At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead full-cycle recruitment and build diverse talent pipelines for KAYAK's innovative teams.
- Company: Join KAYAK, a leading travel search engine under Booking Holdings.
- Benefits: Enjoy generous vacation, travel discounts, free lunches, and monthly social events.
- Other info: Work from our Cambridge office 3 days a week with excellent career development opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on KAYAK's growth while working in a collaborative culture.
- Qualifications: 5+ years of recruiting experience and proficiency in ATS and LinkedIn Recruiter.
The predicted salary is between 50 - 57 £ per hour.
KAYAK, part of Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG), is a leading travel search engine. With billions of queries across our platforms, we help people find their perfect flight, stay, rental car and vacation package. We’re also transforming business travel with a new corporate travel solution, KAYAK for Business.
As an employee of KAYAK, you will be part of a travel company that operates a portfolio of global metasearch brands including momondo, Cheapflights and HotelsCombined, among others. From start-up to industry leader, innovation is in our DNA and every employee has an opportunity to make their mark. Our focus is on building the best travel search engine to make it easier for everyone to experience the world.
KAYAK is looking for a Senior Talent Acquisition Partner to join our global and collaborative People & Culture team on a 9-month fixed-term contract — a meaningful opportunity to make a real impact on how we grow KAYAK. You'll be a trusted partner to hiring teams across the business, owning the full recruitment cycle and helping us bring in talented, diverse people across Product, Design, Commercial, Marketing, and Engineering.
This role will be required to work from our Cambridge, Massachusetts office 3 days per week. This contract will start in July 2026 and continue through April 2027.
In this role, you will:
- Manage full-cycle recruitment from initial intake through offer, with a focus on hiring for Product, Design, Commercial (Sales, Partnerships), Marketing, and Engineering roles — including backfills and incremental headcount.
- Build strong working relationships with hiring managers and senior leaders to understand their team's needs and develop recruitment plans that support them.
- Serve as a knowledgeable resource on market trends, talent availability, and sourcing strategies — sharing what you know to help teams make informed decisions.
- Design structured, role-specific interview plans and scorecards; champion inclusive hiring practices and ensure consistent, equitable evaluation across interview panels.
- Build and maintain proactive candidate pipelines for near-term and future hiring needs.
- Represent KAYAK authentically to candidates, delivering an outstanding experience at every stage of the process.
- Collaborate closely with your TA teammates across time zones, contributing to a team culture built on trust, flexibility, and shared success.
Please apply if you have:
- 5+ years of full-cycle recruiting experience, including meaningful in-house or client-embedded experience in a global or multi-site environment.
- Proficiency in Ashby (our ATS) & LinkedIn Recruiter.
- A solid understanding of sourcing strategies and how to run an equitable, structured hiring process.
- The ability to manage your own workload and adapt when priorities shift — you're comfortable working independently without a lot of direction.
- Clear, thoughtful communication with both candidates and internal teams; you're at ease working across time zones and with distributed colleagues.
- Comfort using data to track your work, spot patterns, and improve processes over time.
Benefits and Perks:
- Generous paid vacation + time off for your birthday.
- Company-wide week off a year - the whole team fully recharges (and returns without a pile-up of work!).
- Access to thousands of on-demand e-learnings.
- Travel Discounts.
- Employee Resource Groups.
- Free lunch 2 days per week.
- Monthly social events, Thursday happy hours.
There are a variety of factors that go into determining a salary range, including but not limited to external market benchmark data, geographic location, and years of experience sought/required. The range for this Massachusetts-based role is $50-57.00/hour.
At KAYAK, we want everyone to have the space to grow, share ideas, and do great work. That’s why we’re focused on hiring the best talent from all walks of life and experiences, supporting them well, and making sure no one feels like they have to fit a mold to belong here.
Need any adjustments for the interview, application or on the job? No problem - just give us a heads-up. We’ve got you.
Senior Talent Acquisition Partner (9-month contract) in Cambridge employer: Kayak
KAYAK is an exceptional employer that fosters a culture of innovation and collaboration, making it an ideal place for professionals looking to make a meaningful impact in the travel industry. With generous benefits such as paid vacation, company-wide time off, and access to e-learning resources, employees are encouraged to grow and recharge. The Cambridge office environment promotes inclusivity and teamwork, ensuring that every voice is heard and valued, while also offering unique perks like travel discounts and social events.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Talent Acquisition Partner (9-month contract) in Cambridge
✨Get Involved in Recruitment Events
Temporary roles in talent acquisition can pop up all over the place, so keep an eye on local recruitment fairs and industry networking events. These are prime opportunities to chat directly with companies like Kayak and get your foot in the door—sometimes you can even land an interview on the spot!
✨Engage in Online Recruitment Communities
Join communities on platforms like LinkedIn or niche forums where recruiters hang out. Engage in discussions, share your insights, and post your availability for temporary roles. You never know, a connection might refer you to a role at a place like Kayak before it even hits job boards!
✨Flex Your Availability and Skills
When applying for temporary positions, be upfront about your availability and any specific skills you have that can meet the urgent needs of recruiters. This makes you more attractive to hiring managers looking for someone who can hit the ground running.
✨Tap Into Your Uni’s Career Services
If you're still near a university, don't forget about their career services! They often have exclusive listings for temporary roles, especially in talent acquisition, and can connect you with employers who are keen to hire students or recent grads like us for short-term assignments.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Talent Acquisition Partner (9-month contract) in Cambridge
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Recruitment Skills:As someone applying for a talent acquisition role, it’s key to highlight your experience in finding and placing talent. Talk about specific methods you’ve used in past roles—whether it’s social media sourcing, networking, or using ATS systems. Show us how you’ve made a difference in previous projects!
Tailor Your CV for Talent Acquisition:When you're putting together your CV for a temporary role in recruiting, focus on your measurable achievements—like the number of positions filled or the reduction in time-to-hire. Use bullet points to make it easy for us to see your contributions at a glance, and don’t forget to mention any relevant certifications or training you've undergone!
Craft a Relatable Cover Letter:For a temporary role, your cover letter should not only explain why you want this job but also why you’re suited for short-term projects. Mention your adaptability and any past experiences where you quickly integrated into a team or got up to speed with new processes. Let us know how you can hit the ground running!
Highlight Immediate Availability:Since this is a temporary position, it’s essential to emphasise your availability in your application. Make it clear when you can start and how flexible you are with hours. Frame it as a positive—your ability to jump in and help us right when we need you will definitely make you stand out!
How to prepare for a job interview at Kayak
✨Show Off Your People Skills
Since you're getting into talent acquisition, it's crucial to highlight your communication and interpersonal skills. Think of a few scenarios where you've successfully dealt with candidates, managed relationships, or resolved conflicts—these will give you a solid edge in the interview with Kayak.
✨Research the Latest Recruiting Tools
Stay ahead of the game by familiarising yourself with popular ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) and recruitment tools that are trending in the industry. Be ready to discuss how you might use these tools in your role at Kayak, even if it's just a temporary role—they’ll want to know you can hit the ground running.
✨Understand the Urgency
Temporary roles often mean quick turnarounds. Show that you understand the nuances of urgent hiring processes, perhaps by sharing experiences where you had to source candidates under tight deadlines. It demonstrates you know the ropes and can adapt fast, which will definitely impress Kayak.
✨Highlight Your Flexibility
Temp roles can be unpredictable, so emphasise your flexibility and willingness to take on varying workloads or adapt to different company cultures. Prepare a few anecdotes where you've thrived in a dynamic environment—Kayak will want to see that you can roll with the punches!
