Head of Talent

Project Yananai is a global nonprofit organisation with Christian values, dedicated to empowering underserved communities through adult education, sustainable skills development, and humanitarian aid. Our mission demands a team of exceptional and diverse talent, capable of solving complex challenges in dynamic and often sensitive environments. As we scale our impact, building a world‑class Talent Acquisition function is the critical foundation of our success.

Role Summary

Project Yananai is seeking a visionary and strategic Head of Talent to build and lead our global talent function. This is a foundational leadership role, moving beyond hands‑on recruitment to design and implement the talent strategy that will fuel our growth for years to come. You will be responsible for building, developing, and leading a distributed team of Recruitment Specialists. You will own the strategy for identifying, attracting, and securing top‑tier talent for key appointments across all functions and levels, anywhere in the world. The ideal candidate is an expert in full‑cycle recruitment, a proven leader and mentor, and a strategic partner to the executive team.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Team Building: Build, mentor, and lead a high‑performing, global team of Talent Specialists/Consultants. Develop and implement a comprehensive, multi‑year Talent Acquisition strategy aligned with Project Yananai’s growth objectives and mission. Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics for the talent acquisition function, reporting on hiring progress, pipeline health, and team effectiveness to senior leadership. Act as a strategic talent advisor to the CEO and department heads, providing market insights and influencing people strategy.
• Team Management & Process Excellence: Manage the allocation of recruitment requisitions across the team, ensuring efficiency and specialisation where needed. Establish and standardise global recruitment processes, from requisition approval to onboarding, ensuring a consistent and exceptional candidate experience. Oversee the team’s management of the full recruitment lifecycle for a wide range of roles, from technical experts to senior leadership. Continuously improve recruitment tools, technologies, and methodologies to enhance the function’s scalability and impact. Lead the development of proactive talent pipelining strategies for critical and hard‑to‑fill roles across international jurisdictions. Oversee the evolution and promotion of the Project Yananai employer value proposition (EVP), ensuring it resonates across diverse global talent markets. Champion diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the talent acquisition process, setting and achieving ambitious goals for building a diverse workforce. Utilise and manage advanced sourcing tools (e.g., LinkedIn Recruiter) and innovative channels to build a robust global talent network.
• Stakeholder Management & Compliance: Partner closely with HR, Security, and Compliance teams to ensure a seamless, thorough, and legally compliant onboarding process for all new hires. Serve as the escalation point for complex offer negotiations and senior‑level hiring. Ensure the talent acquisition function operates with the highest level of discretion, integrity, and professionalism, especially concerning sensitive role requirements.

Person Specification: Essential Experience & Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive experience in talent acquisition, with at least 3 years in a leadership or team management capacity.
• Proven track record of building and mentoring a high‑performing recruitment team, ideally in a remote or global setting.
• Demonstrable experience designing and implementing talent acquisition strategy, not just executing tactical recruitment.
• Extensive background in managing end‑to‑end recruitment for a wide variety of roles, including senior and highly specialised positions, across multiple international jurisdictions.
• Expert‑level knowledge of LinkedIn Recruiter, Tracking Systems, and modern sourcing methodologies.
• Impeccable verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to engage, influence, and present to senior leadership.
• High level of discretion, integrity, and the ability to handle confidential information appropriately.
• Strategic Vision & Leadership: Ability to see the bigger picture, set a compelling vision for the talent function, and inspire a team to achieve it.
• Team Builder & Mentor: A passion for developing others, providing constructive feedback, and fostering a collaborative and high‑trust team environment.
• Persuasion & Influence: The ability to effectively "sell" the vision of Project Yananai to passive candidates and secure buy‑in from internal stakeholders.
• Resilience & Adaptability: Thrives in a fast‑paced, ambiguous environment where priorities can shift rapidly. Able to lead the team through change.
• Global Mindset: Exceptional cultural sensitivity and a deep understanding of the complexities of building a global workforce.

What We Offer

The unique opportunity to build and lead the talent acquisition function for a world‑class organisation from the ground up. A central leadership role in a high‑impact project with a global footprint, directly shaping our team and culture. The ability to mentor, develop, and empower a team of dedicated professionals.

Project Yananai is a UK registered charity number 1209060 and an equal opportunity organisation. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all colleagues. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures.