At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead talent acquisition and build recruiting processes from the ground up.
- Company: Rapidly growing AI company in London with a dynamic culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hands-on experience, and opportunity to shape the team.
- Other info: Join a collaborative team and thrive in a fast-paced environment.
- 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 80000 - 100000 £ 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 in London employer: Sxaler
Contact Detail:
Sxaler Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Founding Talent Lead - AI in London
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company culture before you even step in for an interview. Spend some time researching their values and mission, and if possible, connect with current employees on LinkedIn. This will help you tailor your approach and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of their team.
✨Tip Number 2
When you apply, make sure to highlight your hands-on experience in talent acquisition. Use specific examples from your past roles where you've successfully sourced and closed candidates. This will demonstrate that you can hit the ground running and are ready to build their recruiting function from scratch.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for your interviews by thinking about how you would define 'great talent' for this company. Be ready to discuss your strategies for sourcing and assessing candidates, especially in the tech and AI space. This shows that you understand their needs and can contribute to their ambitious hiring goals.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after your interviews! A simple thank-you email can go a long way in reinforcing your interest in the role. Use this opportunity to reiterate why you’re a great fit and how you can help shape their talent function.
We think you need these skills to ace Founding Talent Lead - AI in London
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 an exceptional team in this exciting field.
Be Hands-On in Your Approach: Since this role is all about being hands-on, make sure to highlight your practical experience in talent acquisition. Share specific examples of how you've sourced, assessed, and closed candidates in previous roles to demonstrate your capability.
Tailor Your Application: Don’t just send a generic CV and cover letter! Take the time to tailor your application to reflect the specific requirements of the Founding Talent Lead role. Show us that you understand what great looks like and how you can help shape our hiring strategy.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this high-impact role. Plus, it shows 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 your 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 for Strategic Conversations
Think about how you can partner with founders and hiring managers to define roles and search strategies. Be prepared to discuss your approach to creating scalable recruiting processes and how you would design interview loops that align with the company’s goals.
✨Craft a Compelling Talent Narrative
Consider how you would articulate what makes this company unique to potential candidates. Prepare to discuss how you can create an exceptional candidate experience and attract top talent in a competitive market, using data and insights to back up your ideas.