Head of Talent Acquisition (Business)

Job Summary

• Strategic workforce-aligned talent acquisition
• Market intelligence and data-driven decision-making
• Strong integration and collaboration with Group TA CoE and HC Services
• Digital, agile, and innovative recruitment delivery
• Leadership advisory and TA capability uplift
• DEI, EE, governance, and compliance assurance
• Young talent and early career strategy, programme delivery, and future workforce pipeline

• Act as a strategic advisor to executive and senior business leaders, ensuring talent acquisition strategies are aligned to business objectives, workforce plans, and transformation priorities.
• Translate workforce plans into clear, prioritised hiring strategies across multiple talent models.
• Advise on build, buy, borrow, and automate talent decisions to optimise capability and cost.
• Anticipate future skills requirements driven by digitisation, automation, and market evolution.

• Partner closely with the Group Talent Acquisition CoE to co-create, localise, and embed enterprise-wide recruitment frameworks, tools, policies, and best practices.
• Drive consistent, proactive collaboration with the CoE to ensure alignment between enterprise strategy and BU execution.
• Work with HC Services to ensure seamless delivery, service excellence, and adherence to agreed service models and SLAs.
• Act as a key integrator across business demand, CoE capability, and operational execution to ensure end-to-end recruitment effectiveness.

• Provide actionable market intelligence on talent availability, skills scarcity, remuneration trends, and competitor activity.
• Leverage internal and external data to inform hiring and workforce decisions.
• Deliver forward-looking insights and scenario-based recommendations to support strategic planning.
• Position Talent Acquisition as a credible, insight-led advisor to the business.

• Champion digital recruitment tools, AI-enabled sourcing, automation, and analytics.
• Collaborate with the CoE to pilot, scale, and embed innovative recruitment solutions.
• Drive continuous improvement through agile ways of work and process optimisation.
• Ensure scalable, resilient, and future-ready recruitment practices.

• Works closely with the Head of TA Services to monitor recruitment metrics including time-to-fill, quality of hire, and diversity outcomes and analyse trends, while recommending improvements to leadership.
• Ensure alignment to Group TA standards, governance frameworks, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain strong oversight of governance and audit readiness.

• Lead EVP delivery at BU level in alignment with the CoE.
• Ensure sourcing and selection practices reflect brand and culture.
• Embed DEI principles across recruitment practices.
• Drive achievement of Employment Equity targets and reporting requirements.

• Build strong relationships with senior leaders and position TA as a strategic partner.
• Develop TA Partners to operate consultatively and insightfully.
• Foster a culture of accountability, learning, and continuous improvement.
• Influence enterprise-wide talent decisions.

• Partner with the Group TA CoE to co-design, deliver, and continuously enhance Young Talent and Early Careers programmes (e.g., graduates, internships, learnerships) aligned to enterprise workforce strategy.
• Accountable for the end-to-end execution and delivery of these programmes within the Business Unit, ensuring quality, scale, and impact.
• Forecast early talent requirements and ensure proactive pipeline development through structured programmes.
• Provide continuous feedback to the CoE to refine programme design, delivery, and outcomes.
• Track programme effectiveness and contribution to long-term talent sustainability and workforce transformation.

• Preferred Post Graduate Degree: Honours Degree, Post Graduate Diploma and Professional Qualifications [NQF8] or equivalent
• Field of Study: Human Resources

• 12 - 15 years experience in a specific capability of importance to the bank, including a track record of 5 years in a people management position in a large enterprise.
• Experience must include developing integrated customer-centric product or service solutions or corporate practice development while working with and managing stakeholders across business and/or functional areas and budget management.
• Exposure to digital transformation and data-driven decision-making is preferred.

• Strategic Thinking
• Business Acumen
• Communication
• Influence
• Leadership
• Creativity and Innovation
• Delivering Results
• Adaptability
• Collaboration

• Deep understanding of strategic workforce planning and enterprise talent acquisition models.
• Strong knowledge of pan-African labour markets, employment equity, and regulatory environments.
• Advanced understanding of digital recruitment technologies, AI sourcing tools, and people analytics.
• Ability to integrate multiple operating models and stakeholders.
• Advanced data literacy with the ability to translate analytics into executive-level insights and decisions.
• Strong executive advisory and influencing skills across diverse cultural and geographic contexts.
• Change leadership capability, including agile ways of work and continuous improvement methodologies.
• People leadership and coaching skills to uplift TA partner capability and maturity.
• High levels of judgement, accountability, and enterprise mindset.
• Comfort operating in ambiguity, complexity, and transformation environments.
• Strong ethical orientation with a commitment to fairness, inclusion, and governance.

Education

Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank.

Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised