Talent Acquisition Manager- Non-Education

Cognita Schools; Dubai; On-site; AED 279,000 - 502,000; Full time

Job summary

Cognita is looking for an experienced Talent Acquisition professional to lead full-cycle recruitment for corporate functions across our Dubai offices and regional hubs. You will source through LinkedIn, job boards, networks, and our ATS, partnering with hiring managers to understand workforce needs and deliver high-quality candidates.

You will play a key role in candidate experience, regulatory compliance, and workforce planning, with a proactive, collaborative approach in a fast-paced

Qualifications

• Experience managing full-cycle recruitment across corporate functions.
• Proven sourcing experience via social media, networks, CV databases, and ATS.
• Knowledge of UAE labour law and local regulatory requirements is plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end recruitment for corporate roles across Cognita UAE offices.
• Develop sourcing strategies and build strong candidate pipelines.
• Provide guidance to hiring managers and ensure a positive candidate experience.

Skills

Full-cycle recruitment

Sourcing & networking

Stakeholder management

ATS & HRIS

Multilingual capabilities

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Business

Tools

LinkedIn Recruiter

CV databases

ATS (e.g., Workday)

Job description

Job Description:

About Cognita:

Cognita is a global leader in independent education. Founded in 2004, we are a growing community of 90 schools in 20 countries - in Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East - serving more than 100,000 students. Each of our schools are proudly unique, however our collective purpose is to create an environment where everyone can, "Thrive in a rapidly evolving world".

About the Role:

The Cognita Talent Acquisition Team - Non-Education plays a key role in building and delivering a high-quality talent pipeline for corporate and non-education positions across our schools and Regional Offices in Dubai. Working in a fast-paced, dynamic and competitive environment, the successful candidate will partner closely with hiring managers to understand workforce needs, develop effective sourcing strategies, and attract high-calibre talent through a variety of channels including LinkedIn, job boards, networking and proactive market mapping. The role involves managing the full recruitment lifecycle, from sourcing and screening candidates through to offer management and onboarding, while ensuring an exceptional candidate experience and full compliance with relevant regulatory requirements. You will also provide guidance and training to hiring managers on recruitment best practice and ATS usage, build and maintain strong talent pipelines, support recruitment events and sourcing campaigns, contribute to workforce planning and reporting activities, and assist with wider recruitment projects as required. This is an exciting opportunity for a proactive, commercially minded recruiter who enjoys building relationships, thinking creatively and delivering results in a collaborative team environment.

Working Arrangement: 4 days per week in the Dubai office or schools, 1 day working from home.

Who We Are Looking For:

We are looking for an experienced and proactive Talent Acquisition professional with at least five years' experience managing full-cycle recruitment across a variety of specialist and corporate functions. You will have a strong track record of sourcing high-quality talent through social media, professional networks, CV databases and applicant tracking systems, alongside experience recruiting for areas such as IT, Finance, HR, Operations, Marketing and Admissions. With excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building skills, you will be confident partnering with hiring managers and senior leaders, providing market insights, recruitment advice and guidance throughout the hiring process. Highly organised and able to manage multiple priorities, you will demonstrate sound judgement, strong negotiation skills and a commitment to delivering an exceptional candidate experience. Experience in-house is preferred, although applicants from specialist recruitment agencies will also be considered. A university degree and HR qualification, such as CIPD, are desirable, as is experience within the education sector, agency vendor management and multilingual capabilities relevant to the region.

We are an equal opportunities employer committed to diversity and treating all employees with dignity and respect regardless of background.