Talent Acquisition Innovation Officer (12 Month Contract)

Etihad Airways; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A major international airline in Abu Dhabi is seeking a TA Innovation Officer to enhance its talent acquisition strategy. The role focuses on implementing recruitment systems and AI-driven tools, analyzing data for efficiency, and optimizing processes. The ideal candidate should have a bachelor’s degree in HR or Business, 4 years of experience, and strong analytical skills. This position offers the opportunity to work within a dynamic team driving innovations in recruitment methodologies.

Qualifications

• 4 years of relevant experience in Talent Acquisition or HR technology support role.
• Prior experience supporting HR systems (ATS, CRM, etc.) is preferred.
• Familiarity with AI-powered recruitment tools.

Responsibilities

• Support the deployment and maintenance of the TA System.
• Drive the enhancement of the system through data analysis.
• Produce accurate internal recruitment reports and dashboards.

Skills

MS Excel

Problem-solving

Analytical mindset

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, or related discipline

Tools

HR Management Systems

Data analytics tools

SQL

Job description

Purpose

The TA Innovation Officer will play a key role in supporting the Talent Acquisition Strategy & Innovation Manager. The role will be responsible for providing operational support across multiple TA initiatives, with a strong focus on systems implementation (including TA Systems), AI-driven recruitment enablement, reporting and analytics, process optimisation, and procurement governance. This is a critical position that enables the efficient and future-focused delivery of Etihad’s talent acquisition strategy.

Accountabilities

System Implementation & Support

• Support the successful deployment and ongoing maintenance of the new TA System and other recruitment technologies.
• Coordinate user acceptance testing (UAT), training logistics, and system access management.
• Act as the first line of support for troubleshooting and managing admin configurations post go‑live.
• Drive the ongoing enhancement of the system by analysing data around usage, collecting requirements from the team and liaising with the vendor on implementation.

AI & Automation Initiatives

• Support the evaluation, implementation, and optimisation of AI tools within the recruitment ecosystem (e.g., video interviews, language testing, sourcing automation), ensuring that outcomes are tracked, reported and analysed to drive continuous improvement and adoption.
• Document processes and liaise with vendors and internal stakeholders to drive adoption and efficiency.
• Continuously challenge to find opportunities for automation, agentic AI and upskill the team in best practice.

Data & Reporting

• Produce accurate and timely internal recruitment reports and dashboards, including pipeline metrics, recruiter workload, time‑to‑hire tracking, candidate and hiring manager feedback surveys.
• Analyse the data and create actionable strategies to create greater efficiencies, which maximise the hiring manager, candidate and recruiter experience.
• Partner with PDT and other stakeholders to build standardised reporting frameworks that support TA.

Process & Project Support

• Document workflows, update SOPs, and coordinate the rollout of process improvements.
• Provide project support across TA transformation initiatives, such as sourcing model reviews, and RFP participation.

Procurement & Vendor Oversight

• Maintain procurement documentation, support vendor onboarding, and track renewals and budget allocations for TA platforms and suppliers.
• Liaise with finance and procurement to ensure contractual compliance and accurate spend tracking.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, or related discipline.
• 4 years of relevant experience in a Talent Acquisition, Recruitment Operations, or HR technology support role.
• Prior experience supporting HR systems (ATS, CRM, etc.) preferred.
• Familiarity with AI-powered recruitment and Generative AI tools (e.g., automated screening, video interview analysis, language testing, chatbot assistants).
• Strong skills in MS Excel, PowerPoint, and familiarity with data analytics tools or SQL is an advantage.
• Excellent communication and coordination skills with a process-focused mindset.
• Comfortable working with multiple stakeholders and vendors in a fast-paced environment.
• Analytical mindset, with strong numerical skills and able to distill large data sets into consumable, actionable information.
• Ability to create compelling PowerPoint decks to illustrate data, prepare RfPs and business cases.

Recruitment Process

The recruitment process for this position will involve the following steps:

1. All applications will be reviewed by a human member of our Recruitment Team.
2. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to complete a recorded video interview via our third‑party platform HireVue. This interview will allow you to record your responses to a range of questions related to the position and will allow you to demonstrate your knowledge and experience in a way that your CV alone would not be able to. It also ensures fairness for you and all candidates, as all of our shortlisted candidates are asked the same questions and assessed on their responses.
3. After a review of completed video interviews, shortlisted candidates will be invited to an initial interview with the hiring manager.
4. A possible follow-up interview may be requested with additional team members for finalists.

About Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, was formed in 2003 and quickly went on to become one of the world’s leading airlines. From its home in Abu Dhabi, Etihad flies to passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and North America. Together with Etihad’s codeshare partners, Etihad’s network offers access to hundreds of international destinations. In recent years, Etihad has received numerous awards for its superior service and products, cargo offering, loyalty programme and more. All this ties into Etihad’s ambitious Journey 2030 strategy. The airline plans to double its fleet size and triple the number of customers over the next six years as it sets out to be the airline everyone wants to fly!

Recruitment Fraud Alert

Beware of fraudulent job offers from individuals or organizations claiming to represent the Etihad group. We will never ask for personal information, bank details, or payment during the recruitment process. Interviews are conducted face‑to‑face or via video/telephone before any formal offer. If you are asked for money, please treat it as fraudulent.