At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage end-to-end recruitment and shape hiring strategies for a creative agency.
- Company: Join IMA, a people-first creative agency that builds brands people love.
- Benefits: Career growth, recognition, autonomy, and the chance to make a real impact.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with opportunities for continuous improvement and innovation.
- Why this job: Be part of a dynamic team and influence exciting brand experiences.
- Qualifications: Experience in recruitment, strong sourcing skills, and excellent communication.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
IMA is a creative agency that builds brands people want to be part of. We are looking for a self-starting and confident Talent Acquisition and Development Specialist to join our Talent team. You'll need to be completely at home when delivering end-to-end recruitment, and far from a one-trick pony. We are looking for someone with energy and drive, to join the dots across the Talent space, picking up parts of our culture and engagement strategy too.
What You’ll Get From Us
- Career Growth: Opportunities to develop your recruitment career within an award-winning, people-first creative agency.
- Recognition: A values-led culture where your contribution is recognised and supported.
- Autonomy & Support: Ownership of end-to-end hiring initiatives from day one, with the support of a collaborative People team.
- Real Impact: The chance to shape hiring strategies that directly influence live campaigns, retail activations and brand experiences.
Our Culture: OWN IT, BUILD TRUST, STAY HUNGRY
The Role
As a Talent Acquisition and Development Specialist, you will be responsible for delivering an exceptional end-to-end recruitment service across our global offices. You will work closely with hiring managers and senior stakeholders to attract, assess and appoint diverse, high-calibre talent that aligns with our creative culture and business needs. This role combines hands-on sourcing with strategic recruitment practices to ensure we build talent pipelines that support both current and future growth. You will manage the full lifecycle recruitment process—from role intake and job specification through to offer management and onboarding—ensuring a positive and consistent candidate experience. You will also contribute to culture, employer branding, talent mapping and development, and continuous improvement of recruitment tools and processes. This is a collaborative role where creativity, commercial awareness, excellent stakeholder management and a pragmatic approach to hiring are essential.
Key Responsibilities
- End-to-End Recruitment: Manage full lifecycle recruitment for a range of roles, including briefing, advertising, shortlisting, interviewing and offer negotiation.
- Sourcing & Attraction: Proactively source passive candidates through networking, LinkedIn, job boards and industry events; build and maintain talent pools for critical skill areas.
- Stakeholder Partnership: Build strong relationships with hiring managers to understand role requirements, advise on market availability, and shape selection processes that are fair and effective.
- Candidate Experience: Deliver a professional, timely and inclusive candidate journey from first contact to onboarding, ensuring consistent communication and feedback.
- Employer Brand & Diversity: Support employer branding initiatives and drive inclusive hiring practices to attract diverse talent aligned with our values.
- Data & Reporting: Maintain accurate recruitment data, produce regular hiring metrics and provide insight to improve time-to-hire and quality-of-hire.
- Process Improvement: Help refine recruitment workflows, sourcing strategies and hiring technology to increase efficiency and candidate quality.
- Compliance: Ensure hiring practices comply with relevant employment legislation and internal policies across jurisdictions.
What We Are Looking For
The Essentials (Must-Haves)
- Experience: Proven experience in a recruitment or talent acquisition role, ideally within an agency or fast-moving environment.
- Sourcing Skills: Strong capability in proactive candidate sourcing, including use of LinkedIn Recruiter, Boolean search and talent mapping techniques.
- Stakeholder Management: Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to influence hiring decisions and coach hiring managers.
- Candidate Care: A commitment to delivering a high-quality, inclusive candidate experience and maintaining confidentiality at all times.
- Organisation: Strong attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple vacancies and competing priorities to tight deadlines.
- Tech-Savvy: Comfortable with applicant tracking systems, Google Suite, Microsoft Office and recruitment tools.
- Attitude: A proactive, solutions-focused approach with a collaborative and can-do mindset.
The Desirables (Nice-to-Haves)
- Experience recruiting across multiple markets or supporting cross-border hiring.
- Familiarity with employer brand campaigns and designing talent attraction initiatives.
- Previous creative agency recruitment experience or hiring for creative and digital roles.
