Compliance Officer

Job description and person specification

Salary £26,000-£30,000 per annum, dependent on experience

Hours Full time, 08:00-16:30

Location Office based in Preston

About the role

We are looking for a Compliance Officer to support our education recruitment team at Spencer Clarke Group. You will manage candidate compliance files, coordinate pre-employment checks and help ensure that staff are suitable for placement in schools and other education settings.

Working closely with our consultants and senior compliance team, you will keep checks moving, maintain accurate records and identify any issues that need further review before a candidate can be cleared for work.

Key responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of candidate files from onboarding through to compliance review, keeping candidates and consultants informed of progress and outstanding requirements.
• Obtain and verify identity, address, right to work and change of name documents, following the appropriate checking procedures.
• Coordinate DBS applications and Update Service checks, and arrange other suitability checks appropriate to the role, including barred list, teaching prohibition and overseas checks where required.
• Request, verify and follow up references; review employment histories and obtain explanations for gaps or inconsistencies.
• Check qualifications, professional status and required training, and ensure supporting evidence is recorded correctly.
• Review files against internal checklists, complete the initial compliance sign off and submit complete files for further review through our approval process.
• Escalate discrepancies, adverse disclosures, unsuitable references and safeguarding concerns to senior compliance staff or the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
• Maintain accurate candidate records, monitor expiring checks and arrange renewals or rechecks in line with company procedures.

Further responsibilities

• Support internal file audits and external audit preparation, resolve identified actions and help improve the quality and consistency of compliance records.
• Handle personal and sensitive information securely and confidentially, following company data protection and record retention procedures.
• Keep up to date with relevant safer recruitment guidance and company policies, applying changes with support from the senior compliance team.
• Prioritise files in line with agreed placement needs while maintaining the required standard of checks.

Essential skills and experience

• Experience in compliance, candidate vetting, pre-employment screening or a closely related administrative role involving document verification.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to identify missing information, discrepancies and incomplete evidence.
• Good organisational skills, with the ability to manage several files and competing deadlines.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including confidence in requesting documents and following up outstanding checks.
• A professional approach to confidentiality and sensitive information.
• The confidence to raise concerns, seek guidance and maintain standards when working under time pressure.

Desirable skills and experience

• Previous compliance experience within an education recruitment agency or school setting.
• Working knowledge of safer recruitment and Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance.
• Experience of DBS processes, right to work checks, overseas checks and verifying education references.
• Experience preparing candidate files for audit or working to education recruitment quality standards.