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From senior director level to more junior within finance, HR, marketing, sales, customer service and administration our Office and Contact Centre service is geared towards matching candidates with opportunities which precisely suit their capabilities. We have an established pedigree within the sector and our specialist teams are well qualified to advise and assist your career development.
Office 1, First Floor, Charles House, Charles Street, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 2PQ
+ 14 other offices
Smith and Reed Recruitment works with employers in a broad range of sectors including Office Professional, Industrial, Construction & Skilled Trades, and Hospitality & Catering. Their team has more than 85 years of combined recruitment experience and is available 24/7.
The Old Chapel, St Clement Street, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 1EX
Jobline Staffing specialises in sectors including Construction & Trades, Secretarial & Administration, and Interpreting & Translation across the South West. They cover perm and temp vacancies for roles such as Plasterer, Electrician, Plumber, Gas Engineer, Human Resources, and more. Jobline Staffing is a REC member and has 25 years of experience.
Room 1/003 Truro Library, Union Place, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 1EP
Based in Cornwall, Winners Recruitment is a multi-sector staffing agency that works with clients and candidates across the whole of the UK. They cover permanent and temporary roles.
8, Old Bridge Street, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 2AQ
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Chiltern House, City Road, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 2JL
Acorn Recruitment is a multi-faceted consultancy established in 1992 for various areas including, but not limited to, Aerospace & Defence, Energy, and Life Sciences. With 600 branches worldwide, they have experience in supplying employees for permanent, temporary and contract jobs, in addition to confidential executive search services and international placements. In the UK, they have offices in Newport and nearly 20 other locations.
2A River Street, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 2SQ
+ 20 other offices
Cornwall’s admin pay reflects a mixed economy of public sector, tourism, care, education, and growing tech hubs. Entry administrators often land between £21,000 and £24,000, with experienced coordinators and senior administrators in the £25,000 to £30,000 range. Executive assistants and office managers can earn between £32,000 and £40,000, with duties including finance support, HR admin, or board liaison. Temp agencies quote hourly pay rates from £11.50 to £15.50 for core roles, with office managers and EAs in the £16 to £22 bracket on short bookings. Recruitment fees for permanent hires tend to sit at 12 per cent to 20 per cent of salary, with admin recruitment agencies offering lower bands for volume roles and higher bands for specialist support. Agency costs on temps include holiday pay, National Insurance, and the agency margin, which is why charge rates are higher than the pay rate. Clear job briefs reduce time-to-hire and help control spend.
Strong GCSEs and confident written English remain the baseline in this space. Employers in Cornwall often ask for Excel, CRM, and bookkeeping exposure, with AAT Level 2 or 3 valued for finance administrators. Minute taking, audio typing, and diary management are still sought in public bodies and education. Customer service certificates help with reception and front-of-house. For regulated sites, a DBS check is common, and NHS Trusts and schools often request this before starting. Recruitment consultants will test typing speed, MS Office skills, and accuracy, so candidates should brush up before registration.
The admin route in Cornwall often starts with reception, data entry, or scheduling. From there, paths lead to the office coordinator, team secretary, PA, or EA. Some move laterally into finance admin, payroll support, or HR administration, then step into office manager roles. Project support posts appear on capital works and infrastructure schemes, which can be a bridge into PMO coordination. Temp work can quickly build sector diversity, and many local employers convert strong temps into permanent staff when retention is a priority.
Cornwall’s labour market spans a wide area, so travel time and public transport can complicate early starts or split shifts. The A30 helps car commuters, but Truro traffic and summer tourism peaks stretch journey times. Employers near Newquay, Camborne, Redruth, St Austell, Bodmin, and Penzance get better responses when job adverts mention parking or flexible start times. Housing costs have nudged some candidates to seek hybrid patterns or four-day weeks. Admin recruitment agencies can expand their reach by offering part-time options and school hours, thereby improving retention in family-focused teams.
Public sector bodies around Truro and Bodmin post steady demand for office support. Healthcare providers, GP practices, and care groups need rota admin, reception, and records staff. Education settings hire term-time attendance officers and admissions administrators. Tourism, hospitality, and attractions around Newquay and St Ives create seasonal reception and reservations roles. Engineering, marine, and renewable energy firms around the Aerohub near Cornwall Airport, Newquay and the A30 corridor need project and document control support. Local businesses use recruitment agencies to fill temporary cover during audits, grant milestones, and busy summer trading.
Hiring spikes arrive before summer when hotels, leisure sites, and festivals ramp up bookings and visitor services. September brings a lift in education and public bodies as budgets roll forward. December to January sees short-term cover for holidays and year-end, with payroll and finance admin in demand. Temp agencies often register students returning for the summer, so early requests secure the best availability. Executives schedule meetings around tourist traffic, so PAs with strong diary control skills are popular from spring through autumn.
GDPR awareness is expected for anyone handling customer or patient data. Many employers request a basic DBS check for school, healthcare, or care-related roles. Reception and facilities roles may include visitor management under ISO or CQC frameworks, so accurate record-keeping is important. Lone working, health and safety induction, and safeguarding modules appear in onboarding packs. Admin recruitment agencies brief candidates on site rules and identity checks, and will confirm right to work and references before starting.
Truro is the county’s admin hotspot, with NHS, council, legal, and accountancy practices clustered near the station. St Austell and Bodmin offer access to industrial estates and logistics hubs, which are well-suited to scheduling and transport admin. Camborne and Redruth benefit from A30 links and business parks, so deliveries, service desks, and repair bookings feature in job specs. Coastal towns like Penzance, St Ives, Falmouth, and Newquay see more front-of-house and reservations roles, with weekend working common in peak months. Mentioning parking, bus routes, or rail links in adverts helps candidates quickly estimate commute time.
Speed matters when covering sickness or holiday, so having an approved rate card and a short interview window helps. Local employers sometimes lose candidates to long processes. Same-day phone screens followed by a short skills test keep momentum strong. Offering 30-minute in-person meetings near Truro bus routes or at the Pool Innovation Centre can widen access. Remote onboarding for document-heavy roles works well where systems are cloud-based. Recruitment agencies can pre-book regular temps for month-end or clinic days, reducing the last-minute rush.
What do admin temps cost in Cornwall per hour?
Typical charge rates range from £15.50 to £23, depending on role, urgency, and site checks.
Do recruitment agencies cover short-notice reception absences?
Yes, many offer same-day cover lists for half days or full days, with minimum booking periods.
Can I hire on a temp-to-perm basis?
Yes, a temp-to-perm route is common, with a transfer fee or a qualifying hours model set out in advance.
How can job seekers get started with local agencies?
Register with an agency that tests your MS Office skills, bring ID, references, and proof of address, then set travel limits and availability.
Do executive search firms work on senior admin posts?
Yes, senior PAs and chiefs of staff may be handled by executive search, though many roles are filled via specialist recruiters focused on business support.
What benefits help retention for office staff?
Clear hours, hybrid patterns, fair pay progression, and parking or rail access all support retention in Cornwall’s spread-out workforce.
How can employers find employees fast outside Truro?
Share a tight brief, confirm pay bands, and let the recruiter approach pre-cleared candidates near the A30 and main rail stops.