First City Recruitment

First City Recruitment At First City Recruitment, we pride ourselves on being the bridge that connects exceptional talent with top-notch opportunities.

Our mission is simple: to match the right candidates with the right roles, creating lasting and fulfilling career journeys.

04/09/2025

Assistant Quantity Surveyor
Braintree CM7 2YN
Property Development / Groundworks / Construction Industry
£29,000 to £40,000 with some wriggle room depending on your experience

Do you have construction cost management experience and want to progress to an Assistant Quantity Surveyor?

Would you like to work for an extremely impressive Property Development company where the founder is recognised by Forbes?

If yes, this is the opportunity you have been looking for!

Assistant Quantity Surveyor Benefits
Company pension
Clear career progression and mentorship
Exposure to innovative, high-impact projects
Collaborative and supportive team environment
Reward recognition
Free on-site car parking
Free tea and coffee
Regular training and professional development opportunities
20 days holiday, plus bank holidays, plus up to 2 weeks additional leave at Christmas
Fri 19th Dec to Mon 4th of Jan paid Christmas shutdown 2025

Assistant Quantity Surveyor Duties
To be highly motivated joining a growing commercial team.
Strong team player reporting into the Quantity Surveyor.
Supporting your QS in managing and controlling budgets, estimating work, lifecycle cost management, and final accounting.
Working across two companies under one group within Property Development and Groundworks, which are expanding beyond the core focus in telecoms.
Responsible for creating new schedules of rates and applying existing ones to produce accurate cost estimates for upcoming projects, primarily within the groundworks sector and other related areas of construction.
Assist in the preparation of cost estimates and tender documents.
Support procurement processes and subcontractor appointment.
Monitor project costs and prepare regular financial reports.
Assist in valuing completed work, arranging payments, and supplier communication.
Conduct site visits to assess progress and verify variations.
Liaise with internal teams, contractors, and suppliers.
Help maintain compliance with company policies, procedures, and contracts.
Provide support in identifying cost-saving opportunities and value engineering.

Assistant Quantity Surveyor Requirements
Your own transport due to the office location.
Experience in a construction cost management role, or a quantity surveying role.
Strong numerical and analytical skills.
Familiarity with construction contracts (JCT, NEC 3/4)
Proficiency in MS Excel and measurement software (e.g., Bluebeam, CostX).
Excellent communication and organisational skills.
A proactive and collaborative approach to problem-solving.
Confident communicator and proactive self-starter.
Someone with a desire to progress their career with a growing business.
Ability to be full-time, office-based, with occasional travel to sites
Ability to work Monday to Friday 8 am to 5 pm.

Assistant Quantity Surveyor Desirable - Not Essential
Take-off experience.
Previous experience in residential or mixed-use developments.
Groundworks estimating experience.
Quantity Surveying Degree / HND.
Experience taking projects from tendering through to final accounts.

If you have the relevant skills and experience and wish to apply, please send your most up to date cv to shelley.horne@firstcityrecruitment.co.uk

02/09/2025

Position: Assistant Accountant
Department: Finance / Accounts
Location: Braintree, Essex (CM7)
Salary: Up to £45,000 with some wriggle room for the right person

Would you like to work as an Assistant Accountant for an extremely impressive Property Development company, where the founder is recognised by Forbes?

If yes, this opportunity is what you have been looking for!

Assistant Accountant Benefits
Company pension
Clear career progression
Reward recognition
Free on-site car parking
Free tea and coffee
Regular training and professional development opportunities
20 days holiday, plus bank holidays, plus up to 2 weeks additional leave at Christmas
Fri 19th Dec to Mon 4th of Jan paid Christmas shutdown 2025
Monday to Friday 8 am to 4 pm, or 8.30 am to 4.30 pm or 9 am to 5 pm, whichever is best for you.

Assistant Accountant Responsibilities
Providing support to the accounting function for several companies.
Performing daily accounting tasks.
Assist in the reconciliation of balance sheet accounts.
Raising sales invoices.
CIS returns and reviewing of sales invoices to ensure correct CIS analysis.
Inter-company transaction review and analysis.
Accounts to Trial Balance stage.
VAT Returns.
Creating and maintaining Excel Spreadsheets.
Supervising the Purchase Ledger.
Talking to suppliers and arranging payments.

