Candidate Engagement Partner… at Cognition… · Manchester

Candidate Engagement Partner -Apprenticeships

Location: Hybrid - applicants should be within commuting distance of Manchester

Salary £30,000- £32,000 dependent on experience

Contract: Permanent

Benefits: 25 days annual leave + Birthday Leave + additional company benefits

About the Role

We’re looking for a proactive and candidate focused Candidate Engagement Partner to support our Apprenticeship Division.

In this role, you will be responsible for building strong candidate pipelines, engaging individuals throughout their recruitment journey, and matching them to suitable apprenticeship opportunities. You will play a key part in ensuring a high quality experience for both candidates and employers, helping to drive successful apprenticeship placements.

Working closely with internal teams and employer partners, you will manage the full recruitment lifecycle from attraction and screening through to onboarding while ensuring processes are efficient, compliant, and results-driven.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Proactively sourcing and attracting candidates through job boards, outreach, events, and online channels
• Building and maintaining a strong pipeline of candidates for current and future apprenticeship opportunities
• Responding to candidate enquiries quickly and providing clear guidance on roles and processes
• Screening candidates against role requirements, eligibility criteria, and apprenticeship readiness
• Managing applications through each stage of the recruitment process, ensuring timely progression
• Producing high quality shortlists aligned to employer needs
• Preparing candidates for interviews and supporting them through to offer and onboarding
• Using CRM/ATS systems (including Zoho Recruit) to track candidate progress and maintain accurate records
• Monitoring recruitment performance and working to meet application, interview, and enrolment targets
• Identifying and addressing pipeline bottlenecks to improve conversion rates
• Building strong relationships with candidates, employers, and internal stakeholders
• Delivering a professional and engaging candidate experience to minimise drop-off
• Ensuring all activity aligns with compliance, safeguarding, and apprenticeship funding requirements
• Continuously reviewing and improving recruitment processes and ways of working.

Requirements

What We are Looking For

• Experience in recruitment, candidate engagement, or a similar role
• Proven ability to source, screen, and manage candidates through a recruitment pipeline
• Strong understanding of candidate experience and pipeline management
• Experience working towards targets and managing performance metrics
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to clearly explain processes and opportunities
• Strong relationship building skills and the ability to quickly establish rapport
• Highly organised, with the ability to manage high volumes of applications and enquiries
• Experience using CRM/ATS systems and reporting tools
• A proactive, results-driven approach with strong attention to detail

Desirable:

• Experience within apprenticeships, education, or funded training programmes
• Understanding of apprenticeship frameworks and eligibility requirements.

How to apply

Please submit your CV and Cover letter (maximum 2 pages) outlining how you meet the criteria set out in the person specification.

Applications close Monday 29 June 2026 by 9am.

Interviews expected week commencing 29 June 2026.

Please Note - vacancies may close prior to the expiry date displayed, subject to the volume of applications received.

Benefits