_{11th September, 2026}

Recruitment Consultant
Darlington
Competitive Salary + Market-Leading Commission Structure
Full-Time | Permanent


Are you an experienced Recruitment Consultant who enjoys recruitment but could do without the relentless KPIs, micromanagement and pressure to prioritise activity over results?

Tempest Jones is looking for an experienced Recruitment Consultant to join our team in Darlington.

We are deliberately open-minded about your background. You do not need to recruit within our existing sectors. We are much more interested in finding a good recruiter with strong client relationships, a track record of developing business and the ambition to build a successful permanent desk.

If you have established client relationships or a network you believe could move with you, even better. We are happy to discuss how your existing market could complement our business rather than expecting you to simply leave it behind.


About Tempest Jones

Tempest Jones is an established recruitment and executive search business with more than 30 years' experience.

Today, we work with leading organisations across the UK and internationally, recruiting professional and senior-level talent and supporting clients with everything from individual appointments through to retained leadership and executive search assignments.

Our established markets include construction consultancy, property and development, financial services and renewable energy, but we are not looking to restrict this appointment to those sectors.

We believe experienced recruiters do their best work when they are trusted to get on with it. That means no obsessive KPI culture, no unnecessary micromanagement and no expectation that you spend your day making calls simply to hit an arbitrary number. Instead, we focus on building genuine relationships, understanding our clients and candidates properly and delivering a high-quality service that keeps people coming back to us.

You'll have the autonomy to manage your desk in the way that works for you, backed by an established business, an experienced team, excellent recruitment technology and a market-leading commission structure that properly rewards success.


The opportunity

This is a 360° Recruitment Consultant position with responsibility for developing and managing your own client and candidate relationships.

Depending on your experience and existing network, that could mean joining one of our established markets or bringing a sector or specialism of your own to Tempest Jones.

We are particularly interested in speaking with recruiters who have developed strong client relationships and would like the freedom and support to continue growing those relationships within a smaller, entrepreneurial business.

You'll be trusted to take ownership of your desk, develop new opportunities and build long-term relationships rather than being given a rigid script or prescribed way of working.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Developing and managing your own portfolio of clients
• Building new client relationships and identifying opportunities for growth
• Managing and developing existing client accounts
• Taking detailed recruitment briefs and advising clients on the market and appropriate recruitment strategies
• Identifying, approaching and headhunting high-quality candidates
• Managing candidates throughout the recruitment process
• Negotiating offers and successfully closing placements
• Developing a strong network within your chosen market
• Attending client meetings, networking events and industry events where appropriate
• Using LinkedIn Recruiter, our CRM, AI-powered recruitment technology and other tools to identify and engage talent
• Working collaboratively with the wider Tempest Jones team and sharing opportunities and relationships where appropriate

Who we're looking for

We're interested in speaking with established recruiters from any professional recruitment sector.

You might currently work for a large national or international agency and want more autonomy. 
You might be part of a smaller recruitment business but feel you've reached a ceiling. Or you may simply want to work somewhere that gives you the freedom to recruit in the way you know works.

Ideally, you'll have:

• Previous experience as a Recruitment Consultant or Senior Recruitment Consultant
• A successful track record within agency recruitment
• Experience developing new business and managing client relationships
• An established client network or relationships you can continue to develop
• The confidence to take ownership of and grow your own permanent recruitment desk
• Strong candidate sourcing and headhunting skills
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
• A commercial mindset and the drive to maximise your earning potential
• The ability to work independently as well as part of our team
• A collaborative approach and willingness to contribute to the wider business

Your current recruitment sector isn't important to us. Your ability to build relationships, win work and deliver for your clients is.


Why Tempest Jones?

We know experienced recruiters don't need to be told how many calls to make every day.

We want to provide the environment, tools and support that allow good recruiters to perform at their best, and reward them properly when they do.

You'll benefit from:

• Competitive basic salary based on your experience and track record
• Market-leading, transparent commission structure
• 28 days' annual leave + bank holidays and Christmas to New Year shutdown
• Working from home on Fridays
• Genuine flexibility for hybrid working and working hours when you need it, whether that's around childcare, appointments or other commitments
• Genuine autonomy over how you manage and develop your desk
• No obsessive KPI culture or micromanagement
• Excellent recruitment technology, including LinkedIn Recruiter, industry-leading databases and AI-powered tools
• Established brand and more than 30 years of recruitment experience
• Freedom to develop your existing market or build within one of ours
• Clear opportunities for progression as the business grows
• Regular social events
• Casual dress when you're not meeting clients or attending events
• Free parking at our Darlington office
• A relaxed, friendly and experienced team

Build something of your own, without having to do it alone

If you've built a successful recruitment desk, you'll know that your value isn't measured by how many calls you make or how many CVs you send. It's in the relationships you've developed, the reputation you've built and your ability to turn those relationships into long-term business.

At Tempest Jones, you'll have the freedom to build on that. Whether that means developing one of our established markets or bringing your own specialism and client relationships with you, we're open to the conversation.

You'll have the autonomy of running your own desk, alongside the infrastructure, technology, reputation and support of an established recruitment business.

If you're an experienced recruiter and think you could build something successful with Tempest Jones, we'd like to hear from you.

Apply by submitting your CV to john@tempestjones.com, or for a confidential conversation about the opportunity, contact John Tempest on 07885 774 155.

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