Talent Acquisition Programme Manager

Job Introduction

The West Midlands Combined Authority is working to become the best place to work and belong, creating an environment where people feel valued, supported and able to contribute their best. To deliver our ambitions for the region, we need to think differently about how we attract, engage and build future talent, making sure WMCA has the capability, diversity and workforce resilience needed for the years ahead.

As Talent Acquisition Programme Manager, you will lead a time-limited programme of talent acquisition transformation and strategic talent initiatives. This role is about building the foundations for the future: strengthening our employer brand and employee value proposition, developing early careers and future talent pipelines, improving the experience for candidates and hiring managers, and creating evidence-led programmes that help WMCA attract the skills and people we need to deliver the greatest impact for the West Midlands.

Please note that this is a 24-month fixed-term contract. However, we welcome applications from those seeking permanent employment.

What you’ll be doing.

• Shape and deliver WMCA’s strategic approach to talent, owning a prioritised portfolio and roadmap of talent programmes aligned to the People and Culture Strategy, Corporate Plan, future workforce capability and organisational priorities.
• Translate workforce planning insight into targeted talent attraction and pipeline solutions, establishing sustainable and diverse pipelines for critical and hard-to-fill skill areas and identifying innovative approaches to meeting future talent demand.
• Lead the development and evolution of WMCA’s Employer Value Proposition, Employer Brand and talent attraction strategy, ensuring WMCA maintains a compelling and competitive position in the talent market across careers sites, digital, social and wider attraction channels.
• Lead strategic early careers and future talent programmes, including apprenticeships, graduate pathways and internships, while developing partnerships with educational institutions, professional bodies, local and combined authorities, community partners and external talent networks.
• Act as senior owner of the Talent Technology Roadmap, including ATS strategy, system optimisation and digital enablement across the talent lifecycle, promoting the ethical, responsible and inclusive use of recruitment technologies and AI-enabled tools.
• Provide strategic leadership, coaching and professional development to talent and workforce specialists, acting as a senior subject matter expert and trusted adviser to leaders and working collaboratively across Workforce Planning, Talent Acquisition, Inclusion, OD, Reward, Communications, Marketing and other specialist teams.
• Lead the governance, performance and continuous improvement of strategic talent programmes, establishing metrics and reporting frameworks, evaluating applicant quality, diversity outcomes, pipeline conversion, employer brand impact and return on investment, while developing business cases, managing budgets and providing talent insight to Executive and Board-level audiences.

What’s essential.

• Significant experience leading talent acquisition, employer brand or talent strategy initiatives within a complex organisation.
• Ability to develop and deliver long-term talent, employer brand and attraction strategies aligned to organisational objectives and workforce requirements.
• Experience working with senior stakeholders to address workforce and talent challenges.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to advise and challenge senior leaders on future talent and workforce risks.
• Experience designing and delivering large-scale talent programmes.
• Experience using labour market intelligence and workforce insight to inform talent strategies.
• Experience developing and implementing Employer Value Propositions and Employer Brand strategies.
• Ability to evaluate programme effectiveness and develop evidence-based recommendations for improvement.
• Experience building graduate, apprenticeship or early careers programmes.
• Knowledge of emerging trends in talent attraction, workforce development and future skills requirements.
• Knowledge of employment legislation, equality legislation, data protection requirements and associated best practice relevant to talent attraction, early careers programmes and workforce initiatives.
• CIPD Level 5 qualification or equivalent.

For a full list of duties and essential criteria please refer to the job description attached.

Location.

The location for this role is 16 Summer Lane, Birmingham, B19 3SD with 2 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).