options.
• To monitor the budgetary performance of the service within the Scheme of Delegation, being responsible for ensuring that budget spend relating to Recruitment and Retention are in line and appropriate action is taken to address any pressures.
• To make optimal use of available resources in support of policy and strategy.
• Responsible for monitoring and approving agency timesheets and expenses in a timely manner.
• Responsible for monitoring and approving the key skills retention and relocation payments. 

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

• To demonstrate leadership competencies, acting with openness, honesty, integrity, instilling a clear sense of direction and purpose, priority and pace. Manage people in an inclusive way to deliver operational objectives.
• To be responsible for effective direct line management and supervision of one Recruitment Support Officer including recruitment, motivation, performance management, identification of development plans, absence management, resolution of conflict and implementation of change in line with Torbay Council HR policies and procedures.
• Take responsibility for the continuing professional development of staff by ensuring that team members are given ‘protected time’ to pursue learning opportunities. (Minimum of half a day per calendar month). Through this process ensure that appropriate national professional standards/competencies are being met and monitored.
• Responsible for training and providing guidance to all managers in Children’s Services in relation to all recruitment and leaving processes. 

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

• Normal working environment and conditions. 

7. Physical demands of the post

• Normal physical demands. 

8. Specific resources used by the post

• Responsible for the asset management and safeguarding of new starter and leaver computer equipment and phones. 

9. Key contacts and relationships

• External: 
  • Recruitment agencies, prospective job applicants, recruitment publications, recruitment event organisations, other Local Authorities, other public sector organisations.
• Internal: 
  • The Children’s Services Director, Divisional Directors, Heads of Service, Service Managers across Children’s Services, Children’s Services colleagues, Torbay Council’s HR, recruitment and payroll teams. 
  • Members of the Council and Staff from across both the service and the Council as a whole.

10. Other duties

• To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.

Other Information

• All staff must commit to the Workplace Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Practice and Policy.
• Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
• The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. And are aware that the Chief Executive and the Director for Children’s Services are the Safeguarding Leads for the Council. 
• This post is office based at the Town Hall, Torquay but the post holder may be required to move their base to any other location within the Council at a future date.
• The post is eligible for hybrid working.
• You will be asked to complete a Criminal Records Self Declaration Form. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post. You will only be asked to disclose ‘unspent’ convictions.
• The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement. 
• The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
• The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
• The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
• If this post is customer facing, it will require the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
• If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).
• If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.

Person Specification

Note for Candidate

All Candidates

The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement. In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.

Candidates who consider that they have a disability

Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.

If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.

Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.

If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.

Job info	Job info details
Job Title	Recruitment and Retention Lead
Strategic team/Directorate	Children's Services
Service	Learning and Partnership Hubs
Business unit	The Learning Academy

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

• Excellent prioritisation and organisation skills and ability to use resources effectively and efficiently.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and networking skills to develop positive working relationships. 
• Ability to provide challenge, influence and negotiate where required.
• Highly effective IT skills including the use of Microsoft office software, including Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Teams and Outlook. 
• Excellent written and presentation skills and the ability to present information in a variety of settings. 
• Ability to interpret employment legislation and Department of Education guidelines.
• Proven problem-solving skills – the ability to identify causes and make objective and informed judgements.
• Analysis skills - evidence of using data to measure and forecast outcomes, understanding implications for deployment.
• Ability to be confident and competent when under external and internal scrutiny.
• The ability to demonstrate resilience under pressure and unpredictability and able deliver on time and to remit.
• Self-awareness and understanding of own strengths and areas for improvement. 
• Staff management skills including change management.
• This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.

Desirable skills and effectiveness

• Research and evaluation skills.
• Project management skills. 

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• Knowledge and experience of business management in social care. 
• A strong knowledge of safer recruitment and their application in the recruitment process. 
• Awareness of the commissioning cycle and its demands.
• Detailed knowledge and understanding of HR practices, employment legislation including GDPR and the Equality Act and safer recruitment best practice. 
• Knowledge of current and emerging recruitment trends in the Children’s Services sector.
• Understanding of effective management practices, particularly as they relate to planning to achieve agreed objectives. 

Desirable knowledge

• Knowledge and experience of project management. 

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

• Previous experience working in a recruitment role.
• Previous experience of managing staff. 
• Strong experience of spreadsheet management. 
• Experience in report writing and responding to correspondence.
• Experience of interpreting and analysing recruitment and retention information.
• Experience assuring quality and ensuring compliance to policy and procedures.
• Working independently and as part of a team.

Desirable experience and achievements

• Experience of working in a public sector environment. 

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• Leadership and Management or HR qualification at level 5 (degree) or above, or equivalent.
• Commitment to continued professional development. 

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

• CIPD membership. 

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

• Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. 
• Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay/South West/UK in order to carry out duties. 
• Ability to accommodate unsociable hours. 
• Ability to accommodate occasional home-working.