Talent Acquisition Advisor - 9 Month FTC

We’re making a difference: Together, we can ensure that there is enough water for everyone, now and in the future.

Portsmouth Water are delighted to have 9-month FTC opening for a Talent Acquisition Advisor for our People Team. You’ll play a key role in supporting hiring managers across the full recruitment cycle, from advertising and pre-screening through to interviews, selection, and offers. As our Talent Acquisition Advisor, you’ll help us attract great people by keeping processes running smoothly, co-ordinating agency activity, and championing opportunities for apprentices, students, and graduates across the organisation.
Alongside day-to-day hiring support, you’ll also lead project delivery that strengthens how we recruit. This includes managing recruitment campaigns, improving the applicant journey, developing our employer brand, building future talent pools, and introducing measures that help reduce agency spend. It’s a hands-on role where you’ll make a real impact on how Portsmouth Water hires now and in the future.
What will you be doing?
Key Responsibilities
• Provide advice and guidance on all aspects of talent acquisition and recruitment through to the job offer stage.
• Co-ordinate the development of company job descriptions, implementing controls for content consistency, quality, and version history.
• Support managers with developing and uploading job advert content to various platforms including internal and external digital channels and social media to source the required skills and experience.
• Take an active role in developing existing talent within the organisation, promoting internal opportunities for career progression or secondment.
• Assist with reviewing CVs and applicant shortlisting based on job and person specification requirements.
• Ensure interview and selection techniques, materials are maintained and deliver accessible information, equality, diversity, and inclusion requirements to enable a positive applicant experience.
• Ensure all work carried out is processed and stored in the relevant Company system in accordance with current GDPR guidance.
• Assist with the completion of pre-employment checks and other compliance processes. This will include any contractor IR35/Off Payroll Working Rules compliance monitoring and the provision of status determinations to the relevant third parties.
• Collaborate with the Procurement team to create and maintain a preferred list of recruitment agency service providers along with discounted terms of business for permanent and temporary placements.
• Provide coaching and feedback to new hiring managers to develop interview and assessment skills.
• Delivering excellent service when dealing with internal and external contacts.
• Attend or deliver recruitment, career, and community events to promote the organisation as an employer of choice.
What do you need?
Skills, Qualifications & Competencies
• Proven experience of delivering ‘in house’ recruitment or talent acquisition services across all organisational levels.
• Proven experience of interviewing, assessing, and selecting applicants of all levels of seniority, including competency and strengths-based assessment and scoring.
• Proven ability to develop and publish job advert content to a variety of platforms including social media and website career pages.
• Working knowledge of the relevant legislation, regulatory, and compliance considerations required throughout the talent acquisition process for hiring employees, agency workers and contractors.
• Proven experience of completing pre-employment checks including DBS requirements.
• Experience of building a network of preferred recruitment agency providers and a good working knowledge of recruitment agency terms of business.
• High attention to detail and accuracy of information.
• Proven communication skills at all levels of stakeholder engagement.
• A flexible and collaborative approach with the ability to prioritise tasks and manage conflicting priorities and deadlines.
• Accredited to a minimum of CIPD Level 3, or REC qualification, or equivalent experience.



💬 We recognise people want to work in a variety of different ways, and that’s why we’re happy to consider flexible working arrangements. Please feel free to talk to us at interview about the flexibility you may be looking for.
📌 Please note, we may close this advert early if we receive a high volume of applications — so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid missing out.
🌍 We’re committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and we actively encourage applications from all sections of society.
🛂 Please be aware, the Company has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.
📬 Due to the high volume of applications we may receive, we’re unable to respond to every applicant individually. If your application is of interest, we’ll usually be in touch within 4 weeks of receiving it.


What can Portsmouth Water offer you?

At Portsmouth Water, we believe in rewarding our people. Here’s just a taste of what’s waiting for you when you join the team:
🌴 Holidays Made Better
Enjoy 25 days of annual leave, plus bank holidays, giving you plenty of time to relax, recharge, and explore.
💰 A Pension That Works for You
We’ll help secure your future with a generous pension scheme, contributing up to 15% – because your tomorrow matters as much as your today.
💸 Performance Pays Off
You could earn a non-contractual bonus of up to 6% of your basic salary, linked to company performance – because when we succeed together, you should benefit too.
🍼 Family Comes First
Whether you’re welcoming a new arrival through birth or adoption, we’ve got your back with enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave and pay.
🎉Social Events
All expenses covered summer and winter social events
🛡️ Peace of Mind, Always
Our life assurance scheme gives your loved ones extra security, with a 4x salary lump sum benefit in case the unexpected happens.
🧠🩺 Comprehensive Wellbeing Support
Whether you need confidential mental health and wellbeing advice 24/7 through our Employee Assistance Programme, or physical health support via our Virtual GP service (available 8am–10pm, 7 days a week for you and your immediate family), help is always close at hand with the HealthHero app.
🎁 PW Perks – Treat Yourself!
Enjoy exclusive discounts at thousands of retailers, plus exciting benefits like:

• 🚗 Electric Vehicle Scheme (after 1 year)
• 🚴 Cycle to Work Scheme
• 💊 Health Cash Plan
  …and so much more!