Talent Acquisition Partner (Legal)

About Cogito

Cogito partners with organisations to transform how they attract, engage, and hire talent. Since 2014, we have supported businesses to build scalable, sustainable recruitment models that enhance employer brand, improve hiring outcomes, and reduce dependency on traditional agency solutions. We work as true partners to our clients, embedding experienced Talent Acquisition professionals into their organisations to deliver high-impact recruitment solutions aligned to business strategy.

The Opportunity

As Talent Acquisition Partner you will be embedded within a legal firm, operating as an integral member of their Talent Acquisition and HR function. What makes this opportunity stand out is the key role you will play in working with Cogito and client stakeholders to create a first generation centralised recruitment model which elevates the employer brand and reduces recruitment agency use and cost. You will bring energy, credibility and a consultative approach to hiring managers as the first point of contact for all recruitment, advising and guiding stakeholders through every stage of the hiring process. You will work in close collaboration with Cogito specialists and senior client stakeholders, including Partners, Heads of Practice, HR Business Partners, and Hiring Managers, to deliver recruitment solutions in a highly professional, regulated, and fast-paced legal environment. You will act as the face of recruitment within the firm, combining hands-on delivery with strategic advisory support to build a best-practice legal recruitment model and reduce reliance on external agencies. This is a hybrid working position, with 3 days in the Manchester office and 2 days working from home each week on average. There is a requirement to travel to other offices including London and Bristol each month as part of the office days allocation. Travel to offices other than Manchester will be expensed.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and own end-to-end recruitment delivery acting as the primary Talent Acquisition partner to all stakeholders.
• Operate as a trusted advisor to Partners and senior leaders, providing expert guidance on legal recruitment market conditions, role design, hiring strategy, and workforce planning.
• Deliver compliant, inclusive, and governance-led recruitment campaigns, aligned with the firm’s regulatory, confidentiality, and risk requirements.
• Proactively source and headhunt candidates using LinkedIn Recruiter, legal job boards, professional networks, and direct search methodologies, with a strong focus on direct hiring.
• Partner with Cogito’s delivery teams where required to execute external search activity, ensuring clear briefs, accountability, and quality outcomes.
• Support strategic Talent Acquisition initiatives, including candidate experience, employer brand, process optimisation, early careers, lateral hiring, and talent pipelining.
• Maintain accurate recruitment data and produce insight-driven reporting to inform hiring decisions, diversity outcomes, and workforce planning.
• Develop a deep understanding of the client’s legal structure, practice areas, culture, and operating environment to continuously improve recruitment effectiveness.

About You

You must have strong experience as a legal recruitment professional either gained within agency or in-house. You are credible with senior stakeholders, commercially minded, and confident owning both recruitment strategy and delivery in a complex, regulated organisation.

You Will Bring

• Strong understanding of legal recruitment, including fee-earner roles, practice structures, and professional services hiring dynamics.
• Proven experience partnering with Partners and senior leaders, influencing hiring outcomes through data, insight, and market expertise.
• A strong grasp of full-lifecycle recruitment, workforce planning, and direct sourcing methodologies.
• Confidence working to KPIs, service levels, and business-critical deadlines within an embedded client environment.
• Experience operating within highly regulated environments with strict governance, compliance, and confidentiality requirements.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with a pragmatic, solutions-focused approach.
• Experience of HiBOB (ATS) would be beneficial.

The Offer

Competitive Salary plus Bonus based upon programme deliverables. 28 Days Annual Leave plus Birthday Off. Access to benefits platform: discounts, rewards and wellbeing perks to support your life inside and outside work. Pension.