Education Recruitment Consultant

Job Title

Education Recruitment Consultant – Placement Lead (Alternative Provision)

Location

UK (Hybrid / Remote with travel as required)

Reporting To

Director of Alternative Provision

Role Purpose

The AP Placement Lead is responsible for the end-to-end fulfilment of Alternative Provision referrals, including sourcing, vetting, matching, and deploying education staff into live placements.

You will own the speed, quality, and consistency of placements, ensuring every referral is mobilised quickly with the right educator and maintained effectively throughout delivery.

This role has direct impact on revenue, service quality, and commissioner confidence. You will be expected to operate at pace, take ownership, and ensure no placement fails due to staffing.

Scope of Role

• National responsibility for AP placement fulfilment
• Ownership of educator sourcing and deployment
• Management of referral pipeline and placement delivery
• Direct impact on mobilisation timelines and hours delivered

Key Responsibilities

1. Referral Ownership & Placement Fulfilment

• Take ownership of incoming referrals from Local Authorities, Schools/PRUs, and SEN teams
• Assess each referral to determine:
• Staffing requirements (teacher, tutor, mentor)
• Required experience (SEMH, autism, trauma, exclusions)
• Delivery model (hours, location, risk level)
• Match suitable educators and confirm placements
• Mobilise placements within 24–72 hours where required
• Track referrals from enquiry through to active delivery

2. Education Staff Sourcing & Recruitment

• Build and maintain a reliable pool of educators including:
• SEN Teachers
• Tutors
• Behaviour Mentors
• HLTA / TA staff
• Source candidates via job boards, LinkedIn, and referrals
• Conduct screening focused on:
• SEN/SEMH experience
• Behaviour management capability
• Suitability for 1:1 and community-based AP settings
• Maintain a pipeline of “ready-to-deploy” staff

3. Placement Matching & Deployment

• Match educators based on:
• Skillset and experience
• Location and travel
• Availability and reliability
• Coordinate timetables and session delivery
• Ensure all placements are fully staffed and covered
• Manage urgent gaps, sickness, and replacements without disruption
• Maintain continuity of staffing to prevent placement breakdown

4. Placement Management & Quality Control

• Act as the primary operational contact for live placements
• Monitor:
• Attendance
• Engagement
• Staff performance
• Address issues early, including:
• Staff suitability concerns
• Behavioural challenges
• Engagement risks
• Adjust or replace staffing where required to maintain stability

5. Compliance & Safeguarding

• Ensure all staff are fully compliant prior to deployment:
• Enhanced DBS
• Right to work
• References
• Qualifications
• Maintain accurate safeguarding and compliance records
• Ensure all placements operate in line with Department for Education guidance
• Escalate safeguarding concerns appropriately

6. Stakeholder & Client Coordination

• Liaise with:
• Local Authority caseworkers
• Social workers
• SEN officers
• Schools
• Provide clear and timely updates on:
• Placement start dates
• Staffing arrangements
• Risks or issues
• Build strong commissioner confidence through consistent delivery

7. Systems, Tracking & Reporting

• Maintain accurate records of:
• Referral pipeline
• Staff availability
• Active placements
• Ensure all sessions and hours are correctly recorded
• Support reporting on:
• Placement coverage
• Hours delivered vs commissioned hours
• Staff utilisation

Key Performance Indicators

• Referral to placement time: 24–72 hours
• Placement fill rate: >95%
• Staff utilisation rate
• Placement stability (low turnover per case)
• Compliance completion: 100% prior to deployment
• Hours delivered vs commissioned hours

Experience

• Experience in education recruitment OR SEN / Alternative Provision staffing
• Proven ability to fill roles quickly under pressure
• Experience managing multiple live placements or bookings simultaneously
• Strong understanding of:
• SEMH needs
• Behavioural challenges
• Complex young people

Desirable Experience

• Experience working with Local Authorities or AP providers
• Knowledge of SEN frameworks and referral pathways
• Background in education, youth work, or SEN services

Key Skills

• Strong recruitment and talent-matching ability
• Excellent organisation and scheduling skills
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment
• Strong communication and stakeholder management
• Problem-solving and decision-making under pressure

Personal Attributes

• Highly proactive and responsive
• Resilient and calm under pressure
• Strong sense of ownership and accountability
• Detail-oriented with high standards
• Driven by results and delivery

What Success Looks Like

• Referrals are filled quickly with the right educators
• Minimal delays or gaps in placement delivery
• Strong, reliable pool of educators
• High placement stability and continuity
• Positive feedback from commissioners and partners