Interview with School Facilities Recruitment Specialist: Emma Dobson
18 Jun, 20251-2 minutes
In this blog, you will learn:
- Insights into school facilities recruitment.
- About the current challenges facing the education sector.
- Where the latest school facilities jobs are and how to apply for them.
In our feature blog, ‘Interview with a recruiter’ we’ve been hearing from recruiters at Spencer Clarke Group to uncover insightful advice for successful hiring and candidate guidance across our specialisms.
This time, we’re speaking to Managing Consultant, Emma Dobson, who specialises in school facilities and non-teaching role recruitment.
After pursuing a career in education, Emma transitioned her skills into the world of recruitment. After discovering that this fast-paced industry would provide the opportunity to combine her passion for education with the rewarding nature of client relationships, Emma is now thriving at Spencer Clarke Group.
Throughout the interview, Emma shares her insights into school facilities recruitment alongside what she loves most about the education sector.
Emma, tell us about yourself
I’m a Managing Consultant at Spencer Clarke Group, where I proudly lead our school facilities division. My expertise lies in recruiting for non-teaching positions within schools and I specialise in placing skilled professionals into temporary, temp-to-perm and permanent roles nationwide.
I’m genuinely passionate about the work I do and take great pride in supporting the education sector. Helping schools find the right people to keep things running smoothly behind the scenes is incredibly rewarding and I’m committed to making a positive impact wherever I can.
How did you end up in the world of recruitment?
My career in education began at the age of 18 when I worked as a Teaching Assistant in the SEND department of a local secondary school. This early experience gave me invaluable insight into supporting children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and ignited my passion for helping young people. It was during this time that I realised I wanted to pursue a career in teaching.
Driven by that goal, I went on to study Primary Education with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) at Liverpool John Moores University, where I graduated with a 2:1. Throughout my degree, I had the opportunity to complete a range of placements, working with pupils from reception up to year 5. These experiences gave me a deep understanding of how schools operate and further cemented my love for education and child development.
After qualifying, I transitioned into the world of education recruitment, initially focusing on sourcing Teachers and Teaching Assistants across Cumbria. I quickly found that recruitment was the perfect blend of my passion for education and the fast-paced, rewarding nature of working with people. During this time, I built strong, long-lasting relationships with schools and clients that I still keep in touch with today.
Now, I’ve found my place at Spencer Clarke Group, where I specialise in recruiting for non-teaching roles within schools. This role allows me to continue making a meaningful impact behind the scenes, supporting schools in finding the right staff who keep things running smoothly day to day. My background in education helps me understand the challenges schools face and enables me to offer a thoughtful, tailored approach to recruitment.
What does your role entail at Spencer Clarke Group?
As a Managing Consultant at Spencer Clarke Group and leading our school facilities division, my role involves working closely with schools to understand their specific staffing needs, whether that’s for temporary cover, temp-to-perm transitions, or permanent hires.
Day to day, I’m responsible for sourcing high-quality candidates for roles such as Administrators, Business Managers, Cleaners, Caretakers, and other essential support staff. I also build and maintain strong relationships with school leaders, ensuring they receive a reliable, responsive, and tailored recruitment service.
As part of my role, I also take on management responsibilities, mentoring other consultants, overseeing team performance and helping to drive strategy and growth within the division. Supporting the development of others while maintaining high standards across our team is something I take great pride in.
Due to my background in education, I’m passionate about matching the right people to the right environments, supporting schools in running efficiently while positively impacting the lives of students. No two days are the same and that’s what I love about it!
Who do you work with?
I work closely with a wide range of professionals across the education sector, primarily partnering with School Business Managers, Headteachers, and HR teams to support their recruitment needs for non-teaching roles.
I also liaise with candidates from a variety of backgrounds, whether they’re experienced school support staff or professionals looking to transition into education-based roles.
Can you give us an insight into how your market works?
The non-teaching education market is a fast-paced and highly responsive sector that often requires quick turnarounds and a deep understanding of how schools operate behind the scenes. Unlike teaching roles, non-teaching positions can be more reactive in nature, with vacancies arising due to sickness, restructures, or urgent operational needs.
