Talent Acquisition Officer in Exeter

Talent Acquisition Officer Fixed Term Contract (Maternity Cover - Sept 2026 - Jan 2028
Salary: £33,150 + Excellent Benefits
Hybrid Working | Devon, Somerset or Wiltshire
Are you an experienced recruiter looking to join a respected professional services organisation where you can make a real impact?
Our client is a well-established and growing professional services firm with over 300 employees across multiple offices throughout the South West. They are seeking a Talent Acquisition Officer to join their People Team on a fixed-term contract to cover maternity leave.
Reporting to the People Director, you'll take ownership of the full recruitment lifecycle while also gaining exposure to a broad range of HR activities. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys recruitment and is keen to broaden their HR experience within a supportive and collaborative environment.
The Role Working closely with hiring managers across the business, you'll be responsible for attracting, engaging and recruiting talented people while delivering an exceptional candidate experience.
Key responsibilities include:
Managing the end-to-end recruitment process, from writing adverts and sourcing candidates through to offers and onboarding.

Building strong relationships with hiring managers, providing recruitment advice and ensuring an efficient recruitment process.

Coordinating interviews, assessments, candidate communications and recruitment administration.

Managing and developing the Applicant Tracking System and supporting managers in its effective use.

Developing relationships with recruitment agencies, schools, colleges, universities and other external organisations to support attraction initiatives.

Representing the organisation at careers fairs, recruitment events and networking opportunities.

Supporting onboarding activities, including references, compliance checks, employment documentation and induction planning.

Assisting with wider HR administration and employee lifecycle activities where required.

Producing recruitment reports and analysing key recruitment metrics to identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

About You We're looking for someone who enjoys building relationships, managing multiple recruitment campaigns and providing an outstanding candidate experience.
You'll ideally have:
At least one year's experience in recruitment or talent acquisition with responsibility for end-to-end recruitment.

Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple vacancies simultaneously.

Experience using Applicant Tracking Systems and confidence learning new HR systems.

Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.

Excellent attention to detail and strong IT skills.

Previous experience within a professional services environment would be advantageous.

A full UK driving licence and the flexibility to travel between offices when required.

The ability to commit to the duration of the fixed-term contract.

Salary & Benefits £33,150 salary

36.35-hour working week

Hybrid and flexible working

20 days' annual leave, increasing with service, plus bank holidays

Option to purchase additional annual leave

Pension scheme

Death in Service (3x salary)

Healthcare Cashback Plan

Employee Assistance Programme

Flexible benefits including Cycle to Work, Payroll Giving and Private Medical Insurance

Employee and client referral schemes

Enhanced maternity and paternity benefits after one year's service

Location The organisation's Head Office is in Exeter but it has offices across Devon, Somerset and Wiltshire , and this role can be based from any of these locations, operating on a hybrid basis. Regular travel between offices will be required.
This is an excellent opportunity to join a successful and people-focused organisation where you'll play a key role in attracting exceptional talent while gaining valuable exposure to wider HR activities.

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