The Recruitment & Attraction Lead is responsible for leading recruitment across GB Railfreight, attracting and securing high-quality talent in an efficient, inclusive and cost-effective way.
This role will drive strategic workforce planning, succession management and end-to-end recruitment delivery, ensuring a consistent and positive experience for both candidates and hiring managers. With ownership of recruitment quality, assessment methodologies, talent pipelines, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and employer branding, you will bring an energetic and innovative approach, building strong relationships across the business and continuously improving recruitment outcomes.
This role can be based in London, Peterborough, or Doncaster.
The salary on offer is £55,000-£59,000.
Closing date: 18th August - please apply as soon as possible, we may close this role early if we receive a high number of suitable applicants.
Main Responsibilities
Recruitment Delivery
- Lead operational, seasonal and head office recruitment, overseeing the Recruitment Coordinator to ensure the efficiennt delivery of end-to-end recruitment activities.
- Plan and deliver high-volume campaigns using effective attraction channels.
- Manage service standards, agencies, suppliers and recruitment spend.
- Improve recruitment processes, quality and efficiency.
Candidate Screening and Assessment
- Agree role requirements and selection criteria with hiring managers.
- Ensure candidates are consistently screened and assessed before interview.
- Provide strong shortlists and clear suitability recommendations.
- Maintain quality standards and challenge unsuitable progression.
Candidate Experience
- Own the end-to-end candidate experience.
- Set standards for timely communication, updates and feedback.
- Use feedback to remove delays and improve the recruitment journey.
Attraction, Talent Pipelines and Employer Brand
- Develop attraction strategies and talent pools for critical and hard-to-fill roles.
- Source talent from rail and adjacent sectors.
- Strengthen GBRf’s employer brand through campaigns, content and events.
- Support apprenticeships, early careers and future talent initiatives.
Strategic Workforce Planning and Succession Management
- Lead workforce planning and succession management, identifying future needs, risks and talent pipelines.
Diversity, Inclusion and Social Value
- Champion inclusive, accessible and evidence-based recruitment.
- Use diversity data to improve representation and remove barriers.
- Build partnerships that widen access to diverse talent.
Hiring Manager Support
- Advise hiring managers on fair, consistent and legally compliant recruitment.
- Provide guidance on assessment and interview practice.
Recruitment Reporting and Workforce Insights
- Report on recruitment performance, including time, cost, quality, source, diversity and candidate experience.
- Provide workforce and labour market insight, highlighting skills shortages and recruitment risks.
Governance and Compliance
- Ensure recruitment complies with legislation, policy and industry requirements.
- Maintain accurate records, complete checks and support fair decisions.
Skills and Experience
Essential
- Significant end-to-end recruitment experience across operational, technical and professional roles.
- Experience in candidate assessment, talent attraction and supplier management.
- Experience leading strategic workforce planning and succession management.
- Strong stakeholder, influencing and relationship-building skills.
- Strong communication, data analysis and reporting skills.
- Commitment to excellent candidate and hiring manager experiences.
Desirable
- Experience in rail, logistics, engineering, transport or another operational sector.
- Experience of high-volume recruitment and employer branding.
- Experience with apprenticeships, early careers or future talent programmes.
Personal Attributes
- Energetic, innovative and proactive.
- Credible and confident, with excellent people and relationship-building skills.
- Resilient, adaptable and able to manage competing priorities.
- Committed to quality, inclusion and continuous improvement.
GB Railfreight are proud to be one of the UK's fastest-growing rail freight companies, recognised for our reliability, growth, and commitment to delivering high-quality service. For over 20 years, we've been so much more than just trains — we're a dedicated team, committed to working together to deliver reliable, sustainable freight services and build strong partnerships across industries nationwide.
When you join GBRf, you become part of a team that truly values its people, works collaboratively, and takes pride in what we do — keeping goods moving through smarter, greener, and more efficient freight solutions.
We pride ourselves on being genuinely value-driven. Our core values guide everything we do, shaping our culture and actions:
Our Values
- Professionalism – Safety and security are paramount in our business, and we believe this forms the foundation of a high-achieving safety culture.
- Support – We look after our people, and they in turn are encouraged to look after each other.
- Communication – Transparency in our business is valued by both colleagues and customers.
- Trust and Empowerment – We believe openness and honesty create the best relationships, building trust and confidence.
- Enjoyment – Taking pleasure in coming to work at GBRf is actively encouraged, right from the top.
Key Benefits of Working With Us
As well as a competitive salary, annual leave package of 25 days plus bank holidays (or equivalent for Operational staff where bank holidays are worked) and enrolment into our Industry-Wide Defined Contribution Pension Scheme, we offer:
- A generous healthcare package
- An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) - providing confidential support including counselling support, wellbeing resources and access to a 24/7 GP service
- An online benefits portal offering hundreds of discounts at nationwide retailers
- An electric vehicle scheme (available after your first 12 months)
- Regular social events, including days out for you and your family
- Training and development opportunities, including internal courses and external certifications through our industry-renowned development programs. We prioritise your growth in line with our people-centric culture.
Inclusion Without Exclusion
At GB Railfreight, we recognise that a more diverse range of people leads to greater innovation. We recruit and develop people best suited to the role requirements, regardless of background.
Our aim is to create a diverse workforce that reflects wider society. We champion diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing in the workplace, in alignment with our values.
If you're as passionate about Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) as we are, we invite new employees to join our People and Culture working group and contribute to the ongoing work in this area.
