Talent Researcher

As Talent Researcher you are the engine behind our placement activity. The founder handles client relationships, candidate interviews and offer management. Your job is to make sure he always has a strong pipeline of qualified candidates to work with — and that we are always finding new client opportunities.

This is a research and sourcing role. You will not be making sales calls or managing client relationships — that is the founder's responsibility. But the quality of your research directly determines how many placements we make. This is a critical role, not a support role.

You will split your time across three areas:

1. Candidate Sourcing (approximately 50% of your time)
When Simon has a live role brief from a client, your job is to find qualified candidates as quickly as possible. You will search LinkedIn, job boards and candidate databases to build a longlist of people who match the brief.

• Search LinkedIn using specific job titles, skills, companies and locations provided by Simon
• Build candidate longlists of 15-20 profiles per role brief
• Capture candidate information — name, current role, company, location, LinkedIn URL, contact details where available
• Note relevant career details from their profile that match the brief
• Organise and present candidate lists clearly in Google Sheets
• Keep candidate pipeline databases updated and well organised
• Track which candidates have been contacted, interviewed or placed

2. Client Research and Lead Finding (approximately 35% of your time)
You will actively search for injection molding manufacturing companies in the United States that may need to hire talent — and for companies that are already advertising roles directly without using a recruitment agency. These become warm leads for Simon to call.

CRITICAL DISTINCTION We target companies that MAKE plastic parts using injection molding machines. We do NOT target automotive OEMs, vehicle assembly plants, or companies that simply buy plastic components. Before adding any company to your research list, confirm they operate injection molding machines in their own facility.

• Monitor Indeed, LinkedIn Jobs and ZipRecruiter daily for new injection molding job postings from direct employers in target US states
• Log new postings in the weekly lead tracker — company, role, location, posting date, contact name if visible
• Distinguish between direct employer postings and agency postings — only direct employers are logged
• Research target companies in Texas, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and other priority states
• Find HR Director, Talent Acquisition Manager and Plant Manager contacts at target companies on LinkedIn
• Set up and monitor Google Alerts for expansion and hiring news from US plastics manufacturers
• Keep the master client target list updated and accurate

3. Administration and Pipeline Management (approximately 15% of your time)
• Maintain candidate and client databases in Google Sheets
• Track the status of all live roles — candidates submitted, interviews scheduled, offers made
• Prepare weekly summary reports for Simon covering new leads found and candidate pipeline status
• Schedule calls between Simon and candidates when requested
• Research company backgrounds before Simon makes client calls
• Support any other research tasks Simon assigns
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Essential — you must have these
• Excellent written and spoken English — you will be writing candidate summaries and research reports that Simon relies on
• Strong LinkedIn research skills — you know how to use LinkedIn search effectively to find specific types of people
• High attention to detail — you check your work before submitting it and your data is accurate
• Organised and systematic — you manage multiple tasks simultaneously without losing track of anything
• Reliable and self-directed — you manage your own time, meet deadlines without being chased, and communicate proactively if something is unclear
• Comfortable working to US time zones — the role requires overlap with US Central and Eastern business hours
• Experience using Google Sheets or Excel to organise and present data

Strongly preferred
• Previous experience in a recruitment research, talent sourcing or headhunting support role
• Experience working for a UK, US or Australian employer remotely
• Familiarity with the manufacturing, engineering or industrial sectors
• Experience using LinkedIn Recruiter or LinkedIn Sales Navigator
• Experience monitoring job boards and tracking leads

Not required — we will train you
• Knowledge of injection molding or plastics manufacturing — we will teach you everything you need to know
• Previous US market experience — we will guide you on the differences
• Recruitment software or ATS experience — we use Google Sheets to start with

HOW TO APPLY
To apply please send the following to Simon Anderson at the email address listed in this posting:

• Your CV or resume in English — maximum 2 pages
• A short cover message — no more than 3 paragraphs — explaining why this role interests you and what makes you the right person for it
• A practical research example — find 5 injection molding manufacturers (NOT automotive OEMs or buyers of plastic parts — the companies that actually run injection molding machines) based in Texas, USA. List their company name, city, approximate employee count, ---------- pany page URL, and one sentence describing what plastic products they make. Present this in a Google Sheet and share the link

APPLICATION NOTE We read every application personally. Applications that include the correct practical research example will be prioritised — it tells us immediately whether you understand the type of company we work with. If your example lists automotive manufacturers or companies that buy plastic parts rather than make them, your application will not progress. Generic cover letters will not be read.

A FINAL NOTE FROM SIMON
I am building this business from the ground up and I am looking for someone who wants to be part of that journey — not just fill a job. The person I hire will be working closely with me every day. I need someone I can trust completely, who takes pride in the accuracy of their work, and who asks when they are unsure rather than guessing.

If that sounds like you — I would very much like to hear from you.