Candidate Engagement Partner – Apprenticeships

Cognition Learning Group

Candidate Engagement Partner supporting recruitment for apprenticeships in the education sector. Building candidate pipelines and managing recruitment processes for successful placements.

Posted 6/24/2026full-timeManchester • 🇬🇧 United KingdomEntry Level💰 £30,000 - £32,000 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

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 you’ll need

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.

Benefits

Comp & perks

25 days annual leave
Birthday Leave
additional company benefits

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills & Tools

candidate sourcingcandidate screeningpipeline managementrecruitment performance monitoringcompliancesafeguardingapprenticeship frameworkseligibility requirements

Soft Skills

communication skillsrelationship buildingorganisational skillsattention to detailproactive approachresults-driven mindset