Executive Talent Acquisition Partner

Job Introduction

The leaders we appoint shape our organisation, our culture and the impact we deliver for the West Midlands.

As our Executive Talent Acquisition Partner, you will lead the recruitment of Directors, Chief Officers, Executive Directors and other critical senior appointments. You will combine executive search expertise, market intelligence and credible stakeholder advice to help WMCA make informed, inclusive and evidence-based leadership appointments.

You will work closely with senior leaders, appointment panels and external partners, building high-quality executive talent pipelines and delivering a professional candidate experience throughout every campaign. You will also oversee executive search and recruitment suppliers, ensuring strong governance, service excellence and value for money.

This is an opportunity to influence leadership capability across WMCA and support our ambition to create a values-driven, high-performing organisation where people can do their best work and belong.

What you will be doing

• Lead inclusive and compliant executive and senior leadership recruitment campaigns, from the initial brief and market positioning through to assessment and appointment.
• Advise, influence and constructively challenge senior stakeholders and appointment panels, using evidence and market insight to support fair and informed decisions.
• Build executive talent pipelines through market mapping, research, targeted sourcing and credible engagement with senior candidates across the public, private and third sectors.
• Design robust, inclusive and evidence-based assessment and selection processes that provide a high-quality experience for candidates and stakeholders.
• Manage executive search firms, recruitment agencies and the Managed Service Provider, monitoring service levels, expenditure, governance, performance risks and recruitment outcomes.
• Use recruitment data, workforce information and executive market intelligence to improve campaign outcomes, diversity, succession planning, value for money and future leadership capability.

What’s essential

• Significant experience leading senior or executive-level recruitment campaigns.
• Experience working with executive search firms, recruitment agencies and senior external suppliers.
• A strong understanding of executive search methodologies and talent mapping techniques.
• Experience advising, influencing and constructively challenging senior leaders and executive stakeholders on recruitment and appointment decisions.
• Knowledge of recruitment governance, employment legislation and best-practice selection methods.
• Experience developing and managing supplier performance frameworks and service level agreements.
• Account management - enterprise level experience.
• Experience delivering inclusive recruitment strategies.
• Experience managing Managed Service Provider or recruitment supplier relationships, including monitoring service level agreements, expenditure, performance risks and recruitment outcomes.
• Strong stakeholder management, influencing and relationship-building skills, with the ability to build credibility and challenge effectively at Chief Executive, Executive Director, Chief Officer, Board and Committee level.
• Extensive knowledge and application of executive search methodologies, market mapping and executive talent identification techniques.
• The ability to use labour market intelligence, executive talent insight and organisational workforce information to inform recruitment and succession-planning decisions.
• Strong executive assessment and selection capability, including interviewing, candidate evaluation and evidence-based decision-making.
• Strong analytical, reporting and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate data and market intelligence into actionable recommendations.
• Proven project-management and campaign-delivery skills, with the ability to manage multiple senior appointments and complex recruitment processes simultaneously.
• High levels of discretion, judgement, political awareness and confidentiality when managing sensitive recruitment activities and stakeholder relationships.
• A degree-level qualification or equivalent professional experience in Human Resources, Talent Acquisition, Workforce Planning, Organisational Development, Business Management or a related discipline.
• Evidence of continuous professional or personal development.
• Professional training and development in recruitment practices.

Location

The location for this role is 16 Summer Lane, with two days a week spent in the office.

How to apply.

Applying for a role with WMCA is straightforward. Follow these steps to get started.

Create your Careers Account. Register with your name, email address, and a password.

Build your Profile. Upload your CV to help populate your career and education details.

Write your Supporting Statement. Make sure to address each of the required essential criteria.

Submit your application. Do one final check and once complete, click submit.

Please note, we reserve the right to close any vacancy from further submissions when we have received sufficient applications from which to make a shortlist. Please apply without delay if you wish to be considered for this role.

Anonymised Applications.

Your uploaded CV won’t be visible after submission. Our process is anonymised, and only the information in your profile is used for shortlisting. Be thorough in each section. It’s your chance to showcase your skills and experience.

