Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist (Sandton)

Sanlam Limited; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Sanlam Limited is seeking a Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist to join its Human Capital team in Sandton. This role involves managing the end-to-end recruitment process and collaborating with leadership to attract top talent. With a strong emphasis on stakeholder engagement and compliance with recruitment practices, the position offers an opportunity to contribute to the organizational strategy and mentorship of junior team members. Join a diverse and innovative team dedicated to fostering a high-performance culture.

Qualifications

• 7-9 years of experience in corporate talent acquisition.
• Proven record in attracting and engaging top-tier talent.
• Strong understanding of South African labour legislation.

Responsibilities

• Manage the full recruitment lifecycle from job briefing to onboarding.
• Build strong relationships with business leaders and Hiring Managers.
• Leverage data-driven insights to enhance recruitment effectiveness.

Skills

Talent acquisition

Stakeholder engagement

End-to-end recruitment

Market insights

Mentorship

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, Industrial Psychology, or related field

Postgraduate qualification in Talent Acquisition or Strategic HR

Tools

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

Microsoft Office Suite

Recruitment platforms (e.g., LinkedIn Recruiter)

Job description

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Location:

Sandton, Gauteng, ZA

Who are we?

Sanlam Corporate forms part of the Sanlam Group which offers retail and corporate life insurance, health and investment products in South Africa. Our vision is to be the preferred partner to Corporate and Public Sector by providing an awesome client experience and comprehensive solutions that enable the financial resilience and prosperity of those entities and their employees.

We tap into over 100 years of expertise to provide cost-effective Employee Benefits and Healthcare Solutions that enable financial confidence for our members. We enable our clients to make better retirement and risk decisions today through determined and passionate thought leadership and best-in-class people, innovative products and proven processes all designed to help people live a better life tomorrow.

We believe in creating and cultivating a positive, energised working environment that gives every individual the opportunity to achieve success by embracing diversity and growing our talent.

This is a unique opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Sanlam Corporate and the broader Sanlam Life and Savings (SLS) Business. As the Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist, you have the opportunity to collaborate across Sanlam Corporate to provide talent acquisition services to internal clients. Utilising best practice, technology and innovation to support the business and position it for growth will be critical. If you are passionate about business, people and problem solving this may be a great opportunity for growth in your career.

What will you do?

Sanlam Corporate is seeking a highly experienced and strategically minded Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist to join its Human Capital team. This role is critical in enabling the business to attract, engage, and secure top-tier talent aligned with its strategic objectives and values.

The incumbent will serve as a trusted advisor and strategic partner to business leaders and Hiring Managers, providing expert guidance on workforce planning, talent sourcing strategies, and market insights. The role encompasses the full talent acquisition lifecycle, including proactive sourcing, competency-based screening, rigorous assessment, and candidate engagement, ensuring a seamless and professional experience for both internal stakeholders and external candidates.

In addition to operational excellence, the Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist will contribute to the evolution of recruitment practices, leveraging data-driven insights, employer branding initiatives, and technology to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of talent acquisition. The role also involves mentoring junior team members, driving continuous improvement, and ensuring compliance with internal policies and external regulatory requirements.

This position plays a pivotal role in positioning Sanlam Corporate as an employer of choice, fostering a high-performance culture through the acquisition of diverse and capable talent that supports long-term business sustainability.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Talent Acquisition
• Partner with business leaders and Hiring Managers to understand workforce needs and develop tailored sourcing strategies.
• Align recruitment efforts with business goals, workforce plans, and transformation objectives.

End-to-End Recruitment Delivery
• Manage the full recruitment lifecycle, including job briefing, advertising, sourcing, screening, interviewing, selection, offer management, and onboarding.
• Ensure a high-quality candidate experience throughout the recruitment process.

Stakeholder Engagement
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders, acting as a trusted advisor on talent acquisition matters.
• Provide regular updates and insights to Hiring Managers on recruitment progress, market trends, and candidate feedback.

Sourcing and Talent Pipelining
• Proactively source candidates using a variety of channels including direct sourcing, social media, networking, and partnerships.
• Build and maintain talent pipelines for critical and hard-to-fill roles.

Assessment and Selection
• Conduct competency-based interviews and assessments to evaluate candidate suitability.
• Collaborate with Hiring Managers to ensure fair, consistent, and effective selection decisions.

Employer Branding and Market Intelligence
• Support employer branding initiatives to position Sanlam Corporate as an employer of choice.
• Stay abreast of market trends, competitor activity, and talent movement to inform sourcing strategies.

Compliance and Governance
• Ensure recruitment practices comply with internal policies, labour legislation, and transformation targets.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date recruitment documentation and reporting.

Continuous Improvement
• Identify opportunities to enhance recruitment processes, tools, and systems.
• Contribute to projects and initiatives aimed at improving talent acquisition effectiveness and efficiency.

Mentorship and Collaboration
• Provide guidance and mentorship to junior Talent Acquisition team members.
• Collaborate with broader Human Capital teams to support integrated talent strategies.

Qualification and Experience

Minimum Qualifications
• Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, Industrial Psychology, Business Administration, or a related field.
• A relevant postgraduate qualification or certification in Talent Acquisition, Recruitment, or Strategic HR will be advantageous.

Experience
• Minimum of 7 to 9 years’ experience in end-to-end talent acquisition within a corporate or professional services environment.
• Proven track record of successfully recruiting for a wide range of roles, including specialist, managerial, and executive-level positions.
• Demonstrated experience in partnering with senior stakeholders and influencing talent decisions.
• Experience in using Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and recruitment technologies to manage workflows and enhance candidate experience.
• Exposure to employer branding, talent pipelining, and diversity hiring strategies.
• Strong understanding of South African labour legislation, EE/AA compliance, and transformation imperatives.
• Experience in data-driven recruitment, including the use of metrics and analytics to inform strategy and decision-making.

Preferred Experience
• Agency and/or corporate experience recruiting for critical roles within the financial services industry
• Headhunting & market mapping experience
• Familiarity with competency-based interviewing and psychometric assessments.
• Involvement in recruitment process improvement initiatives or HR transformation projects.

Knowledge and Skills

• Proficiency in Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and recruitment platforms (e.g., LinkedIn Recruiter, Careers24, etc.).
• Competence in using Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) for reporting and presentations.
• Exposure to psychometric tools and assessment platforms is advantageous.

• Flexible and Adaptable - Rebounding from setbacks and adversity when facing difficult situations.
• Courage - Stepping up to address difficult issues, saying what needs to be said.
• Manages Complexity - Demonstrated ability and proven record to make complex decisions.
• Ensures Accountability - Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments.
• Plans and Aligns - Planning and prioritising work to meet commitments aligned to organisational goals

Core Competencies

Digital leadership
• Tech savvy
• Cultivates innovation
• Strategic mindset

Agile leadership
• Manages ambiguity
• Manages complexity
• Drives results

Human centered leadership
• Instils trust
• Build effective teams
• Drives engagement

Turnaround time

The shortlisting process will only start once the application due date has been reached. The time taken to complete this process will depend on how far you progress and the availability of managers.

Our commitment to transformation

The Sanlam Group is committed to achieving transformation and embraces diversity. This commitment is what drives us to achieve a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace as we believe that these are key components to ensuring a thriving and sustainable business in South Africa. The Group's Employment Equity plan and targets will be considered as part of the selection process.