Head of Social Care Recruitment

Who are we?

We are New Directions, a group of companies that provide UK wide services (including recruitment, training, care provision and other support services) within education, social care, domiciliary care and the pharmaceutical sector, from a network of offices across the UK.

We have recently been recognised for our fantastic business achievements across a number of awards:

• Finalists for Best In-House HR Team and Excellence in HR - CIPD HR Wales Awards 2024
• Winner of Best Employer and Finalists for Best People Services, Best Business Services and Best Sustainability - Cardiff Life Awards 2024
• Winner of Best Technology and overall, Platinum Award Winner (Checks Direct) - Cardiff Life Awards 2024
• Highly commended for Skills Development - IOD Wales Awards 2024
• Finalists for Best Temporary Recruitment Agency, Recruitment Agency of the Year 100+ employees and Most Effective Compliance Operation - Recruiter Awards 2024
• Finalists for Scale-Up of the Year and Team of the Year (Checks Direct) - Fintech Wales Awards 2024

Job Purpose:

To effectively manage the Social Care Division, develop and instigate growth across our National Branch network, maximise the branch gross margin and branch operating profit, whilst reflecting the values of New Directions Recruitment Ltd.

Main Duties:

• Increase sales activity through the development of a structured sales plan that demonstrates an understanding of the local market(s) within which the team operates; including proactively building relationships with key existing and key prospective clients, through regular programmed contact management activities
• Manage the division; applying rigorous business planning strategies, performance management and financial control
• Understand the labour market, ensuring staff are effectively trained in the attraction, selection, deployment and retention of available appropriately qualified temporary and permanent candidates for local and/or national clients. Maintaining a thorough and in-depth knowledge of competitor activity within the market place is crucial
• Achieve the overall divisional budget by successfully delivering own budget and/or team budgets, and strive for continuous and improving profitability of the division
• Ensure the division manages effective operating processes in line with both the operational needs of the wider business and all regulatory and legislative obligations
• Maximise efficiency through the effective application and use of relevant technologies
• Carry out regular service level evaluations in line with client expectations, taking appropriate corrective action as necessary
• Build and maintain effective relationships with third party suppliers to meet service level commitments and realise finical savings and efficiencies
• Recruit and retain appropriate team(s) in line with agreed procedures and ensure team members are trained and developed to maximise their potential and deliver business requirements
• Carry out regular and effective performance management processes, ensuring appropriate and effective targets, objectives and KPIs are in place, understood and delivered on. Ensure that all performance issues are addressed and resolved in a timely manner, taking appropriate action as necessary
• Help identify individual and team training and development needs, and facilitate the appropriate development and interventions needed to address any gaps
• Ensure excellent levels of personal capability through maintaining high levels of professional and technical knowledge through attendance of internal and/or external training/workshops
• Review all relevant professional publications, and establish effective professional networks through participation in professional societies, forums, working parties etc
• Develop an effective sales strategy and plans for future growth.
• Generate structured MI reports for the Senior Management Team and present content as necessary
• Actively manage the areas of budgetary responsibility through: the monthly monitoring and analysis of management accounts against budget and forecast, and the evaluation of weekly performance figures, identifying and taking corrective and remedial action as necessary
• Implement effective marketing strategies through: analysing trends and data; monitoring competitor activity; being aware of economic indicators, and representing the company at relevant external events

Person Specification:

• Excellent knowledge of the social care sector, legislation and regulations
• Experience of working in the recruitment industry
• Excellent market knowledge e.g., funding opportunities
• Excellent time management skills
• Ability to problem solve, plan and prioritise workload
• Ability to make effective use of information with sound decision making
• Strong sales background
• Excellent communication skills both verbal and in writing
• Ability to eloquently and effectively promote services
• High levels of accuracy and record keeping
• Ability to market through social media
• Excellent knowledge of child safeguarding
• Excellent negotiation skills with the ability to maintain margin control
• Enthusiastic and positive
• Consistently produce accurate and high-quality work
• Develop effective working relationships
• Effectively solve problems
• Maintain the highest levels of confidentiality and data security
• Work as part of a team and independently
• Effective leader
• Self-motivated and self-reliant

What we offer:

Fantastic employee benefits including:

• Generous Commission Scheme
• Health Cashback scheme
• Life Assurance of 4 x salary
• Pension Salary Sacrifice Scheme
• A generous annual leave entitlement of 30 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Opportunity to purchase additional annual leave through salary sacrifice
• A day off for your birthday
• Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme (subject to qualifying eligibility criteria)
• Employee referral scheme; you can earn between £250 and £500 for each successful referral into the business
• Free on-site parking
• On-site Gym