Talent Acquisition Lead

Position Title: Talent Acquisition Lead (Senior Manager or Director level)

Department: Human Resources

Reports To: HR Leader India or CHRO depending on candidate (dotted line to VP, TA in US)

Location: Kochi, India (onsite)

Position Summary

The Talent Acquisition Lead is responsible for leading the talent acquisition function while directly managing a portfolio of open searches. This role combines strategic leadership with hands-on recruiting, ensuring that our high growth organization attracts exceptional talent and scales effectively. The TA Lead partners closely with hiring managers, HR, and company leadership to optimize hiring strategies, strengthen employer branding, and deliver consistent, high-quality candidate experience.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Coaching

• Serve as the primary owner of the company's India recruiting operation, including recommending and managing strategy, processes, and tools.
• Build and refine scalable hiring processes, interview structures, and selection frameworks in collaboration with US TA team.
• Mentor, guide, and support recruiters or contract sourcers (team members or external partners).
• Provide coaching to hiring managers on interview best practices, workforce planning, and hiring decisions.
• Own reporting, talent metrics, and communication with leadership on recruiting performance.

Full-Cycle Recruiting (Player Responsibilities)

• Manage full-cycle recruiting for a range of roles (technical, operational).
• Build and maintain strong pipelines for high-priority or difficult-to-fill positions.
• Source, screen, interview, and assess top talent.
• Drive candidate engagement and communication through every stage of the process.
• Partner with HR and hiring managers to create competitive, equitable offer packages.
• Act as a brand ambassador to promote the company across markets and channels.

Process Optimization & TA Operations

• Optimize the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and recruiting workflows in India location, working closely with VP, Talent Acquisition in US.
• Improve time-to-fill, quality of hire, and hiring predictability through data-driven decisions.
• Develop standardized interview guides, scorecards, and evaluation criteria.
• Ensure compliance with hiring laws, data protection, and fair hiring practices.
• Manage relationships with external recruiters, staffing agencies, and job boards.

Employer Branding & Market Presence

• Lead employer brand initiatives in partnership with US TA.
• Develop talent campaigns, recruiting events, social media content, and referral programs.
• Monitor market trends and competitor talent strategies.

Workforce Planning Support

• Collaborate with HR leadership on annual hiring plans and headcount prioritization.
• Provide insights on talent availability, hiring challenges, and required capabilities.

Qualifications

Required

• 5 - 8 years of full-cycle recruiting experience, including recruiting senior-level and specialized roles.
• Experience as a lead recruiter or informal team mentor/coach.
• Proven ability to manage a heavy requisition load while driving strategic improvements.
• Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
• Expertise with ATS systems and recruiting analytics.
• Demonstrated ability to create scalable processes in a growing organization.

Preferred

• Experience managing or overseeing small TA teams (direct or dotted-line).
• Talent acquisition experience in fast-growth or mid-size companies employees).
• Background in employer branding or recruitment marketing.
• Strong sourcing capability in competitive talent markets.

Competencies

• Leadership presence with hands-on execution
• Ability to influence without formal authority
• Strong judgment and problem-solving
• Analytical and data-driven mindset
• Coaching and capability-building skills
• Excellent communication and professional maturity
• Bias for action and continuous improvement

Success Indicators (First 12 Months)

• Time-to-fill baseline and hiring predictability established.
• Strong, consistent hiring manager satisfaction scores
• Standardized Interview and selection processes adopted company-wide
• Healthy talent pipelines built for priority roles
• Improved candidate experience feedback
• Effective mentoring/support of recruiting partners or junior staff