Early Talent Recruitment Specialist

Early Talent Recruitment Specialist

Location: Dartford, Kent, other locations considered

Are you curious, people-driven, and ready to make a real impact?
We're on the lookout for an energetic, forward-thinking individual to take on a critical role in recruiting the next generation of apprentices, graduates, and early talent into the construction and engineering industry.

Whether you come from recruitment, HR, education, events in construction, or another industry entirely – if you're passionate about helping people launch meaningful careers and thrive in a fast-moving environment, this could be your next big opportunity.

Why this role matters

The construction industry is evolving – but we're facing a national skills shortage. That's where you come in.

As our Early Talent Recruitment Specialist, you'll help build the foundations of tomorrow's workforce by coordinating everything from attraction campaigns to assessment centres. You'll be the engine behind our graduate and apprentice recruitment efforts – making sure the process runs smoothly, stakeholders are supported, and candidates have an outstanding experience from start to finish.

What you'll be doing

• Coordinate end-to-end early talent recruitment, from campaign launch to offer stage – across digital, virtual, and in-person channels.
• Plan and deliver assessment centres with stakeholders and assessors – booking venues, managing logistics, preparing materials, and supporting candidates on the day.
• Champion the candidate experience – engage with applicants, track progress, and ensure smooth communication throughout.
• Own the data – review application pipelines, generate reports, and identify trends to improve performance.
• Support outreach and attraction – from T-Level placements and school engagement to digital campaigns and work experience programmes.
• Build strong relationships – with hiring managers, assessors, schools, colleges, and your internal team.

Are you someone who…

• Thrives on organisation and problem-solving?
• Enjoys connecting with people and building relationships?
• Feels at home managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment?
• Has a keen eye for detail and a drive for continuous improvement?
• Wants to be part of a purpose-led industry shaping the built environment?

Then this role is for you.

What you'll need

• Strong digital and data skills (Excel, PowerBI, SharePoint, ATS/LMS platforms).
• Experience in recruitment coordination, event management, or a similar administrative role.
• Excellent communication and customer service abilities.
• A proactive mindset – able to work independently and as part of a team.
• (Desirable) CIPD, or qualifications in HR, L&D or similar – but not essential.

What you'll get

• A meaningful role where you're shaping lives and careers.
• A collaborative team that values innovation, inclusion and support.
• The opportunity to make a difference in a skills-shortage industry.
• Exposure to talent strategy, employer branding, outreach and more.

About us:

We are an international engineering and construction company delivering state-of-the-art infrastructure and buildings projects for clients in the UK, Middle East and Australia.

Certainty, reliability, quality – this is what our clients want. And at Laing O'Rourke, we have more than 150 years of experience delivering it. Laing O'Rourke's story is one of energy, passion, ambition, people and teamwork. We harness the power of our experience, stretching back over a century and a half to deliver certainty for our clients.

As part of the Disability Confident scheme, we would like to enable access to candidates with long term health conditions and disabilities through the ‘Offer an interview scheme'. This supports applicants that meet the essential criteria by offering an interview for the advertised position. Please let us know prior to interview what adjustments are required as well as discussing how we can support you in the workplace.

We want to ensure our recruitment process is accessible to all. If you need the application form in an alternative format or you would like to know more about our recruitment process, please email resourcingteam@laingorourke.com

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