Assistant Accountant Requirements
Your own transport due to the office location.
2 years+ working experience with Purchase Ledger.
Proficiency with Microsoft Excel
Proficiency with Xero, or Sage with ability to learn Xero.
Experience using Salesforce would be beneficial, although not essential.
CIS experience is preferred, but not essential.
An accounting qualification, or studying towards this is preferred, but not essential.
Eager, with a positive can-do attitude.
Attention to detail and accuracy.
Strong written and spoken English.
Flexible and adaptable.
Can work independently, as well as in a team.

Apply now, by sending your most recent CV to shelley.horne@firstityrecruitment.co.uk we look forward to hearing from you.

28/08/2025

HOT JOB ALERT

Customer Service Administrator
Location: Chelmsford, UK

Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00am – 4:30pm (30-minute lunch break)

Salary: £26,000 – £28,000 per annum (depending on experience)

We’re looking for an organised and proactive Customer Service Administrator to join our clients team based in Chelmsford. You’ll be the first point of contact for customer enquiries, manage their shared inbox and CRM, and provide day-to-day support to their Key Account Managers. This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys variety, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and takes pride in delivering excellent customer experiences.

Key Responsibilities

Inbox management: Monitor and respond to customer enquiries, ensuring a professional response within service level targets.
CRM updates: Keep all records accurate and up to date, logging interactions, next actions, and customer feedback.
Quote follow-ups: Track and follow up quotations, ensuring responses are timely and recorded.
KAM support: Provide administrative support such as preparing documents, checking deliveries, and updating order details.
Customer calls: Make daily outbound calls to progress enquiries, gather feedback, or provide updates.
Escalation & communication: Flag urgent or complex issues to colleagues quickly and clearly.

About You

Previous experience in a customer service or administrative role
Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail
Comfortable using CRM systems and Microsoft Office (or similar tools)
A team player who enjoys working collaboratively and supporting colleagues.
In return, you’ll receive:

A very attractive salary of £26,000 – £28,000 (DOE)
Free onsite parking
Company pension scheme
28 days’ annual leave (including bank holidays)
Your birthday off each year
An additional 3 days of annual leave after completing two years of service
A supportive and friendly team environment
Training and development to help you succeed and progress

If you have the relevant skills and experience and wish to apply, please send your most recent CV to shelley.horne@firstcityrecruitment.co.uk or call us on 01245506269 for more information.

22/08/2025

Customer Service Advisor/Account Handler
Coggeshall
£24-26K DOE

Due to growth, we have a new office-based permanent job opportunity available for a Customer Service Advisor, working for a successful distribution company based in Coggeshall. This offers an annual salary up to ** depending on your experience. Benefits include plenty of on-site free car parking, 20 days holiday plus bank holidays, plus one additional bonus day, a stakeholder pension, company events such as Summer BBQs with free food, a complimentary Christmas party, progression opportunities and a great work environment, WOW!

The working hours are Monday to Friday, from 8.30am to 5.00pm, with no evenings or weekends involved. Unfortunately part-time, hybrid and remote working options are unavailable.

You will be working in a friendly office-based work environment as a Customer Service Advisor and you will be provided with your own customers to look after. Your customers will have either retail or subscription style products predominantly surrounding the lifestyle and wellbeing sector which will be sent to many different retailers or directly to customer's doors. You will be responsible for taking your customers orders, which could be over the telephone or by email. You will then process your customers orders accurately onto their in-house system and then follow up the order by checking your customer has received their order and is happy. You will be looking after them from order received to order delivered and everything in between.

Your responsibilities as the Customer Service Advisor will also include resolving any queries your customer has regarding their orders, troubleshooting and liaising with internal departments to ensure that everything is resolved and runs smoothly for them. Other departments within the business include their Warehouse, Ecommerce and Re-work departments. You will also work alongside their invoicing and reporting clerk, providing customer data to ensure they are invoiced correctly. Everyone works together to ensure orders are sent to either retailers or directly to their customers, as per each customers special instructions.

Their customers are well-known retailers such as Argos, Sainsburys, Tesco and Selfridges to name a few. You will be talking directly to your customers via email, telephone and occasionally on slack. Full training and support will be provided for this role. As the Customer Service Advisor, you will also support other members of the customer service team with their customers, particularly around promotion periods or peak periods such as Black Friday and Christmas as well as covering sickness and unexpected absence on the team. You will also answer incoming telephone calls and transfer calls to different departments. Other responsibilities include working with their external suppliers to arrange pallet and carton deliveries and collections. The role of Customer Service Advisor offers lots of variety, and once you have proven yourself, there is plenty of salary reviews and progression available.

