Employer Relations Specialist

We are looking for an experienced and highly motivated Employer Engagement Specialist to build strong relationships with local and regional employers, identify suitable job opportunities and support positive employment outcomes for people working with Tandem through the Connect to Work contract. The successful candidate will ideally have experience in recruitment, employer engagement, business development, sales or account management. They will be confident speaking with employers, developing a strong network of contacts and identifying opportunities before matching them with suitable Tandem clients. The role will also contribute to Tandem's wider business-development activity. This will include helping businesses make meaningful use of their corporate social responsibility programmes, securing donations of time, skills and money, and promoting Tandem Hub to organisations seeking professional meeting, training and conference facilities. This is an outward-facing role for someone who enjoys opening doors, building trust and turning conversations into practical opportunities.    Key responsibilities Employer engagement and recruitment

• Develop and maintain a strong network of local and regional employers across a range of sectors.
• Proactively contact businesses to understand their recruitment needs, workforce challenges and future vacancies.
• Identify and secure suitable job opportunities before candidates are referred or placed.
• Build trusted relationships with employers, recruitment agencies, HR professionals, hiring managers and business networks.
• Promote Tandem's employment services and explain the benefits of working with us.
• Develop a clear understanding of local labour-market opportunities and employer demand.
• Source vacancies, work experience, sector-based opportunities, apprenticeships and other routes into employment where appropriate.
• Work closely with employment advisers and delivery colleagues to match clients' skills, aspirations and support needs with suitable opportunities.
• Ensure employer expectations and client support requirements are clearly understood.
• Support clients before, during and after interviews, placements and job starts where required.
• Maintain regular contact with employers to support retention, resolve issues and encourage repeat engagement.
• Record employer contacts, vacancies, outcomes and relevant activity accurately on Tandem's systems.
• Contribute to contract targets, performance measures, compliance requirements and monitoring processes connected with Connect to Work.    Business development and CSR
• Identify businesses that could support Tandem through donations, volunteering, mentoring, professional expertise, equipment, sponsorship or other resources.
• Develop compelling opportunities for businesses to contribute their time, skills and funding.
• Build relationships with CSR, ESG, HR, community investment and sustainability leads.
• Prepare and deliver presentations, proposals and partnership approaches tailored to individual businesses.
• Encourage employers to support Tandem's clients through mock interviews, careers talks, mentoring, work experience and workplace visits.
• Support the development of longer-term corporate partnerships that generate measurable social value.
• Maintain a pipeline of business-development opportunities and report progress to senior colleagues.
• Work with the wider team to demonstrate and communicate the impact of employer support. Tandem Hub promotion
• Promote Tandem Hub as a professional, accessible and socially responsible venue for conferences, meetings, training, exhibitions and corporate events.
• Identify potential customers, including businesses, public-sector organisations, charities, training providers and professional networks.
• Generate enquiries and referrals through direct engagement, networking, business events, email, telephone and online channels.
• Build relationships with event organisers, venue-finding agencies, business networks and local organisations.
• Encourage existing customers and partners to make repeat bookings and recommend Tandem Hub.
• Work with the conference-centre team to understand capacity, availability, customer requirements and income opportunities.
• Help increase utilisation and income while ensuring the venue's charitable purpose remains central to its offer.   About you You will be a confident relationship-builder with the ability to engage credibly with employers, business owners, HR professionals and senior decision-makers. You may have a background in recruitment, agency work, employer engagement, sales, account management, business development or employability services. You will ideally bring an existing network of local business contacts, but just as importantly, you will know how to develop new relationships from the ground up. You will be:
• Commercially aware, proactive and comfortable generating your own opportunities.
• Confident making telephone calls, arranging meetings and presenting to businesses.
• Skilled at identifying employer needs and matching them with appropriate solutions.
• Able to communicate the benefits of social value and CSR in a practical, business-focused way.
• Motivated by helping people move closer to work and achieve sustainable employment.
• Organised and able to manage multiple employer relationships and priorities.
• Comfortable working to targets, deadlines and contractual outcomes.
• A persuasive and professional written and verbal communicator.
• Resilient, self-motivated and able to work independently.
• A collaborative team member who shares information and contributes to wider organisational goals.
• Committed to equality, inclusion, safeguarding and respectful, person-centred practice. Essential requirements
• Experience of employer engagement, recruitment, sales, business development, account management or a related field.
• Evidence of building and maintaining effective business relationships.
• Experience of identifying opportunities and converting initial contact into positive outcomes.
• Excellent communication, networking and presentation skills.
• Ability to understand employer requirements and assess the suitability of potential opportunities.
• Strong organisation and administration skills.
• Ability to use digital systems to record activity, manage contacts and report outcomes.
• Ability to travel locally to meet employers and attend networking events.
• Commitment to Tandem's charitable aims and the principles of fair access to employment. Desirable experience
• An established network of contacts among local employers and business organisations.
• Experience working within recruitment, employability, welfare-to-work or skills provision.
• Knowledge of the local labour market and employer community.
• Experience of Connect to Work, supported employment or similar employment programmes.
• Experience of corporate social responsibility, social value, charitable partnerships or fundraising.
• Experience of promoting venues, conferences, training facilities or business services.
• Understanding of recruitment practices, inclusive employment and reasonable adjustments.
• Experience of working to public-sector contract targets and audit requirements.