Talent Acquisition Manager

Job Title: Talent Acquisition Manager

Location: UK, Hybrid (with at least one day per week working from HALO's London office)

Salary: Circa £55k per annum, dependent on experience

Hours: Full Time

Contract Type: Permanent

Reports To: Head of HR Operations

Direct Reports: Recruitment Officer

Key Internal Contacts/Relationships: Director of HR; HR leadership and wider HR team; International HR Managers; programme and regional leaders; hiring managers; safeguarding; security; communications; finance; procurement; IT and systems colleagues.

Key External Contacts/Relationships: Candidates; recruitment agencies; immigration advisers; executive search providers; advertising and assessment suppliers; professional networks; sector bodies; universities and careers services.

Job Purpose:

The Talent Acquisition Manager is responsible for developing and delivering an effective, inclusive and responsive talent acquisition service across HALO globally. The role works in partnership with HR colleagues, programme and departmental leaders, and hiring managers to anticipate workforce requirements, attract high-quality and diverse candidates, and deliver fair, robust and timely recruitment and selection processes.

The post holder combines strategic oversight with hands-on recruitment delivery, strengthening HALO’s sourcing capability, employer brand, candidate experience, recruitment data and use of technology. The role also manages visa sponsorship responsibilities and HALO’s International Placements Policy and process, ensuring effective governance, accurate records and appropriate stakeholder coordination.

About HALO:

HALO is the leading global NGO addressing the impact and drivers of conflict in 30 countries and territories, with over 8,000 staff. Most of our staff are local employees and include a growing number of women.

Our primary duty is to serve people affected by conflict, clearing landmines and the explosive remnants of war that threaten lives and livelihoods long after fighting has finished. We make land safe where war has ended, while also assisting those affected by active conflict and endemic violence.

HALO addresses human suffering caused by armed violence in some of the world’s most fragile places, securing weapons and ammunition and working with both state and community actors to reduce the prevalence of armed violence.

About the role:

As a key member of the HR team, the Talent Acquisition Manager leads the development and delivery of HALO’s global talent acquisition approach. The role provides professional advice and practical support throughout the recruitment lifecycle, from workforce planning and sourcing through to appointment, sponsorship where applicable, and handover for onboarding or international placement.

Responsibilities:

1. Talent Acquisition Strategy and Planning

• Develop and deliver a talent acquisition plan aligned with HALO’s organisational and workforce priorities.
• Partner with HR colleagues, programmes and departments to understand current and anticipated recruitment requirements.
• Identify talent gaps, difficult-to-recruit roles and future capability requirements, and develop targeted approaches.
• Provide talent-market insight and recommend proportionate improvements to HALO’s global recruitment practice.

2. End-to-End Recruitment Delivery

• Oversee and, where necessary, directly manage recruitment campaigns from approved requisition through to offer and appointment.
• Work with hiring managers to develop job descriptions, person specifications, advertisements and selection criteria.
• Ensure selection methods are structured, fair, evidence-based and appropriate to the role.
• Coordinate recruitment across programmes, countries and disciplines, maintaining clear communication with candidates and stakeholders.
• Ensure offers and appointment information are accurate, authorised and handed over promptly for pre-employment checks, contracts and onboarding.
• Support Field Officer, volume and specialist selection activity where required.

3. Proactive Sourcing and Talent Pipelines

• Develop proactive sourcing strategies using professional networks, social media, recruitment platforms, databases, referrals and direct approaches.
• Build talent pipelines for priority, recurring and difficult-to-fill roles.
• Undertake talent mapping and market research to improve access to specialist and diverse candidate pools.
• Review source effectiveness and explore appropriate early-career and alternative talent-entry routes.

4. Employer Brand and Candidate Experience

• Support the development and consistent application of HALO’s employer brand and employee value proposition.
• Develop engaging recruitment content with Communications and maintain appropriate careers-channel content.
• Promote a professional, respectful and accessible candidate experience.
• Gather candidate and hiring-manager feedback and represent HALO at relevant recruitment and careers events.

5. Inclusive, Fair and Safe Recruitment

• Embed equality, diversity and inclusion throughout attraction, assessment and selection.
• Identify and minimise unnecessary barriers, provide reasonable adjustments and promote diverse sourcing approaches.
• Monitor recruitment outcomes for barriers or inconsistencies.
• Embed safeguarding and safer recruitment considerations, coordinating with safeguarding colleagues and escalating concerns appropriately.

6. Recruitment Governance, Policy and Compliance

• Maintain and review recruitment policies, procedures, templates and guidance.
• Ensure recruitment records are accurate, complete and retained appropriately.
• Promote compliance with applicable employment, immigration, data protection, safeguarding and safer recruitment requirements.
• Ensure approvals and checks are completed and identify and escalate recruitment risks, control weaknesses or policy exceptions.
• Support consistent global standards while recognising legitimate local requirements.

7. Recruitment Systems, Data and Reporting

• Promote effective use of recruitment technology, systems and digital tools.
• Develop management information covering recruitment timescales, source effectiveness, vacancy progress, offer outcomes and stakeholder experience.
• Analyse data to identify delays, risks and improvement opportunities.
• Improve workflows, data quality and efficiency with relevant colleagues.