To be considered for this opportunity you will need…

* To drive with your own transport.

* To live within a reasonable distance of Coggeshall, Essex.

* To have knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel with confidence to learn new systems.

* To be confident to speak to customers on the telephone as well as face to face meetings.
* To have order processing, or account handling, or account management experience.

* If you have any experience working alongside a distribution centre or a warehouse with stock it would be beneficial, but this is not essential.

If you wish to apply, please send your most recent CV to shelley.horne@firstcityrecruitment.co.uk

21/08/2025

Military Sales Executive – Global Events
Chelmsford

📍 Chelmsford
💰 £24,000 basic + ~£20,000 realistic OTE
✈️ 4 annual international trips
🕗 Monday–Friday
🏆 Rare, rewarding opportunity

Are you passionate about supporting the Armed Forces? Do you want a rewarding career in international B2B sales while travelling the world?

This is a unique opportunity to work with a successful events company that partners directly with the British Army and Royal Navy to deliver global networking exhibitions. You’ll speak with innovative businesses, sell the value of attending elite military events, and attend 4 fully paid for international events each year.

💼 What’s in it for you?
• £24,000 guaranteed basic salary
• Uncapped commission – realistic OTE of £20,000+
• 20 days holiday + bank holidays + 2 weeks off at Christmas
• Full training & sales development
• Regular team socials & events
• Career progression – they promote from within
• Global travel – attend 3–4 paid-for military events per year

🔍 The Role
• Researching businesses and identifying relevant contacts
• Cold calling and following a proven sales process
• Building relationships with key decision-makers and Armed Forces reps
• Selling stand space and packages at military networking events
• Attending global exhibitions to represent the company, build rapport and close sales

✅ What You’ll Need
• A valid passport – willing to travel internationally (2–4 day trips)
• Confident, professional telephone manner
• Ability to speak to senior-level decision makers and Armed Forces personnel
• Sales motivation – target-driven, enthusiastic and self-motivated
• Based within commuting distance of Chelmsford

🎖️ Bonus if you’re:
• Ex-military or have family/friends with Armed Forces experience
• A graduate passionate about breaking into sales
• Someone with recent telephone-based sales or recruitment experience

🎯 This role suits:
• Ex-forces looking for a civilian career with purpose
• Graduates eager for global exposure and quick progression
• Outbound sales professionals wanting more than just cold calls

📩 Apply Now
Send your CV to: info@firstcityrecruitment.co.uk

21/08/2025

Legal Secretary
SS1 1EF
£25,000 - £30,000

Would you like to work for a well-regarded law firm in Southend-on-Sea?

If you are an experienced Legal Secretary with Residential Conveyancing experience this opportunity is not to be missed!

Legal Secretary Benefits
Holiday
Pension
Eye tests
Training and support
Career development opportunities
A great working environment
Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 5.30 pm, with one hour for lunch.

Legal Secretary Responsibilities
Work within an established, busy, growing residential conveyancing department.
Comprehensive administrative and secretarial support to the residential conveyancing team.
Smooth handling of residential property transactions.
Handling confidential documentation with discretion.
Managing multiple priorities effectively in a fast-paced environment.

Legal Secretary Requirements
Legal Secretary experience, within Residential Conveyancing.
To live within a short distance of Southend-on-Sea.
Accurate typing skills.
Proficient in Word, Excel, and Outlook Email.
Knowledge of legal case management software is beneficial.
Knowledge of conveyancing-specific software would be beneficial

Apply now, we look forward to hearing from you.
Please send your most recent cv to Shelley.horne@firstcityrecruitment.co.uk

19/08/2025

Office and Customer Service Administrator
Terling, Chelmsford (CM3 2BY)
£28,000 - £30,000

Are you looking for an office administration role with customer service?
Do you enjoy variety in your work?
Would you like to work in a rural location with countryside views?
If yes, this is what you have been looking for!

