Also known as....
People Manager
The role in brief...
The Talent Manager manages the plans and approaches to identify, engage, develop, review and retain those individuals in the agency who have the potential to be of greatest value to an organisation. They create the development path for people across the agency. They explore ways to maximise the potential of the teams and identify current and future talent populations needed by the agency. They use people data to help identify critical talent, while supporting the retention and accelerated progression of those capable of excelling. They also explore new ways to attract and work with diverse talent pools.
Working with...
- Internal: All departments and teams across the agency; Group Human Resources/Talent team, local HR team and Resource Managers.
- External: Visa and immigration experts, apprenticeship providers; schools and universities; recruitment agencies and other talent providers; external training providers and coaches.
- The Talent Manager may report into the Senior Talent Manager, Head of HR, HR Director, or Talent Director.
- They may have line management responsibility for the Talent Executive, Talent Administrator, or Intern, being accountable for their performance and providing them with professional development opportunities
Responsible for...
- Manging the definitions of talent for different talent pools which includes job descriptions, promotion criteria, competencies and behaviours required by a role.
- Managing the assessment approaches to identify and attract new talent. Managing the process for the development and promotion of current talent.
- Measuring and reporting the value of different talent interventions and making recommendations for improvements and changes.
- Working with partner organisations to devise talent strategies and create new talent pools.
- Partnering with line managers/heads of department to design appropriate succession and contingency frameworks and plans for review.
- Actively supporting and championing the need for a diverse and inclusive approach to talent.
- Manging relationships with schools and universities and other talent providers.
- Managing the agency graduate and work experience programme and the apprenticeship scheme.
- Managing the agency mentoring programme.
- Managing and supporting appropriate CPD interventions using a mix of internal and external support to deliver this. Monitoring and reporting on the impact of such programmes, such as teaching interview skills.
- Providing reports on all activities and making recommendations for future initiatives to meet the people strategy.
- Involved in recruitment and selection decisions.
- Focused on the personal and professional development of their team.,
Those who succeed are...
- Experienced in working in a fast-paced environment in an industry with a skills shortage.
- Excellent at relationship building as they navigate effectively across all levels of the business and with external providers.
- Partner with the department leads to manage the fluid talent plans.
- Curious about the collaboration of the work and the people so that they can cast teams and seek the appropriate new talent to meet the agency’s future skills requirements.
- Highly collaborative and prompt in responding to situations and keeping all parties updated on the status.
- Able to establish trust quickly and are action orientated and proactive. They exhibit a strong desire to complete assignments and deliver results.
- Experienced in managing a range of projects and volume of work with strong project management skills. They identify and execute steps to achieve tasks, goals, objectives and results.
- Capable of navigating ambiguity, showing persistence, adaptability and resourcefulness in the face of obstacles.
- Focused on priorities and able to project manage their workload.
- Adept at navigating the needs of the business and the needs of the people.
- Adapt well to changing conditions and new ways of thinking and are courageous in offering innovative creative ideas and thoughtful solutions.
- Comfortable to challenge and support stakeholders to get the best results.
- Open to new ways of working and experimentation.
Where they come from, and where they go…
They may come from a professional services environment with a sales and marketing background, where client service is the focus of the business. They have an excellent track record for building strong professional relationships and credibility with a demanding and fast paced client group. They are well versed in Learning and Development practice with a sound grasp of individual and business needs. They are experienced in creating diverse talent pipelines and partnering with hiring managers on the recruitment and assessment process. They may have a background as headhunters or recruitment consultants.
They may be part CIPD qualified and continuing with their professional studies. They may be training to become a coach, facilitator and mentor,
They may progress their career to Senior Talent Manager, Talent Director, People Team Director.
What is the difference between HR and Talent?
These titles can often be used interchangeably, although there are some differences in the roles.
HR
HR is typically more administrative-focused, dealing with pay, holiday days, benefits, and employee relations issues. Talent management is almost singularly focused on helping and improving the top talent in the organization. It may be helpful to think of professional development versus s. tracking attendance.
Talent Management
Talent management is typically strategic, often manifesting as a company-wide long-term plan closely associated with overall business goals, while HR management is more tactical, dealing with the day-today management of people.