Manager, Recruiter

Role Purpose

The Manager, Recruiter holds full accountability for the end-to-end Associate Recruitment function, delivering a high-volume, process-driven recruitment operation that supports Pearson’s assessment delivery.

The role operates with full autonomy and is responsible for:

• Managing recruitment delivery and team performance

• Leading stakeholder relationships

• Owning attraction strategy and advertising budget

• Driving the transformation of recruitment processes from a legacy, manual and spreadsheet-supported model to a scalable, system-driven platform.

The current recruitment model is delivered through a legacy web-based platform heavily supplemented by manual processing and Excel-based workflows. This role is critical in evolving that model into a more efficient and sustainable solution.

Key Accountabilities

1. End-to-End Recruitment Ownership

• Own the full Associate recruitment lifecycle, from attraction through to onboarding

• Ensure recruitment delivery aligns with assessment timelines and workforce demand

• Oversee high-volume application processing and onboarding activity

• Proactively identify and manage risks to delivery

1. Team Leadership & Operational Delivery

• Lead and manage a geographically distributed team of Recruiters across the UK and the Philippines

• Set priorities and manage workload across high-volume, process-driven activity

• Ensure high standards of accuracy, consistency, and compliance

• Develop team capability in Excel, data handling, and recruitment processes

1. Recruitment Platform Ownership

• Act as the operational owner of the recruitment component of the Associate Recruitment and Contracting platform (ARC2)

• Define business requirements based on current processes, pain points, and future needs

• Translate manual and Excel-based workflows into scalable system requirements

• Represent recruitment in design discussions, ensuring the platform reflects real operational use

• Lead:

  • User acceptance testing (UAT)

  • Process validation prior to go-live

  • Implementation of new workflows

• Drive:

  • Reduction of manual workarounds

  • Elimination of duplicate data handling across systems and spreadsheets

  • Adoption of the platform across the team

  • Provide continuous feedback to improve system functionality post-launch

1. Advertising Strategy & Budget Management

• Own the attraction strategy for Associate recruitment

• Manage relationships with advertisers and job boards

• Control and allocate advertising budget effectively

• Monitor performance of channels and optimise spend

1. Stakeholder Management

• Lead relationships with stakeholders

• Translate demand into recruitment plans and timelines

• Provide clear updates on delivery progress and constraints

• Influence stakeholders on process improvements and realistic delivery expectations

1. Process Governance & Improvement

• Own recruitment processes, ensuring they are efficient, consistent, and scalable

• Identify inefficiencies caused by current manual and spreadsheet-based activity

• Drive process improvements to simplify and standardise ways of working

• Ensure all processes remain audit-ready and compliant

1. Data, Reporting & Insight

• Oversee recruitment tracking and reporting across systems and Excel tools

• Analyse data to identify trends, risks, and bottlenecks

• Improve data visibility and reduce reliance on fragmented reporting

• Use data to inform operational and strategic decisions

1. Workforce Readiness & Onboarding

• Ensure onboarding activity is completed accurately and within timelines

• Maintain oversight of Recruitment readiness for assessment delivery

• Work with internal teams to ensure smooth transition from recruitment to deployment

Skills & Experience

Essential

• Proven experience leading high-volume, process-driven recruitment or operations
• Strong experience managing teams in data-heavy environments
• Advanced Excel skills (complex tracking, data manipulation, reporting)
• Strong stakeholder management and communication capability
• Experience managing suppliers and/or budgets

Desirable

• Experience working with legacy systems or system transformation programmes
• Experience translating manual processes into system requirements
• Experience supporting or leading UAT and implementation activity
• Background in education, assessment, or contingent workforce models

Key Competencies

• Ownership & Accountability: Full responsibility for delivery, performance, and outcomes
• Operational Excellence: Drives efficiency, accuracy, and scalability
• Stakeholder Leadership: Builds strong relationships and influences decisions
• People Leadership: Develops capability and performance in others
• Transformation & Change: Leads transition from manual to system-led ways of working

Impact & Scope

• Full ownership of Associate recruitment operations
• Leadership of a high-volume, process-driven recruitment team
• Accountability for transitioning recruitment from a manual/spreadsheet-supported model to a modern platform
• Direct impact on Pearson’s assessment delivery capability

Measures of Success

• Recruitment delivery against timelines and volume requirements
• Reduction in manual processing and spreadsheet dependency
• Successful adoption and effectiveness of new recruitment platform
• Accuracy and quality of recruitment and onboarding data
• Stakeholder satisfaction and confidence

Your rewards & benefits   
We know you’ll do great work, so we give a lot back with some of the best benefits in the business. We know one size doesn’t fit all, so our workplace programs meet the different needs of our diverse teams, and their families too. 
Please see our attractive UK benefits here: Pearson Jobs – Benefits