Administrator Benefits
Free on-site car parking
Pension
20 days holiday plus bank holidays
Christmas shutdown period (3 days holiday to be saved)
Complimentary Christmas party
Employee discount scheme
Health and wellbeing programme
Complimentary tea and coffee
Full-time hours Monday to Friday from 8 am to 5 pm

Administrator Responsibilities
Work in a busy environment for a ground’s maintenance company
Working with cloud-based systems to manage projects for grounds maintenance, landscaping, and tree surgery projects
Answering incoming telephone calls from customers and colleagues
Make outbound telephone calls to customers and colleagues
Supporting colleagues and customers with any queries they may have
Providing exceptional customer service
Adapting quickly to changes in customers’ needs and job projects
Updating the CRM database
Raising job quotes, Purchase Orders, and invoices
Supporting diary management, organising schedules and job projects
Monitoring vehicles, and equipment on sites in real time
Help staff with issues on their electronic pad
Reporting on completed jobs within the system
Calling staff if their activities raise concerns
Checking of jobs from the previous day, recording and reporting.
Carrying out vehicle and machinery checks are filled out correctly, liaising with garages for services once authorised
Helping schedule for the next day’s work
Making sure licences for jobs are applied appropriately
Daily management of emails
Informing directors of any issues
Liaising with tree manager on tree related emails
Keeping Job Watch up to date with new site data, maps and information
Keeping PPE and clothing matrix current
Keeping up to date with Job Watch
Actively seek information to improve services
Help with social media where appropriate
Proactively help within the office environment on any daily tasks required

Administrator Requirements
Your own transport due to rural office location
Customer service experience with good communication skills
Office administration experience
Microsoft Word, Excel, and Email knowledge
Experience of raising quotes, POs and invoices would be ideal but not essential
Organised and detail orientated
Ability to prioritise a busy workload
Team player with a can-do attitude
Experience managing projects or jobs would be beneficial
Knowledge of purchase ledger or Sage Line 50 would also be beneficial

Apply now, by sending your most up to date cv to info@firstcityrecruitment.co.uk

We look forward to hearing from you!

21/07/2025

Account Handler / Customer Service Advisor
£24-26K DOE

Due to growth, we have a new office-based permanent job opportunity available for a Customer Service Advisor, working for a successful distribution company based in Coggeshall. This offers an annual salary up to £26,000pa depending on your experience. Benefits include plenty of on-site free car parking, 20 days holiday plus bank holidays, plus one additional bonus day, a stakeholder pension, company events such as Summer BBQs with free food, a complimentary Christmas party, progression opportunities and a great work environment, WOW!

The working hours are Monday to Friday, from 8.30am to 5.00pm, with no evenings or weekends involved. Unfortunately part-time, hybrid and remote working options are unavailable.

You will be working in a friendly office-based work environment as a Customer Service Advisor and you will be provided with your own customers to look after. Your customers will have either retail or subscription style products predominantly surrounding the lifestyle and wellbeing sector which will be sent to many different retailers or directly to customer's doors. You will be responsible for taking your customers orders, which could be over the telephone or by email. You will then process your customers orders accurately onto their in-house system and then follow up the order by checking your customer has received their order and is happy. You will be looking after them from order received to order delivered and everything in between.

Your responsibilities as the Customer Service Advisor will also include resolving any queries your customer has regarding their orders, troubleshooting and liaising with internal departments to ensure that everything is resolved and runs smoothly for them. Other departments within the business include their Warehouse, Ecommerce and Re-work departments. You will also work alongside their invoicing and reporting clerk, providing customer data to ensure they are invoiced correctly. Everyone works together to ensure orders are sent to either retailers or directly to their customers, as per each customers special instructions.

Their customers are well-known retailers such as Argos, Sainsburys, Tesco and Selfridges to name a few. You will be talking directly to your customers via email, telephone and occasionally on slack. Full training and support will be provided for this role. As the Customer Service Advisor, you will also support other members of the customer service team with their customers, particularly around promotion periods or peak periods such as Black Friday and Christmas as well as covering sickness and unexpected absence on the team. You will also answer incoming telephone calls and transfer calls to different departments. Other responsibilities include working with their external suppliers to arrange pallet and carton deliveries and collections. The role of Customer Service Advisor offers lots of variety, and once you have proven yourself, there is plenty of salary reviews and progression available.

To be considered for this opportunity you will need…

* To drive with your own transport.

* To live within a reasonable distance of Coggeshall, Essex.

* To have knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel with confidence to learn new systems.

* To be confident to speak to customers on the telephone as well as face to face meetings.
* To have order processing, or account handling, or account management experience.

* If you have any experience working alongside a distribution centre or a warehouse with stock it would be beneficial, but this is not essential.

