Senior Director - Talent AcquisitionLocation: Abu Dhabi, UAEReporting to: Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)
UAEN Applicants only please - non negotiable
I am working with a government based organization to bring on board a Senior Director of Talent Acquisition to lead and oversee the Talent Acquisition function in Abu Dhabi.The successful candidate will be responsible for providing strategic direction and leadership across the entire Talent Acquisition lifecycle, ensuring the organisation has the people, capabilities and workforce strategies required to support its current and future business objectives.
This role will take ownership of the end-to-end Talent Acquisition function, encompassing strategic manpower planning, recruitment delivery, onboarding, budgeting, workforce benchmarking and the development of effective hiring strategies. The individual will also lead and develop the Talent Acquisition team, driving operational excellence, continuous improvement and a high standard of service delivery across the organisation.
The ideal candidate will bring significant hands-on operational experience across Talent Acquisition, providing them with the practical understanding and credibility required to operate as a strategic leader, influence senior stakeholders and continuously enhance the organisation's hiring capabilities.
Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Talent Acquisition LeadershipDevelop and execute the organisation's overall Talent Acquisition strategy, aligning recruitment priorities with business objectives and long-term workforce requirements.Provide strategic leadership and direction to the Talent Acquisition department, establishing clear objectives, priorities and performance expectations.Drive the continuous development and optimisation of recruitment processes, frameworks and operating models.Act as a trusted advisor to the CHRO and senior leadership on talent acquisition strategies, workforce requirements and recruitment market trends.Manpower Planning & Workforce StrategyLead strategic manpower planning initiatives, working closely with business leaders to understand current and future workforce requirements.Develop effective workforce forecasting and headcount planning strategies to ensure the organisation is appropriately resourced.Establish and implement talent benchmarking strategies, utilising market intelligence, industry trends and competitor insights to inform hiring decisions.Identify critical talent requirements, capability gaps and future workforce needs.End-to-End Talent Acquisition & Recruitment OperationsOversee the complete Talent Acquisition lifecycle, ensuring effective management of recruitment activities from requisition approval and sourcing through to selection, offer management and onboarding.Maintain a strong understanding of operational recruitment activities, ensuring strategies are practical, commercially sound and effectively implemented.Establish recruitment standards, policies, procedures and performance metrics to ensure consistency and efficiency across the organisation.Monitor recruitment performance, including time-to-hire, cost-per-hire, quality of hire and overall recruitment effectiveness.Oversee recruitment budgets, resource allocation and external recruitment partnerships to ensure cost-effective hiring practices.Team Leadership & DevelopmentLead, manage and develop the Talent Acquisition team, building a high-performing function with clearly defined responsibilities and objectives.Provide coaching, guidance and mentorship to team members, developing their technical capabilities and strategic contribution.Establish a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.Ensure the department has the appropriate structure, resources and capabilities to deliver against organisational requirements.Stakeholder Management & Relationship BuildingBuild strong relationships with the CHRO, executive leadership and senior business stakeholders, acting as a strategic partner on all talent-related matters.Influence and advise senior stakeholders on recruitment priorities, workforce planning and hiring strategies.Ensure effective communication and collaboration between Talent Acquisition and wider HR and business functions.Present recruitment strategies, workforce insights and performance reports to senior leadership.Candidate RequirementsBachelor's degree minimum qualification12 years minimum in Talent AcquisitionExtensive experience within Talent Acquisition, with a significant track record of leading and managing recruitment functions at a senior leadership level.Strong operational foundation in Talent Acquisition, with demonstrable experience across the full recruitment lifecycle, including workforce planning, sourcing, selection, offer management and onboarding.Proven ability to translate operational recruitment knowledge into effective long-term talent strategies.Extensive experience in manpower planning, workforce forecasting, recruitment budgeting and talent market benchmarking.Demonstrable experience leading, developing and managing Talent Acquisition teams.Strong stakeholder management capabilities, with the ability to influence and build relationships with C-suite executives and senior leadership.Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the confidence to engage and communicate effectively at all organisational levels.Strong academic background and excellent written and spoken English are essential.Experience within a large, complex or government-related organisation would be advantageous.UAEN Applicants only pleaseExperience within financial services sector preferred