Talent Acquisition Lead

Role Overview

• The Talent Acquisition Lead plays a critical leadership role in ensuring that Cuso meets its volunteer delivery commitments and achieves high-quality placement outcomes across all programs and projects.
• Overseeing the full Volunteer Journey, this role is responsible for driving a proactive, strategic talent acquisition approach aligned with Cuso’s organizational pivot toward securing highly skilled technical volunteers.
• Building and sustaining talent pipelines through institutional, diaspora, and corporate partnerships; expanding engagement with new volunteer pools; and strengthening recruitment approach through more targeted, market‑facing acquisition strategies.
• Ensuring the systems, tools, data, and processes required for effective volunteer delivery; supporting department-wide talent initiatives.
• Providing oversight of both volunteer and staff recruitment, including onboarding, performance management guidance, and employee experience from entry to exit.

Requirements

• Graduate degree in Human Resources, Talent Management, International Development, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and progressively responsible experience.
• Minimum 8-10 years of progressive experience in talent acquisition, recruitment, or workforce planning, including leadership responsibility.
• Demonstrated success designing and implementing proactive, strategic talent acquisition models, including active sourcing and pipeline development.
• Proven experience recruiting for specialized or technical skill sets, rather than only generalist or volume recruitment.
• Experience building and managing external talent partnerships (e.g., academic institutions, diaspora groups, corporate or sector associations).
• Strong people‑management experience, including team supervision, coaching, and performance management.
• Advanced experience managing recruitment systems, HR databases and platforms with strong data integrity and reporting skills.
• Demonstrated ability to use KPIs, dashboards, and forecasting to inform recruitment and delivery decisions.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively across departments and with geographically dispersed teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Ability to legally work in Canada and willingness to travel internationally as required.
• Asset Qualifications: Professional HR designation (e.g. CHRP/CHRL, SHRM‑CP/SCP) is considered strong asset, but not required.
• Experience working in international development or volunteer‑based organizations is considered strong asset, but not required.
• Direct experience managing or supporting international volunteers, secondees, or mobile workforces is considered strong asset, but not required.
• Existing networks within diaspora communities, post‑secondary institutions, professional bodies, sector associations or the private sector is considered strong asset, but not required.
• Familiarity with equity, diversity, inclusion, safeguarding, and ethical recruitment frameworks in international contexts is considered strong asset, but not required.
• Budget management experience within donor‑funded or project‑based environments is considered strong asset, but not required.
• Fluency in French strongly preferred is considered strong asset, but not required.
• Fluency in Spanish would also be considered an asset is considered strong asset, but not required.
• Experience leading talent initiatives during organizational transformation or strategic pivots is considered strong asset, but not required.

Benefits

• Competitive Compensation and Benefits: Cuso offers competitive compensation, generous benefits, and the opportunity to contribute to meaningful, global programs that make a real impact.
• Work-Life Balance: We prioritize flexibility and wellbeing with a hybrid work model of two in-office days per week, remote work options, up to 4 weeks of paid vacation, a paid corporate closure between Christmas and New Year’s, summer hours, and No-Meeting Fridays.
• Inclusive Culture: Join a diverse, inclusive workplace that champions employment equity and values a broad range of perspectives, lived experiences, and strengths as key drivers of success.
• Wellness Programs: Benefit from wellness initiatives designed to support your whole self, including comprehensive mental health coverage and in-office wellness offerings like Yoga Thursdays.