Talent Acquisition and Early Careers Manager (Fixed Term) in Bath

About us

Stone King is an ambitious and purpose-driven firm specialising in the Business & Social Enterprise, Charity, Education, Public Faith and Private Client sectors. Our collaborative culture and core values are intertwined with our ethos of doing the right thing by our clients, communities, and our people. Our passion for the sectors we work in and the purpose-driven work we do with our clients has resulted in SK being recognised as national leaders in our specialist fields across the country.

The opportunity

This is an 18‑month fixed term maternity cover role responsible for leading Stone King’s approach to talent acquisition and early careers during a defined period of cover. The role ensures continuity, quality and momentum across recruitment activity for legal and business services roles, including lateral and partner hiring, trainee solicitors, apprenticeships and work experience pathways. As a senior member of the People Team, the postholder will lead recruitment delivery, maintain and enhance inclusive and effective recruitment processes, and provide expert advice to partners and leaders. The role includes line management responsibility for the Talent Acquisition & Early Careers Adviser and plays a key role in supporting Stone King’s ambitions to be a responsible, values‑led and client‑centric firm.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver end‑to‑end recruitment activity across legal and business services roles, ensuring a consistent, fair and high‑quality candidate experience.
• Partner with Practice Group Heads, People Business Partners and business services leaders to understand hiring needs and support proactive workforce planning during the fixed term period.
• Maintain and continuously improve recruitment processes, ensuring they are inclusive, efficient, digitally enabled and aligned with Stone King’s values and regulatory obligations.
• Manage relationships with recruitment agencies, monitoring performance and ensuring value for money.
• Ensure hiring managers are appropriately supported and equipped to recruit fairly and effectively, including interview practice and decision‑making.
• Use recruitment data and insights to identify trends, risks and opportunities, working closely with the People Data & Insights function.

Early Careers & Work Experience

• Lead the delivery of Stone King’s trainee solicitor programme, including attraction, assessment, seat planning, supervision and qualification processes.
• Manage apprenticeships, work experience and other early careers pathways, ensuring alignment with the firm’s commitment to social mobility and responsible business.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with universities, law schools, apprenticeship providers and diversity‑focused organisations.
• Work collaboratively with Learning & Development to support development pathways for trainees and apprentices.
• Ensure compliance with SRA requirements relating to trainee solicitors and qualifying work experience.

Candidate Experience & Employer Brand

• Maintain and enhance Stone King’s employer brand and value proposition, ensuring it reflects the firm’s purpose, values and inclusion commitments.
• Ensure all candidates, whether successful or unsuccessful, receive a respectful, professional and positive experience.
• Oversee the creation and use of recruitment materials and outreach activity that support attraction objectives and brand consistency.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Line manage and support the Talent Acquisition & Early Careers Adviser, providing clear direction, development and workload support.
• Work collaboratively across the People Team, including People Business Partners, People Operations & Reward and Learning & Development, to ensure seamless recruitment and onboarding transitions.
• Contribute to wider People Team initiatives and projects where appropriate during the fixed term period.
• Role model Stone King’s values and promote a positive, inclusive and respectful working environment.

Essential

• Strong knowledge of recruitment best practice, talent acquisition processes and early careers pathways.
• Experience delivering end‑to‑end recruitment activity within a complex or professional services environment.
• Understanding of attraction strategies, assessment methods and inclusive selection practices.
• Knowledge of UK employment law as it relates to recruitment and selection.
• Experience managing trainee solicitor programmes, apprenticeships or comparable structured early careers pathways.
• Experience partnering with senior stakeholders on hiring and workforce planning decisions.
• Ability to manage multiple recruitment processes and priorities with a high degree of organisation and autonomy.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the credibility to advise and influence partners and senior leaders.
• Confident use of recruitment systems, HR systems and Microsoft 365 tools.
• Analytical capability, using data to inform decisions and improve outcomes.

Desirable

• Experience within a law firm or regulated sector, including familiarity with SRA requirements.
• Understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion best practice in recruitment.
• Experience in employer branding and talent marketing.
• CIPD qualification (Level 5 or above) or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience using applicant tracking systems and digital recruitment tools.
• Experience delivering recruitment campaigns, assessment centres or large‑scale hiring activity.
• Familiarity with structured or psychometric assessment tools.

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Clear, engaging and professional communication skills, both written and verbal.
• A collaborative approach, working effectively with colleagues across the firm.
• Sound judgement, discretion and integrity when handling sensitive information.
• A solutions‑focused and pragmatic mindset, adapting effectively to change.
• A strong commitment to inclusive, fair and values‑led recruitment practices.

Desirable

• Confidence representing the firm externally at careers events, universities or outreach activities.
• Enthusiasm for continuous improvement and digital innovation in recruitment.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Individual differences are embraced at Stone King, and we strive to create an environment in which people feel supported and able to be themselves. We are committed to promoting an inclusive working environment that supports the growth and development for all. We are proud to be signatories of the Mindful Business Charter, the Race Fairness Commitment, and the Age Friendly Employer Pledge, and we are a Disability Confident Employer. Stone King LLP is committed to offering an interview to any job applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the role as defined by the job description and person specification. A full copy of the person specification and job description can be provided by contacting our Recruitment team. In some recruitment situations such as high‑peak times, we might need to limit the overall numbers of interviews we offer. This will include the number of interviews offered to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria. When that happens, we’ll still aim to offer a proportionate number of interviews to disabled applicants. We aim to make our recruitment process as inclusive as possible and will make reasonable adjustments where needed. To discuss adjustments or request information in an alternative format, please contact our recruitment team at Recruitment@stoneking.co.uk. Stone King LLP is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to ensuring equality of opportunity by encouraging all our staff to achieve their full potential and guaranteeing that all employment decisions are taken without reference to irrelevant information or discriminatory practices.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Profit Share Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Private Medical Insurance
• Life assurance (4 x salary)
• Pension scheme
• 31 days holiday (in addition to statutory UK holidays)
• Additional day allocated for CSR activities per annum

Closing date: 24 June 2026. Adverts normally close at midday on the closing date, however vacancies may close early if sufficient applications have been received. Therefore we would encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.

Recruitment agencies – please do not send us unsolicited CVs. If you do so, we reserve the right to contact the candidate directly and your T&Cs will not apply.