Workforce & Talent Lead

UK Sport; England; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A national sports organization is seeking a Workforce & Talent Lead to shape the future of British high-performance sport. This role involves leading recruitment strategies for critical roles, managing the Talent Team, and championing a culture aligned with the organization's values. A successful candidate must have experience in high-performance recruitment, a strategic mindset, and excellent people management skills. This full-time position offers a mix of onsite and remote working opportunities.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in high-performance recruitment.
• Ability to inspire and lead a team of analysts.
• Expertise in identifying potential and shaping development.

Responsibilities

• Lead recruitment strategy for high-performance roles.
• Build and manage talent tracking systems.
• Inspire and lead a team of analysts and advisors.
• Map career pathways and collaborate with development teams.
• Drive succession planning and identify future potential.
• Partner with the Culture Lead to embed values in recruitment.
• Engage stakeholders to align recruitment and cultural initiatives.

Skills

Strategic thinking

People expertise

Talent tracking system management

Collaboration

Job description

Workforce & Talent Lead

Location: Loughborough, London or Manchester based, with regular remote working.

Contract type: Permanent (Full time).

Closing date: 6 January 2026.

Job Description

As Workforce & Talent Lead, you’ll shape the future of British high‑performance sport by building a world‑class recruitment advisory function. Your goal? Give the UK a competitive edge by attracting, developing, and retaining the best people, and making tough calls when needed.

You’ll provide expertise to enable best‑in‑class recruitment to critical roles across the high‑performance system: Chairs, CEOs, Performance Directors, Head of Performance Services, key practitioners, and performance coaches. You’ll also manage the Talent Team, setting them up for success and ensuring they deliver an exceptional contribution to the high‑performance system.

This is a role for a strategic thinker and a people expert — an individual who can identify and test for potential, challenge the status quo, and create pathways for future leaders.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead recruitment strategy for high‑performance roles, using modern, inclusive methods to find high potential talent and high performers.
• Build and manage talent tracking systems, creating dashboards and reports to support succession planning and workforce diversity.
• Inspire and lead a team of analysts and advisors, ensuring collaboration and a great end‑to‑end candidate experience.
• Map career pathways and work with learning and development teams to deliver tailored growth opportunities.
• Drive succession planning, identifying future potential and shaping development plans.
• Champion culture, partnering with the Culture Lead to embed values in recruitment.
• Engage stakeholders across the system to align recruitment, development, and cultural initiatives.

Seniority level

Director

Employment type

Full‑time

Job function

Other

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