If you have the relevant skills and experience, and wish to apply, please send your most up to date CV to shelley.horne@firstcityrecruitment.co.uk

12/07/2025

Operations Assistant
Location: Chelmsford - Fully office based
Salary: £27,000 – £31,000

We are working with a fast-paced, collaborative business that is looking for a confident and capable Executive Operations Assistant to join their team. This is a pivotal support role, working closely with senior leadership and internal departments to keep operations running smoothly.

The ideal candidate will have a strong administrative background, be comfortable working under pressure, and be able to juggle multiple tasks with confidence. Some account management experience, such as managing client relationships or supporting sales processes, is also important.

Key Responsibilities:
• Provide proactive administrative support to the Operations Manager and leadership team
• Manage the operations inbox and respond promptly to internal and external queries
• Oversee diaries, coordinate meetings, and organise logistics for internal and external events
• Liaise across departments including sales, purchasing, and warehouse to support smooth day-to-day operations
• Maintain accurate documentation and records, including reports, orders, and customer interactions
• Monitor and report stock levels, support dispatch timelines, and flag any issues
• Follow up with clients to ensure satisfaction and manage ongoing communications where needed
• Prepare reports and presentations using Excel and PowerPoint for internal meetings
• Support business development by ensuring new clients receive a high level of service
• Help drive improvements in operational processes and internal communication
• Uphold confidentiality and professionalism at all times.

Experience & Skills Required:
• Solid background in administrative roles, ideally within a busy or varied environment
• Strong multitasking skills, able to stay calm and focused under pressure
• Experience managing internal or external client accounts, or working in a client-facing support role
• Excellent communication skills and a friendly, approachable manner
• Highly organised with great attention to detail
• Confident using Microsoft Office, especially Excel and PowerPoint
• A proactive mindset with the ability to think ahead and solve problems independently
• Adaptable and team-oriented, with a willingness to get stuck in across departments

The working hours will be Monday to Friday 8-4.30pm and this will be full-time office based.

In return, you will receive a very attractive salary, free onsite parking, pension, 28 days annual leave, plus your birthday off, plus and additional 3 days annual leave once completed two years of service.

If you have the relevant skills and experience and wish to apply, please send your most recent CV to shelley.horne@firstcityrecruitment.co.uk

12/07/2025

Legal Secretary – Commercial Property
Location: Colchester
Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week (Monday to Friday, office-based)

Our client a well established and growing law firm based in Colchester is looking to hire an experienced Legal Secretary to support their busy Commercial Property department. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a reputable firm that values its staff, offers a professional working environment, and provides genuine opportunities for development.

This role will see you providing essential secretarial and administrative support to fee earners within the Commercial Property team. It’s a varied and engaging position that would suit someone who thrives in a busy legal environment, is confident liaising with clients, and has strong organisational skills.

Key Responsibilities
• Provide high-quality secretarial support including audio typing, document preparation, and file management
• Coordinate diaries, schedule meetings, and handle general correspondence
• Act as a professional and friendly first point of contact for clients via phone, email, and in person
• Prepare and process bills, manage payments, and support with monthly billing cycles
• Maintain accurate client records and case management systems
• Support fee earners with new client onboarding and business opportunities
• Ensure compliance with internal procedures and legal regulations
• Assist with other administrative tasks to ensure the smooth running of the team

What We’re Looking For
• Previous experience as a Legal Secretary, must be within Commercial Property a minimum of two years
• Excellent audio typing and word processing skills with a high level of accuracy
• Strong IT proficiency, particularly with Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, Excel)
• Familiarity with legal case management systems (desirable)
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to prioritise workload, meet deadlines, and work effectively under pressure
• A proactive, positive attitude and willingness to support across the team

The successful candidate will receive a competitive benefits package, including:
• 25 days annual leave, plus an additional day off for your birthday or wellbeing
• 4% employer pension contribution
• Healthcare cash plan
• Life assurance and income protection
• Access to a flexible benefits portal
• Ongoing training and professional development
• Hybrid working may be offered for the right candidate
• Free on-site parking

If you’re an experienced legal secretary looking to join a friendly, supportive team in a well-regarded law firm, we’d love to hear from you. Apply today by sending your cv to shelley.horne@firstcityrecruitment.co.uk

Address

Suite 289, Dorset House, 25 Duke Street
Chelmsford
CM11TB

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Thursday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Friday 9:30am - 4pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when First City Recruitment posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram