Early Careers & Trainee Advisor

DARLINGTON (Ref 811 ) Permanent £32.5k + hybrid working and a range of benefits Our client is a multi award winning professional services business with an excellent reputation, strong values and Platinum status with the 5% Club. This is a newly created role, and an exciting time to join the company and a fantastic HR team. You will be required to travel to sites across the region when required. Do you enjoy helping people take the first steps in their professional career? Are you passionate about creating positive experiences, building meaningful relationships and ensuring people have the right support to succeed? We’re looking for an Early Careers & Trainee Advisor to take ownership of the early careers and trainee programme, playing a key role in attracting, developing and retaining future talent. This is a varied and rewarding opportunity where you’ll manage the full trainee lifecycle, from raising awareness of career opportunities and recruiting future trainees through to supporting them on their journey to qualification. You’ll work closely with schools, colleges, universities, training providers, managers and trainees, ensuring the early careers offering is engaging, well-organised and effective. You’ll be someone who genuinely enjoys working with people, but who is also confident setting expectations, maintaining professional boundaries and encouraging accountability. Alongside excellent interpersonal skills, you’ll bring strong organisation, attention to detail and a proactive approach to continuous improvement. This includes: Building Future Talent Pipeline Developing relationships with schools, colleges, universities and other external partners Attending and representing the firm at careers fairs, recruitment events and early careers initiatives Creating and nurturing talent pipelines to support future recruitment needs Working closely with managers to understand future trainee requirements and workforce plans Identifying new opportunities to attract high-quality candidates Managing Trainee Recruitment You’ll own the trainee recruitment process from attraction through to onboarding, including: Advertising opportunities through appropriate channels Reviewing applications and shortlisting candidates against agreed criteria Coordinating assessment centres, interviews and selection activities Providing an excellent candidate experience throughout the recruitment journey Partnering with hiring managers to ensure effective selection decisions Working closely with HR colleagues to coordinate offers, contracts and pre-employment requirements Building relationships with successful candidates and maintaining engagement before they join Supporting the Trainee Journey As the main point of contact for trainees, you’ll oversee the day-to-day running of the trainee programme by: Coordinating onboarding and induction activities Managing relationships with professional learning and apprenticeship providers Monitoring study progress, apprenticeship requirements and key programme milestones Maintaining accurate trainee and programme records Coordinating development pathways and progression activities Supporting compliance with professional and regulatory requirements Ensuring trainees and managers remain informed of key deadlines and expectations Gathering feedback and identifying opportunities to improve the trainee experience Recognising potential issues early and escalating where appropriate Working collaboratively with line managers while maintaining clear accountability for performance management responsibilities You’ll be someone who: Enjoys helping people at the start of their careers succeed and grow Builds relationships easily and represents the organisation professionally and credibly Has a passion for recruitment and delivering an excellent candidate experience Is highly organised and able to manage multiple priorities and deadlines Takes ownership and follows through on commitments Is approachable, supportive and trusted by others Understands how to balance encouragement with accountability Has exceptional attention to detail and takes pride in accurate administration and record keeping Is confident working independently and making decisions within your remit Knows when to escalate issues and involve others appropriately Enjoys improving processes and finding smarter ways of working Can build effective working relationships with trainees, managers and external providers Experience working with professional qualifications, apprenticeship programmes or training providers would be advantageous, but is not essential. You may have a background in Learning & Development as specific training will be provided.