Talent Manager

K2 Recruit; Durban; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 800,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent BPO organization in Durban is looking for a proactive and results-driven Head of Talent. This role demands a strategic leader to oversee talent acquisition, learning & development, and management across the business. Responsibilities include developing scalable recruitment strategies and delivering comprehensive training programs. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in BPO, leadership, and managing specialist teams. This is a pivotal opportunity to shape talent strategy and influence executive decisions.

Qualifications

• 3-5+ years’ experience leading recruitment and/or training functions.
• Proven experience operating at Head of Talent / Head of L&D / Head of Recruitment level within a BPO environment.
• Strong background in high-volume recruitment and training delivery, ideally in an international BPO.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver cost-effective, scalable recruitment strategies.
• Define and lead the organisation’s Learning & Development strategy.
• Implement and manage performance management frameworks for own teams.

Skills

Strategic and commercially astute thinker

Strong stakeholder and matrix-management capability

Excellent communication and presentation skills

Data-driven, analytical decision-maker

Proven ability to manage multiple priorities under pressure

Passion for continuous improvement and people development

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, Education, Training, or related field

Tools

Data analytics tools

Job description

Job Summary:

A BPO is seeking a proactive and results-driven Talent Manager to join their team.

About the Role

A leading BPO organisation is seeking an experienced and strategic Head of Talent to lead all aspects of talent acquisition, learning & development, and talent management across the business.

This is a senior, hands‑on leadership role responsible for shaping and delivering end‑to‑end Recruitment and Training strategies that support high‑volume operations, leadership pipelines, and long‑term workforce sustainability in a fast‑paced, international BPO environment.

You will work closely with executive leadership and key stakeholders to design scalable talent solutions and lead delivery through direct reports, including Recruitment and Learning & Development Leads.

Key Responsibilities

Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning

• Develop and deliver cost‑effective, scalable recruitment strategies across bulk hiring, specialist, and leadership roles.
• Optimise recruitment pipelines to meet client contract and operational timelines.
• Drive digital attraction strategies, employer branding, and agency partnerships.
• Oversee end‑to‑end hiring processes, from sourcing through to offer stage.
• Use data and analytics to identify talent gaps and prioritise recruitment activity.

Learning, Development & Training

• Define and lead the organisation’s Learning & Development strategy.
• Design and deliver blended learning solutions (classroom, online, face‑to‑face).
• Build and evolve skills development programmes aligned to operational performance.
• Ensure effective Training Needs Analyses (TNAs) and continuous content optimisation.
• Coach and develop facilitators to maximise delivery quality and impact.
• Partner with QA and operational teams to target performance‑improvement training.

Performance Management & Talent Development

• Implement and manage performance management frameworks for own teams.
• Identify high‑potential talent and build structured development and succession plans.
• Design performance‑based incentive and engagement initiatives.

Stakeholder, Client & Supplier Management

• Partner with senior business leaders to align talent strategies to business objectives.
• Collaborate with Group HR to ensure compliance with labour legislation and policy.
• Engage directly with clients (within scope) to support workforce planning and delivery.
• Manage and optimise recruitment suppliers and training vendors.

Talent Analytics & Reporting

• Track and report on key metrics including time‑to‑hire, attrition, engagement, and training effectiveness.
• Provide insights and recommendations to leadership to support workforce planning and succession.

Experience & Qualifications

Essential:

• Proven experience operating at Head of Talent / Head of L&D / Head of Recruitment level within a BPO environment.
• Strong background in high‑volume recruitment and training delivery, ideally in an international BPO.
• Demonstrated experience translating strategy into operational execution.
• Experience managing budgets, forecasting, and cost controls.
• 3–5+ years’ experience leading recruitment and/or training functions.
• Strong leadership capability with experience managing specialist teams.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, Education, Training, or related field.
• EDTP / SDF / Assessor / Moderator certification advantageous.

Skills & Competencies

• Strategic and commercially astute thinker
• Strong stakeholder and matrix‑management capability
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Data‑driven, analytical decision‑maker
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities under pressure
• Passion for continuous improvement and people development
• High levels of accountability, ownership, and resilience

Working Hours

Due to the nature of supporting international clients (USA, UK, Australia) and local campaigns, flexibility is required. Wherever possible, alignment to preferred working patterns is supported.

Why Apply?

This is a career‑defining opportunity to shape and lead talent strategy in a growing BPO environment, with real influence at executive level and the ability to build high‑impact recruitment and development frameworks that drive business success.