Senior Talent Acquisition Manager in Exeter

We are pleased to bring to the market the role of Senior Talent Acquisition Manager. As our Senior Talent Acquisition Manager, through your leadership you will deliver total workforce resourcing across the Met Office from permanent recruitment, contingent labour, executive search, and early careers hiring. You will play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering the recruitment and selection needed to achieve its future workforce objectives.

Based at our Exeter HQ with hybrid working, you will be operationally responsible for delivery of all elements of the Resourcing Team service and bring a wider breadth of knowledge to be an effective partner across the People & Culture area with peers such as HR Business Partnering, People Development and Employee Experience.

World changing work

As one of the world's leading weather and climate organisations, the Met Office provides the most accurate weather forecasts, severe weather warnings and climate projections which are built on our deep scientific expertise. Our work supports everything from daily life and travel, to defence, agriculture, energy and emergency response.

Your world of expertise

As Senior Talent Acquisition Manager, you report to the Head of Future Workforce and People Partnerships, driving operational excellence and continuous improvement across all elements of the Resourcing service offerings. You will lead a team of seven to successfully recruit for ~700 roles per year, whilst managing an outsourced contingent labour contract worth £62 million.

You will be an expert leader of people, able to instil confidence in your ability in proactive sourcing, knowledge of Visas and Sponsorship, systems and automation. Equipping the team to succeed, you will ensure a central focus on championing the Met Office internally and externally as a Great Place to Work.

Effective leadership of the Resourcing Team

• Able to provide advice and direction on Resourcing matters across the organisation, using a coaching style to develop and empower.
• Shaping and implementing new ways of working, based on feedback and data driven decisions.
• Taking strategic workforce planning insights, and translating this into an actionable long term Resourcing plan.
• Developing relationships externally and with the Civil Service to bring best practice to the organisation.
• Collaborate constructively with stakeholders and senior colleagues to help drive sustainable change.

Essential Criteria, skills and experience:

We are seeking a permanent appointment for a passionate leader whose experience aligns with our criteria:

• Experience of leading Talent Acquisition teams, with proven ability to implement ways of working which deliver improved results and experience for candidates and hiring managers, including use of inclusive practices to ensure a diverse applicant and hiring pool.
• Experience managing supplier relationships for systems and outsourced providers – across the suite of Applicant Tracking Systems, Digital Right to Work, Contingent Labour – with evidence of continuous improvement and outcomes.
• A strong understanding of wider HR, People and culture priorities - with recognition from Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) by way of Chartered Membership or equivalent demonstrable experience.
• Experience of using data and developing insights with stakeholders, with a strong ability to engage with, influence and constructively challenge senior stakeholders.

Our work is life-changing, often life-saving and always life-enhancing. The Met Office is accredited as a 'Great Place to Work UK' and in addition has achieved a place on both the UK's 'Best Workplaces in Tech' and 'Best Workplaces for Women' lists.

As our Senior Talent Acquisition Manager, your annual total reward package is potentially worth in the range of £73,518, which includes:

• Base pay of £54,515.
• A corporate performance bonus.
• Annual Leave starting at 27.5 days (plus Bank Holidays) rising to 32.5 days (plus Bank Holidays) after 5 years and option to buy or sell up to 5 days per year of annual leave.

How to apply

If you share our values, we'd love to hear from you. Apply below using your CV and a Cover Letter/Supporting Statement with evidence against each of the essential criteria. We recommend candidates use the CARL method (Context, Action, Result and Learning) for presenting evidence of experience and skills. Closing date 23:59 on Sunday 1st March 2026, with interviews in person at our Exeter HQ on Thursday 12th March. Our selection process will involve sifting on our essential criteria, followed by a telephone interview for those who pass our sift, and in-person interviews on 12th March.

How we can help:

If you are considering applying and need support to do so, please contact us via careers@metoffice.gov.uk. You can request adjustments either within your application or by contacting us. Should you be offered an interview, please be aware there may be a selection exercise which could include a presentation, written test or a scenario-based activity. You can select in your application to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme. To be invited to interview/assessment under this scheme, your application must meet the essential criteria for the role.

We understand that great minds don't always think alike and as an equal opportunities employer we welcome applications from those with all protected characteristics. We recruit on merit, fairness, and open competition in line with the Civil Service Code.

We can only accept applications from those eligible to live and work in the UK - please refer to GOV.UK for information. We require Security clearance, for which you need to have resided in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years to be eligible, 2 of these years must be immediately preceding the point of your application. You will need to achieve full security clearance within your first 6 months with us.