At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead talent acquisition and build a recruiting function from scratch in a fast-paced AI company.
- Company: Rapidly growing AI company in London with a dynamic culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hands-on experience, and the chance to shape a world-class team.
- Other info: Join a collaborative environment with significant growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by defining hiring strategies and attracting top talent.
- Qualifications: Experience in high-growth tech hiring, especially in AI and engineering roles.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 € per year.
Sxaler has been appointed by a rapidly growing AI company in London to find their Founding Talent Lead. This is a high-impact role for someone who can build the recruiting function from the ground up while staying close to the work: sourcing, assessing, closing, and partnering directly with founders on the hires that will shape the company.
Fresh off a significant raise, the company is building an exceptional team with high-talent density. You'll help them define what great looks like, earn the trust of technical and commercial leaders, and can translate ambitious hiring goals into a repeatable talent machine.
The Role
As Founding Talent Lead, you will own talent acquisition across the business, partnering closely with the founding team and senior leaders to define hiring priorities, raise the bar, and deliver exceptional candidates. You will build the systems, processes, and hiring rhythm needed for scale, while remaining hands-on across sourcing, candidate management, interviewing, and closing.
This is not a role for someone who wants to manage from a distance. You will spend meaningful time in the office, understand the culture from the inside, and help shape how the company attracts, assesses, and hires world-class people.
What You’ll Do
- Build and lead the company’s talent function from an early stage
- Partner directly with founders and hiring managers on role definition, search strategy, and assessment
- Own hands-on sourcing and candidate engagement for critical hires
- Design scalable recruiting processes, interview loops, scorecards, and reporting
- Hire across technical, product, commercial, and operational functions
- Create an exceptional candidate experience in a highly competitive market
- Develop a clear talent narrative that helps the company stand out to exceptional people
- Use data, market insight, and judgement to improve hiring quality and velocity
- Spend time in the office to understand the culture, pace, and talent bar first-hand
Your Background
- Experience hiring for high-growth technology companies, ideally at early or growth stage
- Strong track record across technical hiring, with exposure to AI, ML, infrastructure, engineering, or product roles
- Ability to operate strategically while staying highly hands-on
- Confidence partnering with founders and senior leaders
- Strong sourcing, assessment, stakeholder management, and closing skills
- Excellent judgement around talent quality, culture fit, and long-term potential
- Comfort working in ambiguous, fast-moving environments
- A builder mindset: someone who can create process without adding unnecessary bureaucracy
- Willingness to work closely with the team in the London office
Founding Talent Lead - AI employer: Sxaler
Sxaler is an exceptional employer, offering a unique opportunity to shape the talent acquisition function within a rapidly growing AI company in London. With a strong focus on collaboration and hands-on involvement, employees are empowered to build impactful processes while enjoying a vibrant work culture that values innovation and growth. The company not only provides competitive benefits but also fosters an environment where team members can thrive and develop their careers alongside industry leaders.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Founding Talent Lead - AI
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company culture before your interview. Spend some time researching their values and mission. This will help you connect with the founders and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of their team.
✨Tip Number 2
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees on LinkedIn to get insider info about the hiring process and what they look for in candidates. This can give you a leg up when it comes to impressing the hiring managers.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to showcase your hands-on experience. Since this role is all about being involved in the nitty-gritty of talent acquisition, be ready to discuss specific examples of how you've sourced, assessed, and closed candidates in the past.
✨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 serious about joining the team and want to be part of their exciting journey.
We think you need these skills to ace Founding Talent Lead - AI
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for AI:When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for AI shine through! We want to see how your experience aligns with our mission and how you can contribute to building a top-notch talent function in this exciting field.
Be Hands-On in Your Approach:Since this role is all about being involved, make sure to highlight your hands-on experience in recruiting. Share specific examples of how you've sourced, assessed, and closed candidates in previous roles to show us you're ready to dive right in.
Tailor Your Application:Don’t just send a generic CV and cover letter! Take the time to tailor your application to our job description. We love seeing candidates who understand what we’re looking for and can articulate how they fit into our vision.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any updates. Plus, it shows us you’re serious about joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Sxaler
✨Know the Company Inside Out
Before your interview, dive deep into the company's mission, values, and recent achievements. Understanding their culture and what they stand for will help you connect with the founders and senior leaders during the conversation.
✨Showcase Your Hands-On Experience
This role is all about being hands-on, so be ready to share specific examples of how you've successfully sourced, assessed, and closed candidates in previous roles. Highlight your experience in building recruiting functions from scratch, especially in high-growth tech environments.
✨Prepare to Discuss Talent Strategy
Think about how you would define hiring priorities and create scalable processes for the company. Be prepared to discuss your approach to developing a talent narrative that attracts top-tier candidates, as well as how you would use data to improve hiring quality.
✨Emphasise Cultural Fit
Since this role requires spending time in the office and understanding the culture, be ready to talk about how you assess cultural fit in candidates. Share your thoughts on what makes a great team member and how you would ensure that new hires align with the company's values.
