At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead talent acquisition strategies and enhance recruitment processes across key business areas.
- Company: Dynamic organisation focused on innovative talent solutions and growth.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working options, and opportunities for professional development.
- Other info: Join a collaborative team and drive meaningful change in a fast-paced environment.
- Why this job: Shape the future of talent acquisition and make a real impact on business success.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in talent acquisition with strong stakeholder management skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.
Join us as a Talent Acquisition Lead. We’re hiring Talent Acquisition Leads to set the strategic direction for Talent Acquisition across our key customer businesses. Each role will align hiring plans with business priorities and workforce strategy within a specific franchise:
- Retail & Payments – role to be based in Edinburgh, London or Manchester
- Commercial & Institutional – role to be based in London
- Digital X & Functions - role to be based in Edinburgh, London or Manchester
You’ll partner senior business and People leaders, providing expert guidance across the recruitment lifecycle and delivering differentiated attraction strategies tailored to role, market and channel. You’ll have the opportunity to shape how the organisation attracts and hires talent at scale, building capability and delivering meaningful impact on business performance and growth.
What you’ll do
As a Talent Acquisition Lead, you’ll drive the delivery of scalable, efficient and high‑quality recruitment services, providing leadership and operational oversight across end‑to‑end Talent Acquisition services. You’ll enable your assigned franchise, function or geography to attract, assess and hire high‑quality talent aligned to current and future workforce needs.
You’ll build strong, sustainable relationships with senior stakeholders to shape a cohesive Talent Acquisition plan. You’ll continuously enhance attraction, sourcing and selection strategies, using innovative approaches to attract diverse and critical talent. You’ll do this while making sure strong governance, risk management and compliance are embedded across all hiring activities.
Your work will focus on:
- Attracting and hiring high‑quality talent, delivering a strong candidate and colleague experience while ensuring hiring outcomes meet business needs.
- Delivering Talent Acquisition services across seniority levels that are informed by labour market insight, workforce demand and business priorities to enhance future‑focused hiring strategies.
- Using data and insights to drive performance, tracking outcomes, identifying trends and enabling continuous improvement in recruitment effectiveness.
- Leading and developing high‑performing Talent Acquisition teams, building capability in modern recruitment practices and acting as a trusted partner on talent strategy.
- Driving strategic stakeholder engagement, influencing senior leaders with insights on market trends, risks and opportunities to support better workforce decisions.
The skills you'll need
To thrive in this role, you’ll be a highly credible leader with the presence and influence to operate confidently at executive level. You’ll bring significant senior leadership experience in Talent Acquisition within a large, complex organisation, ideally with exposure to regulated environments.
You’ll have deep expertise across the full Talent Acquisition lifecycle, alongside a strong understanding of modern, evidence‑based attraction and assessment approaches. You’ll also bring a proven track record leading large, diverse and geographically dispersed teams at scale, maintaining high performance while navigating transformation and change.
We’ll expect you to have:
- Strong senior stakeholder management capability, building trusted relationships and influencing decisions at the highest levels of the organisation.
- Deep market insight and technical expertise, with the ability to translate external trends and intelligence into commercially focused talent strategies.
- A data‑driven mindset, using insight and analytics to shape Talent Acquisition strategy, improve outcomes and drive informed decision‑making.
- High levels of digital and technology awareness, turning emerging capabilities into practical, value‑adding solutions for the business.
- Strong commercial acumen, with experience managing budgets, supplier ecosystems, and delivering measurable return on investment.
Talent Acquisition Lead employer: NatWest Group
As a Talent Acquisition Lead, you will join a forward-thinking organisation that prioritises employee growth and development within a dynamic work culture. With opportunities to shape recruitment strategies across key franchises in vibrant cities like Edinburgh, London, and Manchester, you will benefit from a collaborative environment that values innovation and diversity. The company offers competitive benefits and a commitment to fostering strong relationships with senior stakeholders, ensuring your contributions have a meaningful impact on business performance and growth.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Talent Acquisition Lead
✨Dive into the Talent Acquisition Community
Get involved with communities specifically aimed at talent acquisition and recruitment. Follow popular forums, like the HR and recruitment threads on LinkedIn Groups or join Talent Acquisition Meetups in your area. Networking with fellow recruiters and industry experts can lead to hidden job opportunities and insider tips!
✨Show Off Your Expertise at Recruitment Events
Attend recruitment fairs and industry conferences where companies, including NatWest Group, often showcase their hiring needs. Not only can you meet potential employers face-to-face, but you can also demonstrate your passion and knowledge about the field. Make sure you've got some thoughtful questions ready to impress!
✨Leverage Your University Connections
If you’re a recent grad or still connected to your university, tap into their career services. Many universities have exclusive job boards and connections with companies eager to hire fresh talent in recruitment roles. Plus, you never know who might be able to put in a good word for you at places like NatWest Group!
✨Tailor Your Digital Footprint
Make sure your online presence reflects your passion for talent acquisition. Share articles, join discussions, and post about trends in recruiting to establish yourself as a knowledgeable candidate. Recruiters often check candidates out online, so use platforms like LinkedIn to showcase your insights and enthusiasm for discovering the right talent!
We think you need these skills to ace Talent Acquisition Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Passion for Talent Acquisition:In your cover letter, let your passion for recruiting shine through! Talk about what drew you to talent acquisition. Share experiences where you helped others find their dream jobs or any times you've been involved in hiring processes – it’ll show us at NatWest Group that you're genuinely invested in the field.
Highlight Relevant Skills and Certifications:Make sure your CV includes any relevant skills or certifications related to recruiting. Mentioning your knowledge of applicant tracking systems, personality assessments, or even any HR-related qualifications can set you apart. This way, we can see straight away that you're not just any candidate but one with the necessary tools for talent acquisition.
Tailor Your CV for the Job:When applying for Talent Acquisition Lead at NatWest Group, tailor your CV to reflect the job description. Highlight previous experiences in recruitment, candidate sourcing, or employee engagement that align with what we’re after. Personalisation shows we’re not just another checkbox on your job applications!
Bring Your Unique Perspective:In your cover letter, don't hesitate to share your unique perspective on what makes a good recruiter. Whether it's building strong candidate relationships or your approach to diversity in hiring, your insights can resonate well with our team. We love a fresh take, so let it shine!
How to prepare for a job interview at NatWest Group
✨Know Your Sourcing Strategies
In the talent acquisition world, it’s all about knowing the best sourcing strategies. Be prepared to discuss specific techniques you’ve used to find and attract top talent, whether that’s through social media, networking events, or innovative outreach methods. Bring examples that showcase your capability!
✨Value of Employer Branding
Employer branding is a huge part of recruitment, so be ready to chat about how you’ve contributed to building an attractive company image. Think about how you’d pitch NatWest Group to potential candidates and maintain a consistent brand image across platforms.
✨Demonstrate Your Interviewing Skills
Since this is a full-time gig, hiring managers will want to see your interviewing prowess. Prepare for mock interview scenarios where you might need to assess candidates' cultural fit and skill set. Practise asking competency-based questions to demonstrate your systematic approach.
✨Engage with Data and Metrics
Being data-driven is key in talent acquisition! Expect to discuss how you’ve used recruiting metrics to refine your strategies. Familiarise yourself with common KPIs, like time-to-fill and candidate satisfaction scores, and be ready to back up your insights with data!