8. Stakeholder Partnership and Capability

• Act as a trusted adviser to programme and departmental leaders, hiring managers, International HR Managers and the wider HR team.
• Constructively challenge requirements that may unnecessarily restrict candidate pools.
• Develop guidance and deliver recruitment and selection training for hiring managers and panel members.
• Provide clear updates on progress, risks, decisions and required actions.

9. Supplier and Budget Management

• Manage recruitment agencies, advertising providers, assessment suppliers and other external partners.
• Ensure suppliers are used in line with procurement and approval requirements and review quality, cost and value.
• Monitor recruitment expenditure and reduce unnecessary agency dependency through stronger direct sourcing.

10. Visa Sponsorship and International Placements

• Manage HALO’s visa sponsorship responsibilities and associated recruitment processes, ensuring sponsorship activity is properly authorised, accurately documented and undertaken in line with relevant requirements.
• Act as the principal HR contact for visa sponsorship matters linked to recruitment and international placements, providing clear guidance to candidates, employees, hiring managers and HR colleagues.
• Coordinate sponsorship applications, renewals, changes and required records, working with internal stakeholders and external immigration advisers where specialist advice is required.
• Maintain oversight of sponsorship deadlines, documentation and compliance requirements, escalating risks, gaps or potential breaches promptly.

11. Leadership and Team Management

• Provide clear leadership, support and direction to the Resourcing Officer.
• Set objectives, clarify priorities, manage workload and hold regular development discussions.
• Ensure the recruitment service is responsive, consistent and appropriately prioritised.
• Contribute actively to HR projects, team meetings and wider people initiatives.

General:

• Uphold HALO’s core values and standards, promoting its ethos and mission statement.
• Ensure familiarity with and adherence to all HALO policies and procedures, especially the code of conduct and safeguarding
• Promote a respectful, inclusive and safe working environment.
• Maintain confidentiality and handle personal information responsibly.
• Take responsibility for professional development and undertake reasonable additional duties consistent with the role.

Travel Requirements:

• Minimum one day per week working from HALO's London office
• Travel within the UK or internationally where reasonably required.

Requirements

Essential Experience:

• Substantial end-to-end recruitment experience in an in-house, agency or blended environment.
• Experience developing recruitment and sourcing strategies and proactively engaging candidates.
• Experience advising and influencing senior stakeholders and supporting structured, fair selection processes.
• Experience managing multiple campaigns, recruitment systems, data, external suppliers and competing priorities.
• Experience managing visa sponsorship, immigration-related recruitment activity or international placement processes.
• Experience supervising, managing or developing others.

Essential Knowledge and Skills:

• Strong understanding of inclusive recruitment, fair selection and safer recruitment principles.
• Working knowledge of sponsor compliance, immigration-related record keeping and governance relating to international placements.
• Excellent stakeholder management, consultation, influencing, written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organisational, project-management and analytical capability with high attention to detail.
• Ability to handle confidential information, exercise sound judgement and escalate risk.
• Ability to work independently across cultures, countries and time zones using recruitment technology and Microsoft Office applications.

Desirable Requirements:

• Experience in humanitarian, international development, charity or not-for-profit settings.
• Experience recruiting international, field-based, technical, specialist or hard-to-fill roles.
• Experience in a geographically dispersed or matrix organisation.
• Experience in employer brand, high-volume recruitment or recruitment training.
• Relevant HR, recruitment or talent acquisition qualification or professional membership.

Competencies Required for the Role:

• Strategic thinking: Connects talent acquisition with organisational priorities.
• Leadership and influence: Builds credibility and constructively influences decisions.
• Planning and delivery: Manages competing demands and delivers to agreed standards.
• Problem-solving and judgement: Assesses options and makes proportionate recommendations.
• Cultural awareness: Works effectively across diverse contexts.
• Collaboration: Builds effective cross-functional relationships.
• Change and improvement: Improves practice and supports change.
• Results orientation: Balances quality, pace, service and need.
• Integrity and accountability: Applies policy, protects confidentiality and owns decisions.
• Inclusion: Promotes fair access and evidence-based selection.

Benefits

• 25 days’ annual leave plus 8 statutory holidays

• Non-contributory life assurance

• Private medical insurance

• Pension contributions matched by HALO up to 5%

• Emergency medical insurance while travelling overseas

• Flexible working policy

Please submit a CV (no more than 2 pages) and a cover letter (no more than 1 page) outlining how your experience matches the key skills and competencies required by 26th October 2026. Applications without a cover letter tailored to this position will not be considered.

We reserve the right to amend the closing date depending on the number of applications received.

The HALO Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

The HALO Trust is committed to attracting, developing, and retaining talented individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

The HALO Trust is committed to ensuring that it provides a safe and trusted environment which safeguards and promotes the welfare and wellbeing of anyone who comes into contact with, or is part of, the Charity, with a zero-tolerance approach to behaviours which challenge this.

The HALO trust participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, and we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment.