Senior Talent Acquisition Manager

Senior Talent Acquisition Manager

Full-Time 53000 - 53000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
SMG

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead recruitment efforts to attract top talent across the UK and US.
  • Company: Join a dynamic team at SMG with a focus on growth and innovation.
  • Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, wellbeing fund, flexible working, and extra days off.
  • Other info: Embrace change and thrive in a values-driven, collaborative culture.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact by securing exceptional talent in a fast-paced environment.
  • Qualifications: Proven experience in Talent Acquisition with strong sourcing and stakeholder management skills.

The predicted salary is between 53000 - 53000 £ per year.

Location: Hybrid - 2 days per week in our London office

Salary: From £53,000 + 10% discretionary bonus

Level: Senior Manager level, leading through delivery and execution

About the Role

We are looking for a Senior Talent Acquisition Manager (FTC until March 2027) to join our People Team at SMG. This is a delivery-focused recruitment role where your primary focus will be finding, attracting, and securing exceptional talent across the UK and US to support our ambitious growth plans. You’ll take a hands‑on approach to end‑to‑end hiring across a portfolio of roles, driving recruitment activity at pace while building strong talent pipelines and delivering an outstanding candidate experience. This role is all about execution, partnering closely with hiring managers, keeping roles moving, and ensuring we hire great people quickly and effectively. If you love variety, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and embrace change with energy, this could be your right role.

Benefits

  • 10% discretionary bonus
  • £1,800 yearly wellbeing fund (on top of your salary!)
  • Free Headspace subscription
  • £500 yearly “Learning Fund” for learning
  • 4 extra Wellbeing Days off per year
  • 4pm finishes every Friday
  • Flexible and hybrid working

Are We What You’re Looking For?

We move fast, adapt quickly, and like to challenge each other. We're looking for people who enjoy the buzz of change, the satisfaction of building something better, and the joy of working with a close-knit, values-driven team. This isn’t for everyone, but if you thrive in this environment, we’d love to meet you!

A Little Bit About You

You’ll bring:

  • A strong background in Talent Acquisition, either agency or in‑house, with a genuine passion for recruitment delivery and finding great talent
  • Proven experience managing end‑to‑end recruitment across a portfolio of roles, including senior and hard‑to‑fill hires
  • Strong direct sourcing and headhunting capability, with the ability to proactively identify, engage, and convert high‑quality candidates
  • A track record of delivering hires at pace while maintaining quality and a strong candidate experience
  • The ability to manage multiple roles and priorities simultaneously in a fast‑moving environment
  • Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build credibility and maintain momentum with hiring managers
  • A highly organised and proactive approach, with excellent attention to detail and follow‑through
  • A candidate‑focused mindset, with a commitment to delivering a positive and engaging recruitment experience
  • Experience using recruitment data and metrics to track pipeline progress and improve hiring performance
  • Commercial awareness, with the ability to balance quality, speed, and cost in hiring decisions
  • Strong market awareness, including sourcing tools, hiring trends, and recruitment best practices
  • An understanding of diversity and inclusion principles and how they apply to attraction and selection

What You’ll Be Doing

Your days will be dynamic. You might find yourself:

  • Managing end‑to‑end recruitment delivery across a portfolio of roles across the business
  • Proactively sourcing and headhunting talent through multiple channels to build strong pipelines for current and future hiring needs
  • Screening, interviewing, and managing candidates through the full recruitment process from initial outreach through to offer and close
  • Driving hiring activity forward at pace, ensuring roles are progressing efficiently and aligned to business priorities
  • Partnering closely with hiring managers to understand role requirements, provide market insights, and keep hiring processes moving
  • Supporting and running assessment centres and recruitment days where required
  • Managing workload and recruitment priorities effectively to ensure consistent hiring delivery across multiple live roles
  • Acting as a trusted recruitment partner to hiring teams, providing guidance on process, candidate management, and hiring best practice
  • Managing relationships with external recruitment partners where required, while focusing on strong direct sourcing capability
  • Delivering a high‑quality and consistent candidate experience across every touchpoint
  • Tracking recruitment activity, pipeline health, and hiring metrics to improve visibility and support decision‑making
  • Ensuring all recruitment activity is compliant with employment legislation and internal policies
  • Supporting onboarding activity and wider People Team initiatives where needed

Our Values

Stay honest. Stay hungry. Stay foolish. Have fun.

Senior Talent Acquisition Manager employer: SMG

At SMG, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and inclusive work culture. With a strong focus on employee wellbeing, we offer a generous benefits package including a yearly wellbeing fund, flexible working arrangements, and opportunities for professional growth through our Learning Fund. Our London office serves as a vibrant hub where you can thrive in a fast-paced environment, collaborate with a close-knit team, and contribute to our ambitious growth plans while enjoying a fulfilling work-life balance.

SMG

Contact Details:

SMG Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Senior Talent Acquisition Manager

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections on LinkedIn and let them know you're on the hunt for a Senior Talent Acquisition Manager role. You never know who might have a lead or can put in a good word for you.

Tip Number 2

Prepare for those interviews by researching the company culture and values. At StudySmarter, we love people who align with our mission, so show us how you fit into our dynamic environment!

Tip Number 3

Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain your recruitment successes and how you've built strong talent pipelines. We want to hear about your hands-on approach and how you keep things moving at pace.

Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team at StudySmarter.

We think you need these skills to ace Senior Talent Acquisition Manager

Talent Acquisition
End-to-End Recruitment
Direct Sourcing
Headhunting
Stakeholder Management
Attention to Detail
Candidate Experience

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior Talent Acquisition Manager role. Highlight your experience in end-to-end recruitment and any specific achievements that showcase your ability to attract top talent. We want to see how you can bring value 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 recruitment and how your skills align with our values. Be sure to mention your experience with managing multiple roles and delivering a great candidate experience.

Showcase Your Data Skills:Since we love data-driven decisions, don’t forget to mention your experience with recruitment metrics. Share examples of how you've used data to improve hiring performance or track pipeline progress. This will show us you’re not just about filling roles but doing it effectively!

Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It helps us keep everything organised and ensures your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it’s super easy to do!

How to prepare for a job interview at SMG

Know Your Stuff

Before the interview, dive deep into the company’s values and mission. Understand their approach to talent acquisition and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their goals. This shows you’re not just interested in any job, but specifically in what they do.

Showcase Your Success Stories

Prepare specific examples of your past recruitment successes, especially those that demonstrate your ability to manage end-to-end hiring processes. Highlight instances where you’ve filled hard-to-fill roles quickly while maintaining a great candidate experience. Numbers and metrics can really make your achievements stand out!

Engage with Hiring Managers

Since this role involves partnering closely with hiring managers, think about how you can demonstrate your stakeholder management skills during the interview. Be ready to discuss how you’ve built credibility and maintained momentum in previous roles, as this will resonate well with their expectations.

Embrace the Fast-Paced Environment

This position is all about execution and speed, so convey your enthusiasm for working in a dynamic setting. Share examples of how you’ve thrived under pressure and adapted to change, showing that you’re the right fit for their fast-moving culture.