Who are we

First Rail London (FRL) is the train operating company responsible for running the London Overground network under a concession agreement with Transport for London (TfL). The concession began in May 2026.

First Rail London is part of FirstGroup, one of the leading rail operators and one of the largest bus operators in the UK.  FirstGroup operates services throughout the UK and Ireland, with over 30,000 employees providing services that make travel smoother and life easier.  FirstGroup works hard to reduce its impact on the environment, introducing cleaner and more environmentally responsible methods of transport.

About the job

As part of the wider HR, Talent and Learning & Development function, the Recruitment Business Partner willact as the central point of coordination for all recruitment activity across the business. Partnering with internal stakeholders and external recruitment providers, you will ensure a seamless and comprehensive end-to-end recruitment process for roles across Customer Service, Operations, Engineering and HQ functions.
As a seasoned Recruitment Business Partner, you will play a pivotal role in connecting teams, aligningrecruitment activity and ensuring a consistent and positive experience for both candidates and hiring managers. You will develop and deliver innovative recruitment strategies, attract diverse talent at all levels, and support the delivery of our wider people agenda. 

Your main responsibilities will be:

• Act as the central point of coordination for all recruitment activity across the business, ensuring a seamless, efficient and consistent end-to-end recruitment process across Customer Service, Operations, Engineering and HQ functions.
• Partner with hiring managers, HR Business Partners and business leaders to understand current and future workforce requirements, translating hiring needs into effective attraction and recruitmentstrategies.
• Manage relationships with external recruitment providers and supply partners, ensuring service levels, quality standards and hiring outcomes are delivered in line with business requirements.
• Provide expert guidance and challenge to hiring managers on recruitment best practice, market trends, talent availability, salary benchmarking and inclusive hiring approaches.
• Create compelling recruitment campaigns, advertising content and candidate attraction initiatives, continually evaluating effectiveness and recommending improvements to maximise hiring outcomes.
• Support the design and delivery of robust selection processes, including interview frameworks, assessment approaches and candidate evaluation methods that promote fairness, consistency and diversity.
• Work collaboratively with hiring managers and HR colleagues to develop clear, accurate and engaging job descriptions and role profiles aligned to business needs.
• Champion an exceptional candidate and hiring manager experience, ensuring timely communication, engagement and stakeholder management throughout the recruitment lifecycle.
• Maintain oversight of recruitment activity through the Applicant Tracking System (eArcu), ensuring data integrity, process compliance and accurate recruitment records.
• Monitor, analyse and report on recruitment performance metrics, providing insight and recommendations to improve recruitment effectiveness, efficiency and diversity outcomes.
• Awareness of talent trends, competitor activity, sourcing channels and emerging recruitment practices to inform hiring strategies and support business decision-making.
• Promote the employer brand internally and externally, identifying opportunities to enhance the organisation's reputation as an employer of choice.
• Ensure recruitment practices support the organisation's diversity, equity and inclusion objectives, helping to attract and hire talent from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.
• Contribute to wider HR, Talent and Learning & Development initiatives, supporting the delivery of the overall people strategy and organisational objectives

As a minimum, you will need to have:

• Experience of managing end-to-end recruitment activities within a medium to large and/or complex organisation.
• Recruiting across a range of functions, including operational, customer-facing, technical and corporate roles.
• Working with hiring managers to understand recruitment requirements and deliver effective attraction and selection solutions.
• Working with external recruitment providers, agencies or suppliers to support recruitment delivery.
• Implementing inclusive recruitment practices that support Equality, Diversity and Inclusionobjectives.
• Designing and delivering recruitment campaigns, assessment processes and selection activities.
• Experience of using Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and recruitment technology to manage recruitment activity.
• Producing recruitment reports and analysing recruitment data to support decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Working collaboratively with HR colleagues and business stakeholders to achieve recruitmentobjectives.
• Good knowledge of recruitment and talent acquisition best practice across attraction, assessment and selection.
• Understanding of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion principles and their application within recruitment activities.
• Knowledge of recruitment assessment methods, including competency-based interviewing and psychometric tools.
• Knowledge of relevant employment legislation and recruitment-related compliance requirements, including the Equality Act 2010.
• Understanding of current labour market trends and candidate attraction methods.
• Knowledge of recruitment marketing, advertising platforms and routes to market.
• Understanding of candidate experience principles and employer brand considerations
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build effective working relationshipsacross all levels of the organisation.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage confidently withcandidates, hiring managers and HR colleagues.
• Ability to advise and support managers on recruitment best practice and selection decisions.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple vacancies and competing priorities effectively.
• Collaborative approach with the ability to coordinate activity across multiple stakeholders and recruitment partners.
• Ability to analyse information, identify trends and make practical recommendations.
• Proactive and solution-focused, with a commitment to delivering a high-quality recruitmentservice.
• Ability to work independently whilst maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders.
•  Agile and flexible approach, with the ability to adapt to changing business needs and priorities.
• Strong attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy and compliance.
• Commitment to delivering a positive candidate and hiring manager experience.
• Commitment to promoting diversity, inclusion and fair recruitment practices

Education / Qualifications (Desirable)

• Degree level qualification (or equivalent experience) in HR, Business, Psychology or a related discipline.
• CIPD qualification or working towards CIPD accreditation.
• Level A & B (or equivalent Level 1 & 2) Certification in Occupational Test Use through an accredited provider (e.g. SHL, OPC, BPS).
• Evidence of continued professional development in recruitment, talent acquisition, assessment methodologies or diversity and inclusion

About the location

2 Redman Place, Stratford / Hybrid

The Reward

• Free Travel for you and a nominated person at your address on TfL Network - this alone is worth a potential total of £5,200 per annum
• 75% discount off season tickets and leisure travel on other Train Operating Companies
• Discounts on European rail services after 1 year of service
• First Xclusives – a benefits portal offering a wide range of benefits and discounts
• Employee Assistance Programme - 24hr helpline, covering a multitude of subjects

We all belong at First Rail London. FirstGroup's vision is to provide an inclusive environment for all colleagues, across its group of businesses, ensuring all candidates have an equal opportunity to access meaningful employment.

We value our differences such as age, gender, LGBTQIA+, ethnicity, religion, and disability. We maintain a zero tolerance towards any form of prejudice towards our colleagues, customers, and future talent.

We celebrate and encourage diversity of thought, progressive ways of working and seeing all our colleagues grow and thrive.

We review all roles and job descriptions to ensure they are accessible and, where possible, we support and provide flexible working options; we recommend that you refer to each vacancy description for further details.

If you require additional support to complete your application due to a disability or neurodivergent condition, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or autism, please follow the links below.  We encourage you to share any additional needs you may require so we can provide a fair and equal process for all who apply.

https://exceptionalindividuals.com/neurodiversity/

https://www.healthassured.org/blog/neurodiversity/