Torchora
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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Head of Talent Acquisition

💰 $150,000 - $250,000+

Human ResourcesTalent AcquisitionLeadershipRecruiting

🎯 Role Definition

As the Head of Talent Acquisition, you are the chief architect of our company's growth story. This isn't just about filling seats; it's about strategically shaping our future by attracting, engaging, and hiring the exceptional individuals who will propel our business forward. You will be a key member of the People Leadership team, acting as a trusted advisor to the executive suite and a passionate leader for your team. You will own the entire talent acquisition ecosystem, from high-level strategy and employer branding to operational excellence and the implementation of cutting-edge recruiting technologies. This role demands a blend of strategic vision, operational rigor, and a deep, human-centered approach to building world-class teams.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Director of Talent Acquisition / Recruiting
  • Senior Talent Acquisition Manager
  • Senior HR Business Partner with a heavy focus on recruitment strategy

Advancement To:

  • Vice President (VP) of Talent
  • Vice President (VP) of People / Human Resources
  • Chief People Officer (CPO)

Lateral Moves:

  • Head of People Operations
  • Director of Organizational Development & Effectiveness
  • Head of Total Rewards and HR Systems

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Design, implement, and continuously evolve a comprehensive global talent acquisition strategy that aligns with the company's long-term strategic objectives and workforce plans.
  • Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of recruiters, sourcers, and coordinators, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous professional growth.
  • Serve as a strategic partner and talent advisor to the executive leadership team, providing insights, market intelligence, and guidance on all aspects of recruitment and hiring.
  • Develop and own a suite of key performance indicators (KPIs) and operational metrics (e.g., time-to-fill, cost-per-hire, quality-of-hire, source effectiveness) to drive data-informed decisions and report on TA effectiveness to the business.
  • Champion and embed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles into every aspect of the hiring process, from sourcing and attraction to interviewing and selection, to build a diverse and inclusive workforce.
  • Oversee the strategy and execution of our employer brand across all channels (career site, social media, professional networks), ensuring we tell a compelling story that attracts top-tier, values-aligned talent.
  • Personally manage and execute the full recruitment lifecycle for critical senior leadership and executive-level searches, ensuring a confidential and white-glove experience.
  • Evaluate, select, implement, and optimize the entire recruitment technology stack, including the Applicant Tracking System (ATS), CRM, and other sourcing/recruitment marketing tools to improve efficiency and candidate experience.
  • Develop and manage the annual talent acquisition budget, ensuring strategic allocation of resources to maximize ROI across sourcing channels, technology, and team headcount.
  • Architect and refine scalable, efficient, and consistent global hiring processes that balance speed, rigor, and an exceptional candidate experience from first contact to onboarding.
  • Build and nurture robust talent pipelines for current and future hiring needs through strategic sourcing, networking, and relationship building within key talent communities.
  • Drive a culture of data-driven recruiting by providing regular, insightful reporting and analytics to department heads and the executive team on hiring progress, trends, and challenges.
  • Manage and assess relationships with external recruitment agencies and vendors, establishing clear SLAs and ensuring they are effective partners in achieving our hiring goals.
  • Act as the ultimate owner of the candidate experience, implementing programs and feedback mechanisms to ensure every individual who interacts with our company feels respected and valued.
  • Partner with Finance and business leaders on strategic workforce planning and capacity modeling to proactively anticipate and prepare for future talent needs.
  • Evolve and promote our employee referral program to leverage our internal talent network as a primary source of high-quality candidates.
  • Ensure all recruitment and hiring practices are compliant with local, national, and international labor laws and regulations, mitigating risk for the organization.
  • Develop and scale our university relations and early-career talent programs, building a sustainable pipeline of future leaders for the company.
  • Collaborate closely with HR Business Partners and the Compensation team to structure competitive, equitable offers and ensure a smooth transition from candidate to employee.
  • Conduct continuous market and competitor analysis to stay ahead of talent trends, compensation benchmarks, and emerging recruiting best practices.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory people analytics projects to inform business decisions.
  • Contribute to the organization's broader people data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate future talent needs into strategic sourcing requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies for People team technology and process improvement projects.
  • Partner with the Finance department on headcount forecasting and reconciliation.
  • Act as a key contributor to broader People team projects, including culture initiatives, engagement surveys, and organizational design.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • ATS & HRIS Mastery: Deep expertise in leveraging and optimizing modern Applicant Tracking Systems (e.g., Greenhouse, Lever, Workday Recruiting) and familiarity with HRIS platforms.
  • Recruitment Analytics: Proven ability to design dashboards and interpret data to tell a story and drive strategic decisions; proficiency with data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI).
  • Advanced Sourcing Techniques: Mastery of modern sourcing tools and strategies beyond LinkedIn, including talent mapping, boolean search, and familiarity with platforms like SeekOut or Gem.
  • Budget Management: Experience creating, managing, and reporting on a departmental budget, including vendor management and ROI analysis.
  • Project & Program Management: Ability to manage complex, cross-functional projects from conception to completion, applying methodologies like Agile where appropriate.
  • Employer Branding Tools: Experience managing career sites, review platforms (Glassdoor), and leveraging recruitment marketing technologies.
  • HR Legal & Compliance: Strong understanding of employment law, EEO regulations, and global hiring compliance standards.

Soft Skills

  • Strategic Vision & Leadership: Ability to set a clear, inspiring vision for the talent function and lead a team to execute against it effectively.
  • Executive Presence & Influence: Superb communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills with the ability to confidently and credibly advise senior executives.
  • Business Acumen: A strong understanding of the business model, strategic priorities, and financial drivers, and the ability to connect talent strategy directly to business outcomes.
  • Stakeholder Management: The capacity to build strong, trusted relationships with hiring managers, business leaders, and cross-functional partners.
  • Coaching & Mentorship: A genuine passion for developing people and coaching team members to achieve their full potential.
  • Change Management: Adept at guiding teams and stakeholders through process, technology, and organizational changes.
  • Problem-Solving: A resourceful and analytical approach to identifying root causes of issues and designing creative, effective solutions.
  • Empathy & EQ: High emotional intelligence and the ability to build rapport and trust with candidates and internal team members at all levels.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field or equivalent progressive work experience in Talent Acquisition.

Preferred Education:

  • Master's Degree (e.g., MBA, Master's in Human Resource Management).
  • Relevant industry certifications (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR, Certified Talent Acquisition Strategist).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Human Resources
  • Business Administration
  • Industrial/Organizational Psychology
  • Communications

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 10-15+ years of progressive experience in full-cycle recruiting and talent acquisition.
  • At least 5-7 years of experience in a people leadership role, directly managing and scaling a team of recruiters and TA professionals.

Preferred:

  • Experience leading a talent acquisition function in a high-growth, fast-paced environment (e.g., tech, biotech, high-growth startup).
  • Proven track record of building and executing a global or multi-national recruitment strategy.
  • Direct experience with executive-level search and C-suite stakeholder management.
  • Demonstrated success in using data and analytics to drive significant improvements in hiring efficiency, diversity, and quality of hire.
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