Talent Acquisition Partner

West Midlands Combined Authority; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Local Government Pension Scheme

Shared Cost AVC scheme

28 days paid annual leave

EV car benefit scheme

Healthcare plans

Gym membership discounts

Job summary

West Midlands Combined Authority is evolving its Talent Acquisition function to be more strategic, insights-led and workforce-planning oriented. The role partners with senior leaders to shape plans, build pipelines, and deliver end-to-end campaigns for professional and hard-to-fill roles.

You will use labour market intelligence and analytics to develop innovative attraction strategies and nurture regional talent communities.

Qualifications

• Deliver end-to-end recruitment across professional, specialist and hard-to-fill roles.
• Experience managing recruitment campaigns: attraction, sourcing, assessment and selection.
• Experience building strong relationships with stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience advising and challenging managers on recruitment and workforce decisions.
• Experience with ATS, recruitment tech and digital sourcing tools.
• Ability to analyse recruitment data and labour market trends.
• Knowledge of contingent workforce models and supplier management.
• Understanding of employment legislation related to recruitment, equality, diversity, inclusion and data protection.

Responsibilities

• Partner with senior leaders and hiring managers to shape workforce plans and address skills gaps.
• Deliver end-to-end recruitment campaigns for professional, specialist and hard-to-fill roles with an inclusive candidate experience.
• Use labour market intelligence and analytics to develop attraction and sourcing strategies.
• Build talent communities and regional partnerships to support current and future needs.
• Advise managers on recruitment, assessment and hiring decisions.
• Champion new approaches to talent, including internal mobility, secondments, apprenticeships and skills-based hiring.

Education

Degree-level qualification in HR/Talent Acquisition

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to join a Talent Acquisition team that is evolving. We're moving beyond traditional recruitment and transactional resourcing to build a more strategic, insight-led Talent Acquisition function that plays a pivotal role in workforce planning, talent intelligence, employer branding and future skills development.

As a Talent Acquisition Partner, you'll be at the forefront of that transformation. You'll work closely with leaders across the organisation to influence workforce decisions, build talent pipelines, identify future skills needs and secure the people who will deliver some of the West Midlands' most important priorities.

This is a role where you'll have genuine impact. Every hire, every talent strategy and every workforce solution you influence will help strengthen the organisation's ability to deliver for the millions of people who live and work across our region.

If you're passionate about moving talent acquisition beyond filling vacancies and into creating long-term workforce solutions, we'd love to hear from you.

What you will be doing

• Partner with senior leaders and hiring managers to shape workforce plans, address skills gaps and develop solutions to future talent challenges.
• Deliver end-to-end recruitment campaigns for professional, specialist and hard-to-fill roles, ensuring an outstanding and inclusive candidate experience.
• Use labour market intelligence, recruitment analytics and workforce insights to develop innovative attraction and sourcing strategies.
• Build and nurture talent communities, regional partnerships and diverse talent pipelines that support both current and future workforce needs.
• Act as a trusted adviser, providing expert guidance and constructive challenge on recruitment, assessment, workforce risks and hiring decisions.
• Champion new ways of thinking about talent, helping managers explore options including internal mobility, secondments, contingent workforce solutions, apprenticeships and skills-based hiring.

Why join us?

At WMCA, we're creating the best place to work and belong. Our People & Culture team is leading an ambitious transformation focused on building a high-performing, inclusive and values-driven organisation.

This role offers the chance to:

• Be part of a Talent Acquisition function that's redefining its role and influence across the organisation.
• Help embed a strategic approach to hiring, workforce planning and talent management.
• Shape how we attract and engage talent in an increasingly competitive labour market.
• Work with senior stakeholders on meaningful workforce challenges that directly support organisational priorities.
• Contribute to a culture that values innovation, inclusion, collaboration and continuous improvement.

