Talent Acquisition Principal

Join us to apply for the Talent Acquisition Principal role at The Pensions Regulator.

Reporting to: Head of Talent & Development

Directorate: Chief Operating Officer

Group Starting Salary: Salary between £56,498 and £62,775 per annum dependent on skills and experience, plus excellent benefits package

Contract: Permanent

Location: Brighton/hybrid (6 days per month in the office)

About us

More than half the UK working population rely on The Pensions Regulator (TPR) to regulate their retirement savings. With a career at TPR, you’ll be joining an organisation that will impact millions of lives for decades to come. Everyone at TPR plays an important role in helping to keep more than £2trn of savings safe. We’re committed to bringing people into TPR who are ready to make a difference and put UK savers at the heart of what we do.

It is important to us that TPR remains a great place to work. We do all we can to help our people reach their full potential with learning, secondment, and development opportunities. We put our 900+ employees first, supporting flexible working and offer a diverse, lively, and inclusive environment.

This includes our Family Network (Balance), Disability Network, LGBT+ Network (Proud), Minority Ethnic Network, Mental Health Network, and Women’s Network which offer spaces to connect.

Our new corporate strategy outlines a bold and challenging vision of how pensions regulation should evolve to keep pace with a change in the scale and nature of the industry. We are at the start of that journey. Join us to find out what part you can play.

We operate a hybrid working model, with regular attendance in our Brighton office to connect with colleagues across the business.

Role

Reporting into the Head of Talent and Development, you will develop and deliver the recruitment agenda for TPR. You will ensure a proactive and strategic approach to employee resourcing that connects, engages, and attracts high-quality, diverse talent from the widest possible audience to support the strategic capability deliverables for TPR.

You will work in partnership with stakeholders across the business, and with external third parties, to help improve our employer brand and employer value proposition, with the vision of TPR becoming an employer of choice. You will ensure our recruitment is aligned to TPR’s Diversity Principles and that these are embedded into the full recruitment cycle.

This is an exciting time to join the recruitment team at TPR as we prepare to launch our first Applicant Tracking System (ATS). A pivotal part of this role will be to support the successful implementation and integration of the ATS, ensuring the system is seamlessly rolled out across the organisation, embedding it effectively within recruitment processes and enabling the recruitment team to adopt it with confidence.

We are looking for an experienced talent acquisition leader to continue the transformation of the recruitment function at TPR into a true talent acquisition service. With exceptional management and leadership skills, you will develop, inspire and coach a transforming Talent Acquisition team, supporting continuous improvement initiatives and the effective and efficient use of current and future technologies to enhance delivery.

You will own the training agenda around talent acquisition and improve the capability of hiring managers across all recruitment fields, including focus on a diverse and inclusive approach. Alongside the Talent and Succession manager, you will work to raise the profile of TPR in the external market by partnering with similar organisations, schools, colleges, and universities.

Working in partnership and collegiately across the whole People Directorate, you will drive credibility with the business and deliver an excellent customer experience to all TPR people.

Responsibilities

• Be responsible for oversight of all recruitment across the organisation, enhancing TPR’s employer brand and employer value proposition, ensuring a customer-centric service and driving forward a direct hire approach where appropriate.
• Own the contract and relationship with the Applicant Tracking System provider, acting as the primary liaison for all ATS-related queries, enhancements, and issue resolution.
• Proactively ensure that all recruitment activity is in line with the organisation's commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion.
• Develop talent acquisition strategies and hiring plans which help TPR find and retain excellent employees.
• Design, deliver and continually improve the recruitment processes, ensuring that all recruitment activity is aligned to our People and Culture strategy and the Civil Service recruitment principles.
• Create an environment where the team feels engaged, motivated and competent, working together as a successful team which drives positive business outcomes and is recognised as best-in-class.
• Proactively work with our external agencies and social media tools to ensure strong and diverse talent pools.
• Be responsible for the production, maintenance and communication of recruitment processes, guidance, tools, and training to the whole organisation.
• Work closely with HR MI colleagues to provide regular reporting and production of reports and papers.
• Maintain and establish relationships with third party stakeholders and agencies.
• Stay updated on industry trends and best practices in recruitment and talent acquisition ensuring findings are shared and actioned appropriately.

Essential and Desirable Criteria

• Extensive experience in recruitment and talent acquisition.
• Proven experience of building and developing successful teams through effective leadership and people management.
• Effective internal and external stakeholder management, including contract management with agencies.
• Demonstrable experience of implementing extensive process improvements to enhance team efficiencies and effectiveness.
• Experience of selecting, embedding and effectively utilising industry-appropriate technology, such as applicant tracking systems.
• Evidence of embedding equality, diversity and inclusion into recruitment processes.
• Experience working in or with similar public/third sector organisations.

Person Specification

• Proactive and flexible.
• Ability to prioritise and use initiative.
• Problem solving and analytical skills.
• Leadership skills.

Salary and benefits

As well as a salary between £56,498 and £62,775, we offer:

• Civil Service Pension arrangements, which are recognised as some of the best in the pensions world.
• Discretionary bonus arrangements.
• Access to performance related pay progression.
• 25 days annual leave provision.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• Enhanced parental leave arrangements.
• A free employee assistance programme.
• An excellent office location in Brighton.

How to apply

To apply please email recruitmentteam@tpr.gov.uk quoting role reference number 227130 along with:

• A covering letter with details of how your skills and experience meet the role requirements.
• A copy of your CV.
• Details of your notice period.

Current TPR employees in their first 12 months of employment who want to apply for this vacancy should first contact their line manager to discuss their application.

We are an inclusive employer and offer equal opportunities regardless of an individual’s age, disability, gender identity, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. As a Disability Confident employer, we’re committed to the recruitment, employment, retention, and development of people with disabilities, and to improving their employment opportunities. Candidates who declare that they have a disability and who meet the essential criteria for the job will be offered an interview.

In accordance with Home Office guidance, the successful candidate will be required to provide their right to work in the UK before they start employment. Unfortunately, TPR is not able to offer sponsorship at the time. TPR is a UK-based organisation with a working location in Brighton, candidates must live in the UK to be employed by us.

The Pensions Regulator is an arm’s length government body and part of the public service. Any offer of employment will be subject to the receipt of satisfactory background screening checks and criminal record checks (BPSS).

Whilst it is our aim to respond to all applicants, if you have not heard from us within 21 days of the advert closing, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion. Specific feedback will only be provided if you have attended an interview or assessment.

If you have any queries about this role, or if you have a disability and wish to request a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process, please email recruitmentteam@tpr.gov.uk.