Directorate: Chief Executive’s Directorate

Section: Workforce

Grade: Level 9 (Subject to review)

Hours: 37 hours per week

This advert is open to both Internal and External applicants.

This is a temporary, fixed term position for 18 months.

Do you have a proven track record in managing temporary agency staff recruitment and driving impactful HR initiatives? If so, we want you to be part of our dynamic team at Stoke-on-Trent City Council as our Talent and Recruitment Business Partner!

As a Talent and Recruitment Business Partner, you will play a key role in supporting the council’s recruitment strategy, managing our agency workforce, and ensuring we attract and retain top talent to deliver essential services.

You will be responsible for managing a variety of HR initiatives, policies, and practices with a particular focus on the recruitment and management of temporary agency staff as a project.

Key Responsibilities:

Project Management Expertise: You will lead and manage on an agency project independently, conducting research, analysing issues, and presenting solutions and recommendations.

Agency Workforce Management: Oversee the managed service provision for agency staff, ensuring smooth and efficient processes and compliance with policies. Collaborate closely with external agencies and the managed service provider to fulfil recruitment needs.

Recruitment Strategy & Advisory: Act as a key advisor to hiring managers on the use of agency staff, offering expertise in recruitment processes and helping them meet their staffing requirements. Provide guidance on IR35 status determination to ensure compliance.

Policy Development & Implementation: Contribute to the development and implementation of HR initiatives, ensuring they align with legislative and operational requirements. Ensure the agency staff guidance is up-to-date with all legislative and policy changes.

Financial Stewardship: Regularly review agency staff spend and work with HR Business Partners and hiring managers to identify opportunities for reducing agency costs and driving financial improvements.

Strategic Workforce Planning: Collaborate with departments across the council to understand future agency staffing needs and ensure we can meet demand effectively.

Continuous Improvement: Keep up-to-date with developments in HR and recruitment practices, particularly around the use of agency workers, and ensure the council remains a leader in best practices.

About You:

Proven experience in project management within an HR or recruitment context, with the ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities.

In-depth knowledge and experience of recruiting agency staff, including managing relationships with external agencies and managed service providers.

A strategic thinker who can identify opportunities for improvement, drive change, and deliver impactful solutions.

Strong communication and advisory skills, with the ability to influence and support hiring managers across the organisation.

Experience with managing HR processes and implementing policies to ensure compliance with current legislation.

An understanding of IR35 regulations and their implications for the use of agency staff.

A proactive, solutions-focused approach with excellent problem-solving and analytical abilities.

Why Join Us?

This is an exciting opportunity to bring your expertise to a local government setting, where you will have the chance to make a real difference to our community.

We offer a supportive and flexible work environment, and the chance to work with talented professionals in a role that provides both challenge and opportunity for growth.

If this opportunity excites you, and you’re ready to take on a key role in shaping our recruitment strategy, we’d love to hear from you!

For an informal chat or more information about the role please contact Linda Pugh, Recruitment Manager, linda.pugh@stoke.gov.uk

Additional Information

Stoke-on-Trent City Council values the diversity of its community and aims to have a workforce that reflects this – we therefore encourage applications from all sections of our community. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees – a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed together.

To Apply - please visit our website https://webrecruitment.stoke.gov.uk/wrl/ If you have any queries or want an application form in another format, please email recruitment@stoke.gov.uk or call us on 01782 238189.