What's essential

• Delivering end-to-end recruitment across a range of professional, specialist and hard-to-fill roles within a complex organisation.
• Experience managing recruitment campaigns, including attraction, sourcing, assessment and selection activities.
• Experience building and maintaining effective relationships with stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience advising, influencing and challenging managers on recruitment and workforce decisions.
• Experience with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), recruitment technologies, and digital sourcing tools.
• Utilising recruitment data, metrics and reporting to support decision‑making and service improvement.
• Experience managing contingent workforce recruitment, including agency workers, contractors, consultants or interim resources.
• Support workforce planning activity through workforce data, talent intelligence or labour market insight.
• Knowledge and application of recruitment and selection best practice.
• Knowledge of employment legislation relating to recruitment, equality, diversity, inclusion and data protection.
• Ability to develop innovative and cost‑effective attraction and sourcing strategies.
• Strong stakeholder management, influencing and relationship‑building skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to analyse and interpret recruitment data, workforce trend information and labour market trends.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and recruitment campaigns simultaneously.
• Knowledge of contingent workforce models, supplier management and workforce governance.
• Understanding of IR35 and employment status considerations.
• Knowledge of skills‑based hiring, talent intelligence and emerging recruitment practices.
• Experience using AI‑enabled and digital recruitment tools to support attraction, sourcing, market intelligence, content creation and recruitment delivery.
• Degree‑level qualification or equivalent professional experience in Human Resources, Talent Acquisition, Workforce Planning, Organisational Development, Business Management or a related discipline.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development in recruitment, HR or talent acquisition.

Location

The location for this role is 16 Summer Lane, Birmingham, B19 3SD, with 2 days a week spent in the office, subject to business requirements.

Using Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We cannot stop anyone from using AI to help write application content. Used right, it can be a great tool. If you choose to use AI, then use it as a helper rather than relying on it wholly to write your application.

Applications that rely too heavily on AI may be rejected during shortlisting. For help on how to write a supporting statement, please visit the FAQs section of our careers site.

Salary and benefits.

We advertise salary ranges, with new appointments typically starting at the lowest salary point. In exceptional cases, the salary point may be adjusted to secure the best candidate. This approach allows for potential year-on-year salary increases, offering progression and appropriate rewards to employees. Requests for salaries above the maximum advertised range will not be considered.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Local Government Pension Scheme (one of the most generous pension schemes in the UK).
• Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contributionscheme where you can build an additional pot of money alongside your pension with contributions exempt from Income Tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs).
• 28 days paid annual leave (with an option to purchase more) + Statutory days.
• EV car benefit scheme
• Healthcare plans.
• Discounted gym membership, will writing,andmortgage advice.
• An option to buy a bicycle, including e-bikes and adapted pedal cycles, at a discounted rate.
• 3 days of paid leave each year to volunteer.
• Interest‑free financing through SmartTech to buy the latest technology
• Discounted shopping with over 2,000 big‑name retailers, and more. You can now also obtain a Costcomembership through the WMCA.
• Boundlessunlocks unlimited entry to top-rated UK attractions and loads of extra benefits and discounts.
• EyeCare Scheme,offering a free eye test and a financial contribution towards your glasses.

For more information, please visit the benefits page on our career site.

Our Values and Behaviours.

Fostering an environment where people feel valued, included, supported, and proud to contribute to our region is important to us at the WMCA. Our behaviours are more than statements; they guide how we work, make decisions, and treat one another - they set the standards we hold ourselves to and the experience we want others to have.

• Collaborative -We work as one organisation. Together we build trust, connection and shared purpose across teams, partners and residents to create the biggest impact for our region.
• Driven -We are focused on outcomes. We perform at our best to unlock productivity and delivery, achieving the greatest regional impact.
• Inclusive - We value difference. Creating an environment where people belong, and feel psychologically safe, so we can all thrive and shape a West Midlands built for everyone.
• Innovative - We are courageous. We embrace new ideas and challenge the status quo to continuously improve and shape the future of the West Midlands.

Creating an inclusive workplace.

WMCA holds diversity accreditations, such as the RACE Code Quality Mark, Armed Forces Covenant (Gold status) and has been recognised as one of the Inclusive Top 50 Employers and The Times Top 50 Employers for Women. We're a Disability Confident Employer with Leader' status, committed to interviewing applicants with disabilities who meet all the essential role criteria.

We are also proud to be a Ban the Box employer, which means we do not ask about criminal convictions at the initial application stage, and will only ask after an offer is made as part of our onboarding checks, which helps us remove barriers for people with past convictions and supporting fair opportunities for all.

We recognise that certain groups, such as women and people of colour, may be less likely to apply for roles if they feel they do not meet all the requirements. However, we encourage individuals who are passion­ful about the role and want to make a difference to still apply. We value potential and encourage applicants to highlight their skills, including transferable ones, even if they don't fit the traditional "perfect candidate" mould.

We gladly consider part‑time, flexible, and job share arrangements, so please don't let these factors deter you from applying

Right to Work in the UK

Proof of Right to Work in the UK will be required for all applicants in accordance with UK Home Office requirements, before any employment offer can be confirmed.

Non-UK applicants (excluding Ireland) would be required to hold a relevant Visa from the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).