Using Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We cannot stop anyone from using AI to help write application content. Used right, it can be a great tool. If you choose to use AI, then use it as a helper rather than relying on it wholly to write your application.

Applications that rely too heavily on AI may be rejected during shortlisting. For help on how to write a supporting statement, please visit the FAQs section of our careers site.

Reasonable adjustments.

If you have an accessibility need, disability, or condition that means you might require changes to the application or recruitment process, please get in touch with our Recruitment Team (careers@wmca.org.uk).

Salary and benefits.

We advertise salary ranges, with new appointments typically starting at the lowest salary point. In exceptional cases, the salary point may be adjusted to secure the best candidate. This approach allows for potential year-on-year salary increases, offering progression and appropriate rewards to employees. Requests for salaries above the maximum advertised range will not be considered.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Local Government Pension Scheme (one of the most generous pension schemes in the UK).
• Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contribution scheme where you can build an additional pot of money alongside your pension with contributions exempt from Income Tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs).
• 28 days paid annual leave (with an option to purchase more) + Statutory days.
• EV car benefit scheme
• Healthcare plans.
• Discounted gym membership, will writing, and mortgage advice.
• An option to buy a bicycle, including e-bikes and adapted pedal cycles, at a discounted rate.
• 3 days of paid leave each year to volunteer.
• Interest-free financing through SmartTech to buy the latest technology
• Discounted shopping with over 2,000 big-name retailers, and more. You can now also obtain a Costco membership through the WMCA.
• Boundless unlocks unlimited entry to top-rated UK attractions and loads of extra benefits and discounts.
• Eye Care Scheme, offering a free eye test and a financial contribution towards your glasses.

For more information, please visit the benefits page on our career site.

Why join WMCA?

WMCA is laser-focused on improving the West Midlands, bringing economic growth, jobs, homes, and better journeys to the region. We target local needs where it matters most, ensuring everyone has a job that pays well and has access to safe and affordable places they can call home.

We put people and place at the heart of everything we do, working hand in hand with our partners to direct funding where it's needed most. What you do, really matters. Your expertise will help make a big difference, improving people's lives, every day.

Our Values and Behaviours.

Fostering an environment where people feel valued, included, supported, and proud to contribute to our region is important to us at the WMCA. Our behaviours are more than statements; they guide how we work, make decisions, and treat one another - they set the standards we hold ourselves to and the experience we want others to have.

• Collaborative - We work as one organisation. Together we build trust, connection and shared purpose across teams, partners and residents to create the biggest impact for our region.
  
  
• Driven - We are focused on outcomes. We perform at our best to unlock productivity and delivery, achieving the greatest regional impact.
  
  
• Inclusive - We value difference. Creating an environment where people belong, and feel psychologically safe, so we can all thrive and shape a West Midlands built for everyone.
  
  
• Innovative - We are courageous. We embrace new ideas and challenge the status quo to continuously improve and shape the future of the West Midlands.

Creating an inclusive workplace.

WMCA holds diversity accreditations, such as the RACE Code Quality Mark, Armed Forces Covenant (Gold status) and has been recognised as one of the Inclusive Top 50 Employers and The Times Top 50 Employers for Women. We’re a Disability Confident Employer with ‘Leader’ status, committed to interviewing applicants with disabilities who meet all the essential role criteria.

We are also proud to be a Ban the Box employer, which means we do not ask about criminal convictions at the initial application stage, and will only ask after an offer is made as part of our onboarding checks, which helps us remove barriers for people with past convictions and supporting fair opportunities for all.

We recognise that certain groups, such as women and people of colour, may be less likely to apply for roles if they feel they do not meet all the requirements. However, we encourage individuals who are passionate about the role and want to make a difference to still apply. We value potential and encourage applicants to highlight their skills, including transferable ones, even if they don't fit the traditional "perfect candidate" mould.

We gladly consider part-time, flexible, and job share arrangements, so please don't let these factors deter you from applying

Right to Work in the UK

Proof of Right to Work in the UK will be required for all applicants in accordance with UK Home Office requirements, before any employment offer can be confirmed.

Non-UK applicants (excluding Ireland) would be required to hold a relevant Visa from the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).