What makes this market unique is that these roles are absolutely essential to the day-to-day running of a school, yet often don’t get the same visibility. That’s where we come in. I work closely with schools to identify gaps quickly and source candidates who not only have the right skills but who also align with the school's values and culture.
There’s also a strong demand for flexibility, which is why we support a variety of placements, temporary, temp-to-perm, and permanent; so schools can adapt to changes and keep things running smoothly.
Because many of these roles aren’t always advertised widely, having a reliable, specialist recruiter makes a big difference in ensuring schools find quality staff quickly, efficiently and of course, stress free!
What is the best thing about being a recruiter in your sector?
The best thing about being a recruiter within my sector is knowing that the work I do directly supports the smooth running of schools and, ultimately, the education and wellbeing of children.
Non-teaching staff often work behind the scenes, but they play a crucial role in creating a safe, organised and supportive environment for both the children and staff.
I find it incredibly rewarding to connect schools with the right candidates, whether it’s a caring Pastoral Lead, an efficient Administrator, or a reliable Site Supervisor, because I know how much of a difference the right support staff can make. Every placement feels like a small but meaningful contribution to a bigger picture and that’s what makes this job so fulfilling.
What are the current challenges facing the education sector?
One of the biggest challenges we are currently facing in the education sector is budget cuts. Many schools are under increasing financial pressure, which makes it difficult for them to hire and retain the non-teaching staff they truly need to operate effectively.
These support roles, such as Business Managers, pastoral teams, and site staff are essential for creating a safe, well-organised environment where Teachers can focus on delivering high-quality education.
When budgets are tight, schools often have to make tough decisions about staffing levels, which can lead to gaps in vital support services. This puts additional strain on existing staff and can impact the overall wellbeing of both children, Senior Leadership Teams and Teachers.
Despite these challenges, schools remain committed to providing the best possible environment and that’s where specialist recruitment support can really help by finding flexible, cost-effective staffing solutions.
How does Spencer Clarke Group help overcome these challenges?
At Spencer Clarke Group, we understand the financial pressures schools face and the critical need to maintain strong support teams despite budget constraints. We help schools overcome these challenges by offering flexible recruitment solutions tailored to their unique needs, whether that’s temporary cover during busy periods, temp-to-perm options to manage costs, or permanent hires that provide long-term value.
Our specialist knowledge of the education sector means we can quickly source high-quality candidates who not only fit the role but also understand the demands of working in a school environment. By providing efficient, cost-effective staffing options, we help schools maintain the essential non-teaching roles even in times of financial uncertainty.
Additionally, we work closely with schools to build trusted partnerships, allowing us to anticipate their needs and offer proactive recruitment support, so they never have to compromise on the quality of their teams, despite budget pressures.
What does the future hold for you at Spencer Clarke Group?
I’m looking forward to continuing to develop and grow the school facilities division, ensuring we remain a trusted and reliable partner for schools across the country.
My focus is on building new partnerships with schools that need support with their non-teaching recruitment needs.
Teaching, school support staff and school facilities jobs
If you’re searching for a new career opportunity, why not take a look at the latest education and school facilities jobs, or simply upload your CV to be notified when a relevant job opening becomes available.
Recruit teaching, support and facilities staff
As a specialist education recruitment agency, we support mainstream and SEND schools with their recruitment needs.
Whether you’re searching for teaching, support, or facilities staff, we have exclusive access to some of the best educators in the North West.
If you’re struggling to fill a vacancy, why not get in touch with one of our team to see how we can help?
- Primary schools - Jimmy Callagher
- Secondary schools - Liam Jones
- SEND schools - Jamie Heath
- School facilities - Emma Dobson
Who is Spencer Clarke Group?
Established in 2017, we’re an award winning and progressive recruitment agency based in the heart of the North West. Our reputation is built on trust, expertise and an unwavering commitment to exceed expectations.
In 2024, we were named Recruitment Agency of the Year at the prestigious Recruiter Awards, an accolade we are extremely proud of.
We operate in two sectors:
In eleven specialisms:
Healthcare, Social Care & Nursing
Corporate Functions & Business Support
