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- Tasks: Lead recruitment strategies and ensure a positive hiring experience for all Nandocas.
- Company: Join Nando's, a people-first business dedicated to great employment and community impact.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days holiday, free Nando's meals, private healthcare, and annual team trips.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives while shaping the future of Nando's talent.
- Qualifications: 5-8+ years in senior talent leadership, preferably in fast-paced environments.
- Other info: Opportunity for a four-week sabbatical every five years.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
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Head of Recruitment & Talent – Restaurants, London
Client: nando\’s
Location: London, United Kingdom
Job Category: Other
EU work permit required: Yes
Job Reference: 35b1f24cce52
Job Views: 2
Posted: 14.07.2025
Expiry Date: 28.08.2025
Job Description:
Salary up to: Competitive
About the role:
Nando’s is a people-first business with a belief that through great employment, we can staff our restaurants effectively and positively impact the lives of our current and potential Nandocas. We focus on great hiring, growth, and promotion to run a successful business and improve lives.
The Head of Recruitment & Talent – Restaurants, is responsible for developing and delivering a holistic talent strategy across our restaurant operations. This role requires expertise in talent strategy, workforce planning, recruitment, assessment, and succession planning. It partners with the People function to forecast, attract, assess, and secure great talent that aligns with our values and ambitions.
This role applies evidence-based and inclusive practices to talent acquisition, potential assessment, and workforce forecasting. The team supports the operation from Nandoca (employees) to MD, ensuring positive experiences for hiring managers, candidates, and internal promotions, from application to Day 1, finding and securing the best talent for Nando’s.
A day in the life…
Talent Strategy & Planning
- Lead strategic talent planning to meet current and future workforce needs, focusing on apprenticeships and inclusive community hiring aligned with social and economic impact goals.
- Partner with People Partners to forecast future talent needs based on growth, turnover, internal pipeline, and market trends.
- Oversee talent systems and technology, ensuring tools are scalable, efficient, and aligned with talent goals.
- Own key talent metrics and use data insights to refine strategies and improve outcomes.
Talent Acquisition
- Collaborate with the Employer Brand Experience Manager to create a compelling candidate journey that attracts top talent.
- Oversee end-to-end recruitment from hourly paid (Nandocas) to senior leadership (MD), ensuring hires strengthen our culture and support business goals.
- Develop scalable, data-driven hiring processes across all roles, leveraging analytics and technology to improve decision-making and hiring outcomes, while ensuring legal compliance and fair practices.
- Implement inclusive sourcing approaches to meet current and future workforce needs.
- Guide and empower the Talent Acquisition team to develop tailored recruitment strategies aligned with business priorities.
Onboarding & Internal Progression
- Ensure a positive onboarding experience from offer to Day 1, partnering with relevant teams for consistent, brand-led onboarding.
- Manage systems and processes supporting internal promotion and career development, ensuring fairness, scalability, and data-driven decisions, in partnership with Regional People Partners.
Assessment, Promotion & Capability
- Design and oversee fair, performance-based assessment frameworks for hiring and promotions, reducing bias.
- Embed a potential model for talent identification, succession planning, and leadership development.
- Work with Learning & Development to ensure assessment insights inform relevant learning pathways.
Early Careers & Social Inclusion
- Strategically oversee early careers initiatives, aligning with the organization’s values and long-term talent needs.
- Promote inclusive hiring and development practices, embedding community representation and social mobility.
- Utilize government-backed programs (e.g., Apprenticeship Levy) to support accessible career entry and upskilling.
Team Leadership & Development
- Lead, coach, and develop the Talent team, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and growth.
- Define team structure and skills needs to support a growing, multi-site business.
- Set goals, performance metrics, and development plans for team members.
Budget Management
- Manage the talent acquisition and early careers budget, ensuring alignment with business priorities.
Hot skills required…
- 5-8+ years in senior talent leadership, preferably in hospitality, retail, or similar fast-paced, multi-site environments.
- Expertise in workforce planning, talent forecasting, and building diverse talent pipelines.
- Proven leadership in managing large teams through change and growth.
- Strong collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- Strategic yet pragmatic leadership style with commercial awareness.
- Assessment design or profiling experience (desirable).
Extra Hot benefits…
- Company bonus
- 25 days holiday + bank holidays
- Free Nando\’s when working, 40% discount otherwise
- Annual team trips (free holidays)
- Reward Gateway discounts
- Four-week sabbatical every five years
- Private healthcare
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Head of Recruitment & Talent - Restaurants employer: nando's
Contact Detail:
nando's Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Recruitment & Talent - Restaurants
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with Nando's culture and values. Understanding their people-first approach will help you align your experience and ideas with their mission, making you a more attractive candidate.
✨Tip Number 2
Network within the hospitality and recruitment sectors. Attend industry events or connect with current Nando's employees on platforms like LinkedIn to gain insights into their recruitment strategies and company culture.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your expertise in data-driven decision-making. Prepare examples of how you've used analytics to improve recruitment processes or talent acquisition outcomes in previous roles, as this aligns with Nando's focus on evidence-based practices.
✨Tip Number 4
Highlight your experience in leading diverse teams and implementing inclusive hiring practices. Nando's values diversity and social inclusion, so demonstrating your commitment to these principles will set you apart from other candidates.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Recruitment & Talent - Restaurants
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before applying, take time to thoroughly understand the responsibilities and requirements of the Head of Recruitment & Talent position at Nando's. Tailor your application to highlight your relevant experience in talent strategy, workforce planning, and recruitment.
Craft a Compelling CV: Your CV should clearly showcase your 5-8+ years of senior talent leadership experience, particularly in hospitality or retail. Use quantifiable achievements to demonstrate your impact in previous roles, focusing on areas like team management, diversity initiatives, and data-driven decision-making.
Write a Strong Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for people-first businesses and how your values align with Nando's mission. Highlight specific examples of how you've successfully led talent acquisition strategies and improved hiring processes in past roles.
Showcase Your Leadership Style: During the application process, emphasise your strategic yet pragmatic leadership style. Provide examples of how you've fostered collaboration and accountability within teams, and how you've managed change and growth effectively in multi-site environments.
How to prepare for a job interview at nando's
✨Understand Nando's Culture
Before your interview, take some time to research Nando's values and culture. They pride themselves on being a people-first business, so be prepared to discuss how your own values align with theirs and how you can contribute to their mission of positive impact.
✨Showcase Your Talent Strategy Expertise
As the Head of Recruitment & Talent, you'll need to demonstrate your experience in developing talent strategies. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've successfully implemented workforce planning and recruitment strategies in previous roles, particularly in fast-paced environments.
✨Prepare for Data-Driven Discussions
Nando's emphasises the use of data insights to refine hiring strategies. Brush up on your knowledge of talent metrics and be prepared to discuss how you've used data to improve recruitment outcomes in the past.
✨Emphasise Inclusivity in Hiring
Given the focus on inclusive hiring practices, think about how you've promoted diversity in your previous roles. Prepare to discuss specific initiatives you've led or been part of that aimed at building diverse talent pipelines and ensuring fair assessment processes.