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, perspectives and experiences. If this role sounds like a good fit, we’d love to hear from you. This role can be based in either our Manchester or Leeds offices. However, if Manchester based, you will need to go to our Leeds office once a week.
Talent Aquisition and Development Specialist in Leeds employer: The Home Agency
IMA is an exceptional employer that prioritises career growth and recognition within a vibrant, people-first creative agency. With a culture that encourages autonomy and collaboration, you will have the opportunity to make a real impact on hiring strategies while being supported by a dedicated People team. Located in Manchester and Leeds, IMA offers a dynamic work environment where your contributions are valued, and your professional development is nurtured.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Talent Aquisition and Development Specialist in Leeds
✨Dive into the Talent Acquisition Community
Get involved with communities specifically aimed at talent acquisition and recruitment. Follow popular forums, like the HR and recruitment threads on LinkedIn Groups or join Talent Acquisition Meetups in your area. Networking with fellow recruiters and industry experts can lead to hidden job opportunities and insider tips!
✨Show Off Your Expertise at Recruitment Events
Attend recruitment fairs and industry conferences where companies, including The Home Agency, often showcase their hiring needs. Not only can you meet potential employers face-to-face, but you can also demonstrate your passion and knowledge about the field. Make sure you've got some thoughtful questions ready to impress!
✨Leverage Your University Connections
If you’re a recent grad or still connected to your university, tap into their career services. Many universities have exclusive job boards and connections with companies eager to hire fresh talent in recruitment roles. Plus, you never know who might be able to put in a good word for you at places like The Home Agency!
✨Tailor Your Digital Footprint
Make sure your online presence reflects your passion for talent acquisition. Share articles, join discussions, and post about trends in recruiting to establish yourself as a knowledgeable candidate. Recruiters often check candidates out online, so use platforms like LinkedIn to showcase your insights and enthusiasm for discovering the right talent!
We think you need these skills to ace Talent Aquisition and Development Specialist in Leeds
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Passion for Talent Acquisition:In your cover letter, let your passion for recruiting shine through! Talk about what drew you to talent acquisition. Share experiences where you helped others find their dream jobs or any times you've been involved in hiring processes – it’ll show us at The Home Agency that you're genuinely invested in the field.
Highlight Relevant Skills and Certifications:Make sure your CV includes any relevant skills or certifications related to recruiting. Mentioning your knowledge of applicant tracking systems, personality assessments, or even any HR-related qualifications can set you apart. This way, we can see straight away that you're not just any candidate but one with the necessary tools for talent acquisition.
Tailor Your CV for the Job:When applying for Talent Aquisition and Development Specialist at The Home Agency, tailor your CV to reflect the job description. Highlight previous experiences in recruitment, candidate sourcing, or employee engagement that align with what we’re after. Personalisation shows we’re not just another checkbox on your job applications!
Bring Your Unique Perspective:In your cover letter, don't hesitate to share your unique perspective on what makes a good recruiter. Whether it's building strong candidate relationships or your approach to diversity in hiring, your insights can resonate well with our team. We love a fresh take, so let it shine!
How to prepare for a job interview at The Home Agency
✨Know Your Sourcing Strategies
In the talent acquisition world, it’s all about knowing the best sourcing strategies. Be prepared to discuss specific techniques you’ve used to find and attract top talent, whether that’s through social media, networking events, or innovative outreach methods. Bring examples that showcase your capability!
✨Value of Employer Branding
Employer branding is a huge part of recruitment, so be ready to chat about how you’ve contributed to building an attractive company image. Think about how you’d pitch The Home Agency to potential candidates and maintain a consistent brand image across platforms.
✨Demonstrate Your Interviewing Skills
Since this is a full-time gig, hiring managers will want to see your interviewing prowess. Prepare for mock interview scenarios where you might need to assess candidates' cultural fit and skill set. Practise asking competency-based questions to demonstrate your systematic approach.
✨Engage with Data and Metrics
Being data-driven is key in talent acquisition! Expect to discuss how you’ve used recruiting metrics to refine your strategies. Familiarise yourself with common KPIs, like time-to-fill and candidate satisfaction scores, and be ready to back up your insights with data!
