Talent Acquisition Specialist - MUST BE WORKING FOR A START UP!

The Focus Group; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 400,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

A reputable recruitment firm in Cape Town is seeking a Talent Acquisition Specialist to enhance their hiring processes for non-technical roles. The role involves managing end-to-end recruitment, partnering closely with hiring managers, and ensuring a high-quality candidate experience. The ideal candidate should have over 4 years of experience in recruiting, excellent organizational skills, and the ability to assess candidate quality accurately. This position is essential for attracting top-tier talent and reducing reliance on external recruiters.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in recruiting across non-technical roles.
• Proven track record of hiring high-quality candidates.
• Strong ability to assess candidate quality.
• Comfortable operating with autonomy.
• Excellent attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end hiring for non-technical roles.
• Partner with hiring managers to define role requirements.
• Design and improve interview processes.
• Continuously improve candidate experience.

Skills

Experience with non-technical roles

Strong communication skills

Ability to assess candidate quality

Organizational skills

Stakeholder management

Job description

Mandatory Startup Experience

MUST BE WORKING FOR A START UP!!

Role Overview

We’re looking for a Talent Acquisition Specialist to own and elevate how we hire across non-technical functions - improving quality of hire, reducing reliance on external agencies, and building a world‑class candidate experience. This role is about raising the bar. You’ll act as a dedicated talent partner to non‑technical teams, working closely with the relevant People Business Partner and business leadership to ensure we consistently hire exceptional talent that succeeds at COMPANY.

Key Responsibilities

• End‑to‑end hiring
• Own the full recruitment lifecycle across non‑technical roles (e.g. Customer Success, Growth, Finance, Legal, Operations)
• Partner with Hiring Managers and the People Business Partner to define role requirements and craft high‑quality job specs
• Build and manage strong inbound and outbound pipelines

Functional Alignment & Business Partnership

• Act as the primary talent partner for your aligned business functions
• Work closely with the People Business Partner and business leadership to align hiring with team priorities
• Develop a deep understanding of team structures, hiring needs, and capability gaps

Screening & Quality Control

• Conduct structured, high‑signal screening to assess candidate quality before Hiring Manager involvement
• Act as a quality gatekeeper, pushing back when the bar is not met
• Continuously improve how we assess candidates across different functions

Interview Design & Assessment

• Design and evolve interview processes, scorecards, and assessments to ensure consistent, high‑quality hiring decisions
• Calibrate with hiring managers and interviewers to maintain a high hiring bar

Candidate Experience

• Own and continuously improve the candidate experience end‑to‑end
• Ensure all candidate interactions reflect COMPANY’s high standards, speed, and attention to detail
  Speed & execution
• Run fast, efficient processes across multiple roles simultaneously
• Ensure interviews are well‑structured, coordinated, and high signal
• Remove friction for Hiring Managers wherever possible

Sourcing & Pipeline Building

• Proactively source high‑quality candidates using creative and data‑driven approaches
• Build long‑term relationships with strong candidates across relevant functions
• Reduce dependency on agencies by building strong internal pipelines

Offer Management & Closing

• Own offer processes, including structuring, negotiation, and closing candidates
• Partner with Hiring Managers and leadership to secure top talent in competitive markets

Agency Ownership (where needed)

• Manage and optimise relationships with external recruiters for niche roles
• Set clear expectations and hold partners accountable for quality

Data & Continuous Improvement

• Use data to inform and improve hiring decisions and processes
• Track funnel performance and identify areas for optimisation

Quality of Hire & Feedback Loops

• Track and continuously improve quality of hire
• Use post‑hire performance and probation outcomes to refine hiring decisions and processes

Stakeholder Enablement

• Coach and support Hiring Managers to improve interview quality and consistency
• Drive alignment on hiring standards and decision‑making

AI & Automation

• Leverage AI tools and automation to streamline sourcing, screening, coordination, and communication
• Continuously identify opportunities to reduce manual work and improve efficiency
• Stay at the forefront of modern recruiting practices

Process & Strategy

• Design and evolve hiring processes that balance speed and quality
• Translate business hiring needs into effective recruiting strategies in partnership with the People Business Partner
• Contribute to employer brand by shaping how COMPANY shows up to candidates

Requirements

• 4+ years of experience in recruiting across non‑technical roles
• Proven track record of hiring high‑quality candidates in fast‑paced environments
• Strong ability to assess candidate quality and generate clear hiring signals
• Experience partnering with a variety of business functions (e.g. commercial, operations, finance, etc.)
• Comfortable operating with a high degree of autonomy while partnering closely with stakeholders
• Strong stakeholder partner – able to influence and push back constructively
• Highly organized and able to manage multiple roles without dropping the ball
• Excellent communication skills and strong attention to detail

Ideal Candidate

• Demonstrates a strong commitment to quality of hire, not just filling roles
• Highly proactive, with a bias toward action and the ability to operate without direction
• Able to move quickly while maintaining strong judgment and decision‑making standards
• AI‑savvy, with a continuous focus on automation and improving efficiency
• Takes full ownership of problems and drives outcomes end‑to‑end
• Motivated by building and improving systems, not just maintaining existing processes

What Success Looks Like

• We consistently hire high‑quality talent across non‑technical functions
• New hires are high‑performing and successful in their roles
• Improved probation pass rates through better hiring decisions
• Hiring managers are unblocked and supported
• Our reliance on external recruiters decreases significantly over time
• Candidates have a fast, thoughtful, and high‑quality experience
• COMPANY consistently attracts top‑tier talent