Talent Acquistion & Retention Lead

Virginia Transport Limited

Virginia

On-site

EUR 60,000 - 90,000

Full time

8 days ago

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Job summary

Virginia Transport Limited in Virginia, Co. Cavan is seeking a Talent Acquisition & Retention Lead (Driver management) to own the full driver journey—from attracting and onboarding to engaging drivers and building a best-in-class driver community.

You will partner with the Driver Management Team to design recruitment and retention initiatives that attract top HGV drivers. The role demands strategic thinking, multi-channel recruitment experience, budget awareness and strong people skills to

Qualifications

5+ years of recruitment experience across multi-channel campaigns.
HR qualification with people-management experience (100+ staff).
Experience recruiting international staff and Irish immigration requirements.
Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
Proven track record in recruitment, retention and workforce planning.
Strong IT, analytics and reporting skills.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute the driver recruitment strategy and plans.
Manage recruitment expenditures within budgets.
Design onboarding, selection and interview processes for drivers.
Build driver engagement, retention and community programs.
Collaborate with Driver Management and stakeholders to improve EVP.

Skills

Recruitment experience

Agency management

HR qualification

People management

International recruitment

Irish immigration

Communication

Influencing

Budget management

IT analytics

Microsoft 365

SharePoint

Organised

Independent work

Education

Advanced/Higher Certificate

HR qualification

Tools

Microsoft 365

SharePoint

Job description

Talent Acquistion & Retention Lead (Driver management)

Job Type: Full-time, Permanent (with 6-month probationary period)

Salary: Dependent on experience and performance incentives

Build an exceptional driver community in Virginia Internatinal Logistics.

We’re looking for a self-lead, organised and people-oriented Talent Acquistion & Retention Lead to focus on driver Recruitment & Retention to shape the future of our HGV driver community. This is more than a recruitment role. You’ll take ownership of the full driver journey — from attracting and onboarding new drivers to building strong relationships, improving engagement and creating an environment where our drivers feel valued, supported and motivated to stay. Working closely with the Driver Management Team and other key stakeholders in Virginia, you’ll develop and deliver innovative recruitment and retention initiatives and identify new ways to strengthen our driver value proposition. You’ll be at the heart of developing a best-in-class driver community, helping us attract and retain the very best professional HGV drivers and positioning our company as an employer of choice within the industry.

Key Responsibilities

Talent Acquisition (Driver Recruitment)

Develop and execute the company's annual and seasonal driver recruitment strategy and plans to meet workforceplans/ target's.
Recruit drivers through multiple channels includingbut not limited to;existing driver networks, alumni drivers,employee referrals,social media,recruitment agencies,driver training schools, apprenticeshipprograms,international recruitment initiatives,jobboardsand specialist transport recruitment platforms
Oversee the design,contentand effectiveness of the company's driver recruitment website and related company digital recruitment platforms.
Continuously develop alternative driver sourcing channels.
Manageallrecruitment expenditure andoperatewithin agreed budgets.
Establish partnerships with external trainingorganisationsand educational bodiesand develop and manage internal driver apprenticeships and traineeprogrammes.
Manage and continuously improve driver referral bonusscheme.
Maximiserecruitment conversion rates,reduce recruitmentcosts,and timeinvestedthrough continuous improvement initiatives.

Driver Selection & Onboarding

Design and manage all driver screening and selection processes.
Develop selection criteria to ensure the recruitment of high-performing drivers who align with company values.
CoordinateInterviews, Assessments, driving evaluations, Qualification& Certifications Compliance and right to work employment checks and medical assessments whererequired
Manage candidate and business stakeholder expectations throughout the recruitment process.
Ensure a positive candidate experience.
Design,implementandmanagestructured onboardingprograms.
Ensureprobation reviews are completedfor all driverswithin 1 month,co-ordinatereview & sign off forHead ofDriverManagementandtransitionsuccessful candidatestoPerformance & Comp Lead.

Driver Engagement, Retention, Relationship management& Community Development

Build andmaintaina driverrelationship andengagementprogram:

Develop and execute the annualdriver engagementplan withinitiatives designed to improve recruitment conversion,reduce turnover, identify flight risksandimproveemployee satisfactione.g. establish regularstructureddriver engagement(surveys,direct phone calls),
Develop and maintain a Driver BuddyProgramto assist with onboarding and integration.
Develop and execute the company's driver-focused social media strategy.
Ensure driverfeedback (concerns and suggestions)arecollatedand shared (with relevant staff promptly e.g. planning,garageordriver mgt team),concluded (actions / decision)and response(feedback / decisions)is provided.
Implement action plans to address driver attrition risks.
Encourage drivers to act as company ambassadors and advocatesby engaging with company social media content.
Monitor andanalysedriver turnover trends andidentifyroot causes by conducting stay interviews and exit interviews.
Promote the company's total employment proposition includingremuneration,benefits,and career development opportunities.

Qualifications & Experience

Essential Skills & Experience

5+ years’ recruitment experience, including direct recruitment and agency management, with proven experience delivering multi-channel recruitment campaigns across job boards, websites and social media.
HR qualification with significant people-management experience, including managing a workforce of 100+ employees in areas of employee relations, retention, welfare, and workforce planning.
Experience recruiting international staff and navigating Irish immigration requirements, including employment permits, IRP permissions, visa requirements, and related work authorisation processes.
Excellent communication, relationship-building, and influencing skills, with the ability to manage difficult conversations with empathy.
Proven track record in recruitment, retention, employee engagement and workforce planning, with a focus on delivering positive outcomes.
Strong IT, analytical and reporting skills, including Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and similar systems.
Experience managing budgets and delivering measurable operational improvements.
Highly organised, proactive and self-motivated, with the ability to multitask, work independently, and demonstrate a willingness to learn and progress.

Desirable

Awareness of driver hours,tachographand transport compliance legislation.
Degree or professional qualification in Recruitment, Business, HumanResources, Logistics, or related discipline.
Experience in employer branding and social media recruitment.

If you’re passionate about people, thrive in a fast-paced environment and want to make a real difference to the driver experience, we’d love to hear from you.

Ability to commute/relocate