Jess Russell

• I bring 25+ years of recruitment experience across Healthcare, Commercial & Industrial, Accounts & Finance, Education, and Engineering & Manufacturing.

• My focus is building enduring relationships with local employers - not filling vacancies, but becoming a trusted partner in workforce planning.

• I lead the Care and Commercial & Industrial Recruitment divisions at Rotherwood Recruitment, operating across our Keighley and Burnley offices.

Relationships First: The Rotherwood Approach

I have spent 25 plus years across several sectors building something most recruiters overlook: genuine trust with local employers. My career spans Healthcare, Education, Accounts & Finance, Commercial & Industrial, and Engineering & Manufacturing - each sector with distinct workforce pressures and very different hiring cultures. That breadth matters. Employers working with me are not dealing with a generalist who skims the surface; they are working with someone who understands the operational realities of each sector from years of direct experience.

At Rotherwood Recruitment, I lead the Care and Commercial & Industrial divisions. My priority is not throughput - it is the quality of the relationship. I am direct, honest, and transparent with every employer I work with, because I believe that long-term partnerships only hold when both sides trust each other completely.

What does 25 years across several sectors actually mean for employers?

Sector breadth over 25 years means I have seen workforce challenges repeat across industries - skills shortages, retention failures, poor job briefs - and have developed practical responses to each. Employers benefit from pattern recognition built across Healthcare, Education, and Commercial & Industrial environments, not advice drawn from a single niche.

Leading Care and Commercial & Industrial at Rotherwood

I oversee two of Rotherwood's most active divisions. In Care, I work with providers across the region who need reliable, values-aligned candidates in a sector where the wrong hire carries real risk. In Commercial & Industrial, I support businesses with volume and specialist requirements, from office-based roles through to production and logistics. Both divisions reflect the same operating principle: understand the employer's world before recommending anyone for it.

With over 4,500 LinkedIn followers, I am an active voice in regional recruitment, sharing honest commentary on hiring conditions, workforce trends, and the realities of working across multiple sectors simultaneously. Employers looking for business support from a recruiter who speaks plainly will find that reflected in every conversation with me.

How does my approach differ from a transactional recruiter?

Transactional recruitment prioritises speed and volume - filling roles as quickly as possible. My approach prioritises understanding the employer's culture, pressures, and long-term workforce needs before a single candidate is discussed. That process - diagnosis before recommendation - reduces repeat hiring cycles and builds relationships that last years, not months.

About Me

I am Business Manager at Rotherwood Recruitment, where I lead the Care and Commercial & Industrial divisions across Keighley and Burnley. I hold 25 plus years of recruitment experience across several sectors, including Healthcare, Education, Commercial & Industrial, and Engineering & Manufacturing, with 10 years in leadership roles. I am a committed advocate for alternative education pathways for children with ASD and ADHD. Outside work, I train at the gym five times a week, enjoy reading, and am kept company by Cooper, my sausage dog. Connect with me on LinkedIn.

Work With Me

If you are an employer in the Care or Commercial & Industrial sector looking for a recruiter who prioritises your business over a quick placement, I am ready to talk. Reach out to Rotherwood Recruitment to start a conversation built on honesty and long-term thinking.

Get in Touch

Interested in working together? Contact our team to start the conversation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sectors do you specialise in?

I have 25 plus years across several sectors, with specialist knowledge in Healthcare, Education, Commercial & Industrial, and Engineering & Manufacturing. I currently lead the Care and Commercial & Industrial divisions at Rotherwood Recruitment, supporting employers across Keighley and Burnley with both volume and specialist hiring requirements.

How do you approach employer relationships?

I prioritise developing lasting relationships with local employers over transactional placements. I am direct and transparent in every interaction, taking time to understand an employer's culture and workforce pressures before recommending candidates. This approach reduces repeat hiring cycles and builds partnerships that deliver consistent value over the long term.

Which areas does Rotherwood Recruitment cover through your divisions?

I lead recruitment activity across Keighley and Burnley through Rotherwood Recruitment's Care and Commercial & Industrial divisions. My regional focus means I have established relationships with local employers and a strong understanding of the specific workforce conditions and candidate availability in both areas.