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- Tasks: Lead recruitment strategies and build exceptional engineering teams in a fast-paced tech environment.
- Company: Join Smarkets, a pioneering tech company revolutionising prediction markets.
- Benefits: Enjoy stock options, health insurance, flexible working, and a £1,000 annual education budget.
- Why this job: Shape the future of tech recruitment while making a real impact on our success.
- Qualifications: 12+ years in technical recruitment with a strong understanding of modern software development.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with regular socials and opportunities for global working.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
Smarkets runs one of the world's most sophisticated prediction markets, handling over £29 billion in volume since 2010 and engaging 200,000+ traders globally. We are a technology company that revolutionises betting - from sports to political markets, delivering the sharpest prices and the fairest odds.
Our stack is designed for scale, reliability, and speed: Linux, Kafka, Postgres, Kubernetes, with Python 3, C++17, and React powering our platform. We build infrastructure that institutions trust while keeping trading accessible to everyone. Our edge? We have thrived through every market cycle, competitor, and industry revolution.
At the heart of our success are our people. We create a high-performance environment where exceptional talent can thrive, blending deep business experience with a commercial mindset to drive strategic growth.
The Team: We are a lean, highly strategic team focused on enabling company success through efficient systems and people-first solutions. We are moving towards automation and advanced tooling to build a world-class, self-service employee experience. Team members operate with autonomy and are encouraged to challenge the status quo, constantly seeking innovative ways to improve.
About the Role: We are seeking a highly experienced and uniquely talented Senior Talent Partner to join our team. This role requires both strategic vision and rigorous, hands-on execution. You will own the recruitment lifecycle of your pipelines, responsible for attracting, assessing, and hiring the technical and G&A talent that will define our future success. This is not a passive role; you will headhunt people to build our pipelines.
What you will do:
- Strategic Planning: Act as a trusted partner to the Leadership Team and Hiring Managers, developing and executing a data-driven talent acquisition strategy aligned with our goals.
- Technical Bar Ownership: Define, articulate, and maintain our exceptionally high technical and cultural bar. Continuously refine assessment methods to ensure we hire individuals who thrive in a complex, fast-moving environment.
- Employer Branding: Champion and articulate the company's value proposition to the external market, particularly within the competitive London tech landscape.
- Full-Cycle Recruitment & Execution (70%): Execute proactive, advanced sourcing strategies to build deep pipelines for highly specialized and hard-to-fill technical roles.
- Candidate Experience: Own and deliver a best-in-class, personalized candidate experience from initial contact through offer acceptance.
- Screening & Assessment: Conduct in-depth, competency-based screening interviews, effectively serving as the initial technical and cultural filter for all candidates.
- Offer Negotiation: Manage complex offer negotiations, compensation benchmarking, and closing strategies.
Role Requirements:
- Must-Have Experience & Qualifications:
- Experience (12+ Years): A minimum of 12 years of progressive experience in technical recruitment, specifically within the high-growth tech/startup environment.
- Startup/Standalone Expertise: Proven experience operating as a standalone internal recruiter or successfully managing the entire recruitment lifecycle within an agency environment.
- Technical Acumen: Deep understanding of modern software development, architecture, and tech stacks common in Series B companies.
- London Tech Market: Established network and expert knowledge of the London/UK technical talent landscape.
Skills & Attributes:
- Strategic & Hands-On: Ability to toggle seamlessly between long-term strategic thinking and immediate, hands-on execution.
- Impact-Driven: Highly analytical and uses data to drive efficiency and decision-making.
- Exceptional Communicator: Polished, persuasive, and empathetic communication skills necessary to engage with both C-level executives and technical talent.
- Accountable and ownership-driven: Possesses a deep sense of ownership for the entire recruitment lifecycle.
Our Values:
- Push to Win: We set ambitious goals and relentlessly pursue them.
- Make Others Better: We lift each other up, share knowledge, and celebrate team success.
- Give a Shit: We care deeply about our work, our users, and the impact we make.
- Be a Pro: We take ownership, act with integrity, and consistently deliver to a high standard.
- Bring the Energy: We bring positivity, curiosity, and enthusiasm to everything we do.
Benefits:
- Stock Options: Vest over 4 years.
- Pension Scheme: Competitive plan via Aviva, with up to 6% matched contributions.
- Health Insurance: Comprehensive coverage to keep you and your family healthy.
- Enhanced Parental Leave: Enhanced maternity and paternity leave.
- Stay Fuelled: Enjoy fresh, chef-made breakfast and lunch every day.
- Cycle-to-Work Scheme: Support for sustainable commuting.
- Learning & Development: £1,000 annual education budget.
- Holiday: 25 days paid leave + bank holidays.
- Flexible Working: Hybrid model with 3 days in the office and 2 days from home.
- Global Working: Work from anywhere in the world for up to 20 days a year.
- Team Energy: Regular socials, hackathons, and events.
Diversity & Inclusion: We are an equal opportunities employer and celebrate diversity in all its forms.
Principal Talent Partner in London employer: Smarkets
Contact Detail:
Smarkets Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Talent Partner in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend meetups, tech events, or even online webinars. The more you engage, the better your chances of landing that Principal Talent Partner role.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, don’t just talk about your experience—demonstrate your knowledge of the tech stack and recruitment strategies. Make it clear you know what it takes to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! Don’t wait for job postings to appear. Reach out directly to companies you admire, like Smarkets, and express your interest in working with them. A well-timed email can make all the difference.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare for interviews by researching the company culture and values. Understand what makes Smarkets tick and be ready to discuss how you align with their mission. This shows you’re not just looking for any job, but you’re genuinely interested in being part of their team.
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Talent Partner in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Principal Talent Partner role. Highlight your experience in technical recruitment and any specific achievements that align with our values at Smarkets. We want to see how you can bring your unique skills to our team!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're passionate about this role and how your background makes you the perfect fit. Don’t forget to mention your understanding of the London tech landscape and how you can contribute to our success.
Showcase Your Technical Acumen: Since this role requires a deep understanding of modern software development, make sure to showcase your technical knowledge in your application. Mention specific technologies or methodologies you’re familiar with, as this will help us see your fit for the position.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of applications and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, it’s super easy to do!
How to prepare for a job interview at Smarkets
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you have a solid understanding of the technical skills and tools mentioned in the job description. Brush up on your knowledge of Python, C++, and the tech stack used at Smarkets. Being able to discuss these confidently will show that you're not just a recruiter but someone who understands the nuances of the roles you're hiring for.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Mindset
Prepare to discuss how you've developed and executed talent acquisition strategies in the past. Think about specific examples where your strategic planning led to successful hires. This role is all about being a trusted partner to leadership, so demonstrating your ability to think long-term while executing hands-on will be key.
✨Emphasise Candidate Experience
Smarkets values a best-in-class candidate experience, so be ready to share how you've created positive experiences for candidates in your previous roles. Discuss your approach to communication, feedback, and how you ensure candidates feel valued throughout the recruitment process.
✨Be Ready for Complex Negotiations
Since you'll be managing offer negotiations, prepare to talk about your experience with compensation benchmarking and closing strategies. Have examples ready that illustrate how you've successfully navigated tricky negotiations in the past, ensuring both the company and the candidate feel satisfied with the outcome.
