At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead inclusive recruitment and onboarding to support children's mental health.
- Company: Place2Be, dedicated to improving children's mental health.
- Benefits: Generous annual leave, career development, and wellbeing days.
- Other info: Join a supportive community committed to diversity and inclusion.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on children's lives through values-driven recruitment.
- Qualifications: Experience in high-volume recruitment and team leadership.
At Place2Be, we believe that no child should face mental health problems alone. Our people are central to making that mission a reality — and you’ll play a vital role in bringing exceptional colleagues into our organisation with care, integrity and compassion. We’re looking for a Recruitment & Onboarding Lead to oversee high‑quality, values‑based recruitment across the UK. You’ll ensure every new starter joins us smoothly, safely and with a positive experience, while leading and developing a small, dedicated team.
In this role, you will:
- Design the approach to deliver effective, inclusive recruitment campaigns
- Champion safer recruitment and uphold the highest standards of compliance
- Lead, coach and support a team of Recruitment & Onboarding Officers
- Drive continuous improvement across processes, systems and candidate experience
- Oversee all pre‑employment checks and ensure onboarding is accurate, timely and values‑led
- Use data and insight to inform decision‑making and workforce planning
- Lead creative attraction and employer brand initiatives, including social media and multi‑channel campaigns
- Prepare the organisation for our annual summer peak, ensuring we can recruit at pace without compromising quality
We’re looking for someone who brings:
- Significant experience managing high‑volume, end‑to‑end recruitment processes
- Experience leading and developing a recruitment team
- Strong knowledge of UK employment law, safer recruitment and pre‑employment compliance
- A calm, resilient and solutions‑focused approach
- Experience embedding inclusive recruitment practices and a commitment to EDI
- Confidence advising and influencing hiring managers at all levels
- Strong digital literacy, including ATS/HR systems
- Creativity in attraction strategies and employer brand activation
- A genuine connection to our values: Perseverance, Integrity, Creativity and Compassion
Please note: our peak recruitment period is June–September, annual leave during this time is planned carefully to ensure we can meet demand.
If you’re passionate about inclusive, values‑driven recruitment and want to make a meaningful impact on children’s mental health, we’d love to hear from you. For a career with purpose, this is your place.
Recruitment Process: As part of your application you will need to answer some shortlisting questions. Please answer these as fully as you can, we recommend using the STAR model. Situation, Task, Action Result. Closing date for applications: Midnight on 07 June 2026. 1st Interview date: Monday 15th & Tuesday 16th June via Teams. 2nd Interview date: 23 June 2026 in person.
Our Benefits: When you work at Place2Be – whether that's in a school, supporting families, providing clinical supervision, or in IT, Finance, or Fundraising – every role can make the difference to a young person. To achieve this, we ask that you bring your best self to your role and our commitment to you, is to welcome you into our community, and help you progress. Because we know that you being at your best, means the best outcomes for the children we support. Here’s just a few things we have on offer:
- Annual Leave that increases with service
- Comprehensive learning and development to enable you to progress your career
- 5% contributory pension scheme
- Life assurance of four times your annual salary
- A comprehensive employee assistance programme
- Mobile Phone Discounts (EE network)
- Wellbeing days to allow you some ‘you’ time
- Christmas holidays closure period in addition to your annual leave
We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability. We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority ethnic candidates and disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented within our organisation. We are proud to be a disability confident employer and will ask you during your application if you wish to be considered for a guaranteed interview under the disability confident scheme. Under the scheme we commit to offering an interview to disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria as outlined in the job role.
We recognise that AI is becoming part of daily life and you may want to use it to help you format your CV, create responses to application questions or even help you prepare responses. AI can be a powerful enabler and we are open to you using it to apply for roles with us, but we ask you to ensure anything you submit truly represents your capabilities and viewpoint. We value honesty, integrity and creativity and want to understand what you will uniquely bring to our team.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
Recruitment and Onboarding Lead employer: Place2Be
At Place2Be, we are dedicated to fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment where every team member can thrive. As a Recruitment and Onboarding Lead, you will not only play a crucial role in shaping our workforce but also benefit from comprehensive learning and development opportunities, generous annual leave, and a strong commitment to employee wellbeing. Join us in making a meaningful impact on children's mental health while enjoying a workplace that values integrity, creativity, and compassion.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Recruitment and Onboarding Lead
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company culture before your interview. Dive into Place2Be's mission and values, and think about how your experience aligns with their focus on compassion and integrity. This will help you connect better during the conversation.
✨Tip Number 2
Practice your STAR responses! Since they want to see how you handle situations, prepare examples that showcase your skills in recruitment and onboarding. This will make you feel more confident and ready to impress.
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t underestimate the power of networking. Reach out to current or former employees on LinkedIn to get insider tips about the recruitment process at Place2Be. They might share valuable insights that could give you an edge.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the Place2Be community. Don’t wait until the last minute; get your application in early!
We think you need these skills to ace Recruitment and Onboarding Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Be Authentic:When you're writing your application, let your true self shine through. We want to see your personality and how it aligns with our values of perseverance, integrity, creativity, and compassion.
Use the STAR Method:For those shortlisting questions, remember to use the STAR model: Situation, Task, Action, Result. This helps us understand your experiences better and how you tackle challenges.
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your application for the Recruitment and Onboarding Lead role. Highlight your relevant experience in high-volume recruitment and team leadership to show us why you're the perfect fit.
Apply Early:Don’t wait until the last minute! We might close the vacancy early if we get enough applications. So, hit that apply button on our website as soon as you can to ensure your chance to join our amazing team.
How to prepare for a job interview at Place2Be
✨Know the Mission
Before your interview, take some time to really understand Place2Be's mission and values. They’re looking for someone who connects with their purpose of supporting children's mental health. Be ready to share how your own values align with theirs and how you can contribute to their mission.
✨Master the STAR Technique
When answering questions, especially those about your experience in recruitment, use the STAR model (Situation, Task, Action, Result). This structured approach will help you clearly articulate your past experiences and demonstrate your problem-solving skills effectively.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Recruitment and Onboarding Lead, you'll be leading a team. Prepare examples that highlight your leadership style, how you've developed others, and how you’ve driven improvements in recruitment processes. This will show them you’re not just a manager but a mentor.
✨Prepare for Compliance Questions
Given the importance of compliance in this role, brush up on UK employment law and safer recruitment practices. Be ready to discuss how you’ve ensured compliance in previous roles and how you would uphold these standards at Place2Be.