At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the recruitment process for retail roles and build talent pipelines.
- Company: Join a premium retail organisation focused on growth and innovation.
- Benefits: Generous pay, benefits, and long-term development opportunities.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities to influence and develop early talent.
- Why this job: Shape the future of retail talent and make a real impact.
- Qualifications: Experience in Talent Acquisition, especially in retail, with strong stakeholder management skills.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
Your new role
This is a newly established role supporting the continued growth of a premium retail organisation. The Talent Acquisition Partner will take ownership of hiring across all retail populations, playing a critical role in shaping future talent through proactive sourcing, strengthened assessment processes, and early career pipeline development. This position suits someone with pace, curiosity, and ambition, who enjoys building things from the ground up and influencing how retail talent is attracted, assessed, and integrated into the business.
Retail Hiring Delivery
- Manage the complete recruitment process for in store and field based retail roles, ranging from entry level client-facing positions through to experienced management appointments.
- Partner closely with hiring leaders to understand capability needs, timelines, and succession gaps.
Proactive Talent Attraction
- Identify and engage high quality retail professionals through direct outreach, networking, and market mapping.
- Build long term candidate communities to support both immediate recruitment and future workforce needs.
Assessment & Selection Design
- Review, evolve, and implement selection methods that assess both capability and behavioural fit within a premium retail environment.
- Lead group assessments and other structured hiring activity to improve quality of hire and consistency.
Early Careers & Education Links
- Establish partnerships with schools, colleges, and universities to create sustainable pipelines for junior and graduate retail talent.
- Represent the organisation at careers events and promote retail pathways as long term, credible careers.
Employer Reputation & Candidate Journey
- Ensure every interaction with candidates reflects a high quality, professional, and inclusive recruitment experience.
- Contribute to attraction initiatives that strengthen employer positioning within the retail talent market.
Workforce Planning & Hiring Readiness
- Maintain visibility of upcoming hiring demand and ensure talent pools are actively refreshed and deployment-ready.
- Reduce dependency on reactive hiring by anticipating talent gaps.
Onboarding & Transition into Role
- Support the development of structured onboarding activity to improve early engagement and role effectiveness.
- Liaise with internal teams to ensure smooth transitions from offer acceptance through to store integration.
Market Insight
- Monitor competitor activity, salary trends, and shifts in candidate behaviour within the retail sector.
- Share insights with stakeholders to inform hiring strategy and attraction decisions.
What you'll need to succeed
- Solid experience in Talent Acquisition, ideally within Retail.
- Demonstrated ability to recruit across multiple role levels simultaneously.
- Experience contributing to or leading assessment-based hiring approaches.
- Strong stakeholder management skills with the confidence to challenge and influence.
- Naturally proactive, resilient, and commercially minded.
- Genuine interest in developing early talent and sustainable pipelines.
What you'll get in return
- Generous pay & benefits.
- Long term development opportunity.
If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now. If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.
TA Specialist - Retail employer: Hays
Join a premium retail organisation that values innovation and growth, offering a dynamic work culture where your contributions directly shape the future of talent acquisition. With generous pay and benefits, alongside long-term development opportunities, this role is perfect for those eager to build sustainable talent pipelines and enhance the candidate experience in a supportive environment. Located in a vibrant retail hub, you'll have the chance to engage with diverse talent while making a meaningful impact on the business.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land TA Specialist - Retail
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company inside out! Research their values, culture, and recent news. This will help you tailor your conversations and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of their team.
✨Tip Number 2
Network like a pro! Connect with current employees on LinkedIn or attend industry events. Building relationships can give you insider info and might even lead to a referral, which is always a bonus!
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions and scenarios specific to retail talent acquisition. Think about how you can demonstrate your proactive approach and stakeholder management skills during the chat.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after your interview! A quick thank-you email can leave a lasting impression and shows your enthusiasm for the role. Plus, it keeps you on their radar as they make their decision.
We think you need these skills to ace TA Specialist - Retail
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the role of TA Specialist in Retail. Highlight your experience in talent acquisition, especially in retail, and showcase any relevant achievements that demonstrate your ability to attract and assess talent.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to express your passion for retail and talent acquisition. Mention how your skills align with the responsibilities outlined in the job description and why you’re excited about building talent pipelines.
Showcase Your Stakeholder Management Skills:In your application, emphasise your experience in managing stakeholders. Provide examples of how you've influenced hiring decisions or improved recruitment processes in previous roles, as this is key for the position.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates regarding your application status.
How to prepare for a job interview at Hays
✨Know the Role Inside Out
Before your interview, make sure you thoroughly understand the responsibilities of a Talent Acquisition Partner in retail. Familiarise yourself with the recruitment process for various roles and think about how you can contribute to shaping future talent. This will show your genuine interest and help you answer questions more confidently.
✨Showcase Your Proactive Approach
Since this role requires a proactive mindset, be ready to discuss examples from your past where you've taken initiative in sourcing candidates or improving hiring processes. Highlight any successful strategies you've implemented to attract high-quality talent, as this will resonate well with the interviewers.
✨Prepare for Assessment-Based Hiring Questions
Given the emphasis on assessment methods in the job description, prepare to discuss your experience with designing and implementing selection processes. Think of specific instances where you’ve led group assessments or improved quality of hire, and be ready to share these insights during the interview.
✨Engage with Market Insights
Stay updated on current trends in the retail sector, including competitor activity and salary benchmarks. Be prepared to discuss how these insights could inform the hiring strategy for the organisation. This demonstrates your commercial awareness and ability to contribute to workforce planning effectively.
