Head of Talent Acquisition - Michael Page HR : Job Details

Michael Page is exclusively supporting a key customer in recruiting a Head of TA, for the UK business unit for a leading international engineering business.

Client Details

Our customer is a leading international engineering business that has embarked on a period of change and transformation.

They pride themselves in a culture centred around; customer-centricity, performance, innovation, collaboration, and transparency.

Description

Reporting to the Group HR Director, the Head of Talent Acquisition will lead a diverse team working in a business partnering model to support recruitment needs across various service lines.

While the team has built strong relationships with internal stakeholders, they currently focus on a more transactional, 'job fill' approach, rather than taking on a strategic mindset that aligns with the business's long-term objectives.

The organisation implemented a new ATS 18 months ago, but it is not being fully utilised. Additionally, the talent acquisition function faces challenges such as the absence of a clearly defined employer brand or Employee Value Proposition (EVP), no AI integration, and recruitment processes that haven't evolved with industry trends.

As the Head of Talent Acquisition, you will have the autonomy to conduct a thorough gap analysis of the team and its processes, developing a strategic plan that drives growth and improvement.

Key areas of focus will be:

• Redefine the Talent Acquisition Function: Shift the team's focus from a transactional approach to a more strategic, business-partnering model. This includes reskilling and upskilling team members, ensuring talent acquisition aligns with the organisation's goals, and strengthening internal relationships.

• Optimise Technology and Innovation: Enhance the use of SmartRecruiter to streamline recruitment processes, reduce time-to-hire, and improve the candidate experience. You will also explore AI and other innovative tools to boost recruitment efficiency and decision-making.

• Build a Strong Employer Brand and EVP: Lead the development and promotion of a compelling employer brand and EVP that positions the organisation as a preferred employer in the competitive engineering market. This will be vital in attracting talent, especially for hard-to-fill roles and geographically dispersed offices.

• Develop Policies, Processes, and Strategies: Redesign recruitment processes to ensure they are efficient, forward-thinking, and aligned with the company's long-term objectives. This includes implementing best practices for sourcing, screening, and onboarding talent, with a strong focus on diversity and inclusion.

• Lead and Inspire Change: As a senior leader, you will play an essential role in fostering a culture of continuous improvement and excellence within the Talent Acquisition team. You'll lead by example, guiding the team through transformational change and building a high-performing function that meets the organisation's growth and transformation objectives.

With the autonomy to shape new structures, policies, and processes, you will have a significant impact on creating a centre of excellence within the talent acquisition function. Your leadership will ensure the organisation attracts and retains top talent, contributing to its long-term success.

The role is based in the North West of England, with a hybrid working arrangement of two days in the office and travel to other national sites as needed.

Profile

We are seeking an inclusive and experienced Head of Talent Acquisition to lead and transform our recruitment function. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in talent acquisition within engineering, manufacturing, or FMCG environments, with a proven ability to develop and optimise recruitment processes that meet the needs of a fast-paced and evolving organisation.

To succeed in this role, you will have experience managing and leading teams of at least 10 people, ensuring that each team member is supported, empowered, and developed to achieve high-quality recruitment outcomes. You will be able to drive meaningful change by implementing innovative strategies, policies, and processes that are aligned with the organisation's broader goals.

You should be confident working with systems and technology, with a focus on maximising the potential of ATS and leveraging data to inform decisions and enhance recruitment efficiency. A key aspect of this role is the ability to create a forward-thinking, comprehensive recruitment approach that reflects industry best practices.

As a people-focused leader, you will be highly collaborative, working closely with HR colleagues and stakeholders across the wider business. You will bring a clear vision for transforming the talent acquisition function into a strategic partner, and you will be skilled at engaging and influencing senior leaders to support your initiatives.

The ideal candidate will have a passion for talent acquisition, a commitment to continuous improvement, and the ability to build a best-in-class recruitment function that attracts, hires, and retains the best talent to support the organisation's success. Flexibility to travel nationally as needed will be required in this role.

Job Offer

This role offers a salary of £80,000 per annum, plus a car allowance, performance related bonus, and an suite of benefits.