At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape and execute talent attraction strategies for Novartis R&D.
- Company: Join Novartis, a leader in innovative healthcare solutions.
- Benefits: Competitive pay, hybrid work, and a chance to impact lives.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Be part of a team that connects talent with groundbreaking scientific innovation.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in talent acquisition, especially in life sciences or tech.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
This is a temporary contractor opportunity at Novartis. Novartis touches the lives of a tenth of the world's population. Every role here, regardless of contract type, makes an impact on human life!
About the Role
The Talent Attraction Specialist - Research & Development (R&D) is responsible for shaping and executing the talent attraction and sourcing strategy across Novartis Research & Development. This role plays a critical part in identifying, engaging, and building diverse talent pipelines for future scientific, clinical, digital, data, and innovation-focused hiring needs across the R&D organization.
As part of a high-performing global Talent Attraction team within our Recruitment Solutions organisation, you will partner closely with Recruitment Business Partners, hiring leaders, and workforce planning stakeholders to deliver proactive, market-informed sourcing strategies that enable Novartis to attract world-class talent across Drug Discovery, Development, Biomedical Research, Clinical Development, Data & Digital, and other critical R&D functions.
The successful candidate will combine deep sourcing expertise, market intelligence, and stakeholder partnership to ensure Novartis remains competitive in securing the talent required to accelerate innovation and reimagine medicine.
Key Responsibilities:
- Build a high-quality, agile and business-aligned sourcing strategy
- Develop and execute targeted sourcing strategies aligned to the priorities and workforce plans of R&D business units
- Maintain close alignment with scientific and technical hiring needs across R&D functions
- Translate workforce planning priorities into proactive talent attraction campaigns, talent pools, and succession pipelines
- Anticipate evolving capability requirements and future talent demands across key R&D disciplines
- Strategic Sourcing Excellence:
- Align sourcing priorities and delivery approaches with R&D workforce plans and business objectives
- Use data, market intelligence, and talent insights to identify critical talent segments and sourcing priorities
- Build and maintain deep pipelines of external talent across scientific, clinical, digital, data, AI, and innovation-related disciplines
- Deliver high-quality longlists and shortlists through direct sourcing, market mapping, talent engagement, and networking activities
- Drive a data-led approach to sourcing prioritisation, pipeline management, and talent attraction effectiveness
- Leverage talent intelligence platforms, AI-enabled sourcing tools, competitor analysis, and labor market insights to optimise hiring outcomes
- Monitor and report on sourcing performance, pipeline quality, diversity outcomes, and market trends
Experience Requirements:
- 5+ years of experience in Talent Acquisition, Executive Search, Talent Attraction, or Strategic Sourcing, preferably within life sciences, biotechnology, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, or other highly specialised industries
- Demonstrated success building proactive pipelines for scientific, clinical, technical, digital, or business-critical roles
- Experience conducting market mapping and talent landscape analysis
- Strong capability in using data and talent insights to influence sourcing strategies and hiring outcomes
- Experience partnering with senior stakeholders and navigating complex, matrixed organisations
- Familiarity with AI-enabled sourcing tools, CRM platforms, talent intelligence solutions, and advanced search methodologies
- Strong communication, stakeholder management, and relationship-building skills
- Passion for connecting exceptional talent with opportunities that accelerate scientific innovation and improve patient outcomes
Workload: 40 hours/week
Role type: Hybrid
Required start date: August 2026
Contract: 12 months
Why Novartis: Helping people with disease and their families takes more than innovative science. It takes a community of smart, passionate people like you. Collaborating, supporting and inspiring each other. Combining to achieve breakthroughs that change patients' lives. Ready to create a brighter future together?
EEO Statement: The Novartis Group of Companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.
Accommodation: If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to Magnit.
Talent Attraction (Sourcing) Specialist - Research & Development employer: WillHire
At Novartis, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture. Our commitment to employee growth is evident through our focus on complex scientific roles and the opportunity to engage with diverse talent across global R&D. With a hybrid work arrangement and a strong emphasis on data-driven sourcing strategies, we empower our team members to thrive in their careers while making a meaningful impact in the field of drug discovery and development.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Talent Attraction (Sourcing) Specialist - Research & Development
✨Get Involved in Recruitment Events
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We think you need these skills to ace Talent Attraction (Sourcing) Specialist - Research & Development
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Recruitment Skills:As someone applying for a talent acquisition role, it’s key to highlight your experience in finding and placing talent. Talk about specific methods you’ve used in past roles—whether it’s social media sourcing, networking, or using ATS systems. Show us how you’ve made a difference in previous projects!
Tailor Your CV for Talent Acquisition:When you're putting together your CV for a temporary role in recruiting, focus on your measurable achievements—like the number of positions filled or the reduction in time-to-hire. Use bullet points to make it easy for us to see your contributions at a glance, and don’t forget to mention any relevant certifications or training you've undergone!
Craft a Relatable Cover Letter:For a temporary role, your cover letter should not only explain why you want this job but also why you’re suited for short-term projects. Mention your adaptability and any past experiences where you quickly integrated into a team or got up to speed with new processes. Let us know how you can hit the ground running!
Highlight Immediate Availability:Since this is a temporary position, it’s essential to emphasise your availability in your application. Make it clear when you can start and how flexible you are with hours. Frame it as a positive—your ability to jump in and help us right when we need you will definitely make you stand out!
How to prepare for a job interview at WillHire
✨Show Off Your People Skills
Since you're getting into talent acquisition, it's crucial to highlight your communication and interpersonal skills. Think of a few scenarios where you've successfully dealt with candidates, managed relationships, or resolved conflicts—these will give you a solid edge in the interview with WillHire.
✨Research the Latest Recruiting Tools
Stay ahead of the game by familiarising yourself with popular ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) and recruitment tools that are trending in the industry. Be ready to discuss how you might use these tools in your role at WillHire, even if it's just a temporary role—they’ll want to know you can hit the ground running.
✨Understand the Urgency
Temporary roles often mean quick turnarounds. Show that you understand the nuances of urgent hiring processes, perhaps by sharing experiences where you had to source candidates under tight deadlines. It demonstrates you know the ropes and can adapt fast, which will definitely impress WillHire.
✨Highlight Your Flexibility
Temp roles can be unpredictable, so emphasise your flexibility and willingness to take on varying workloads or adapt to different company cultures. Prepare a few anecdotes where you've thrived in a dynamic environment—WillHire will want to see that you can roll with the punches!
