Head of Talent Acquisition – 12 Month FTC

Working at Stella McCartney is a truly rewarding experience. As a luxury fashion company with a strong ethical standpoint we are leaders and innovators in our industry.

Overview 

Reporting to the Chief People Officer, the Head of Talent Acquisition is responsible for leading and delivering the end-to-end recruitment activity for Stella McCartney, ensuring the business attracts and secures exceptional talent to support its continued growth and creative vision. 

This is a highly hands-on, operational role, combining senior stakeholder management and talent acquisition expertise with direct responsibility for managing the full recruitment lifecycle. As a standalone contributor, the Head of Talent Acquisition will personally drive recruitment across a broad range of business functions, with a particular focus on Design, Creative Image, Marketing & Communications, Merchandising and other Head Office functions. 

The role will work closely with People Partners and senior business leaders to anticipate talent needs, develop effective sourcing strategies and deliver against recruitment priorities. There may also be opportunities to support regional recruitment requirements across Italy, the US and Japan. 

As a brand ambassador, the Head of Talent Acquisition will play a key role in representing Stella McCartney's values, culture and creative identity throughout the candidate journey, ensuring an exceptional experience for all candidates. 

Your Mission 

Talent Acquisition & Recruitment Delivery 

• Take full ownership of the end-to-end recruitment lifecycle, from briefing and sourcing through to offer management and onboarding. 

• Personally manage a varied and often complex recruitment portfolio, prioritising competing demands and responding quickly to changing business requirements. 

• Partner closely with hiring managers and People Partners to understand current and future talent needs, providing expert advice on recruitment strategy and market conditions. 

• Lead recruitment for specialist, creative and business-critical roles, with a particular focus on Design and Creative talent. 

• Proactively identify and engage high-calibre passive candidates through direct sourcing, networking and market research, reducing reliance on external agencies. 

• Develop comprehensive market maps and talent pipelines for creative and difficult-to-hire positions. 

• Ensure recruitment activity is delivered efficiently, with pace, quality and a consistently high standard of candidate experience. 

Stakeholder Management & Business Partnership 

• Build strong, trusted relationships with hiring managers, People Partners and the executive leadership team, acting as a credible recruitment partner and advisor. 

• Proactively collaborate with People Partners regarding organisational changes and evolving talent requirements within their respective areas. 

• Challenge and advise hiring managers on role requirements, candidate profiles, market availability and appropriate recruitment approaches. 

• Provide regular updates on recruitment progress, market insights, challenges and recommendations, ensuring stakeholders remain informed throughout the process. 

• Balance the needs of the business with a pragmatic and solutions-focused approach, demonstrating the ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities. 

Talent Attraction & Market Intelligence 

• Maintain a deep understanding of the luxury fashion industry, particularly the creative and design talent landscape. 

• Continuously network with industry professionals and develop relationships with relevant talent communities to strengthen Stella McCartney's talent pipelines. 

• Build and maintain relationships with relevant universities and educational institutions to support early careers talent attraction. 

• Partner with Marketing and Communications to develop and support employer branding initiatives that strengthen Stella McCartney's position as an employer of choice. 

• Stay informed of competitor activity, industry developments and emerging talent trends to provide meaningful market intelligence to the business. 

Recruitment Excellence & Candidate Experience 

• Champion best practice throughout the recruitment process, ensuring a consistent, inclusive and professional approach to assessment and selection. 

• Deliver recruitment training and guidance to hiring managers, supporting them to make informed and effective hiring decisions. 

• Ensure a positive and engaging candidate experience at every stage of the recruitment journey, acting as a strong ambassador for the brand. 

• Continuously review and improve recruitment processes to drive efficiency, quality and consistency. 

• Ensure recruitment practices are fair, equitable and aligned with relevant local employment legislation. 

Reporting, Data & External Partnerships 

• Track and analyse key recruitment metrics, including time-to-hire, cost-per-hire, quality of hire and candidate experience. 

• Use recruitment data and market insights to identify trends, highlight challenges and make recommendations for improvement. 

• Manage relationships with external recruitment agencies and service providers, continuously reviewing the preferred supplier list and ensuring appropriate use of external support. 

Your Talent 

• Proven experience in a senior Talent Acquisition role, with a strong track record of personally delivering end-to-end recruitment across a broad range of functions. 

• Specialist experience recruiting within luxury fashion, with particular expertise in Design and Creative recruitment. 

• A highly hands-on recruiter who enjoys being close to the detail and is confident managing a busy and varied recruitment workload independently. 

• Demonstrable experience partnering with senior stakeholders and advising hiring managers on recruitment strategy and talent decisions. 

• Strong direct sourcing, networking and market-mapping capabilities, with the ability to identify and engage exceptional passive talent. 

• Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage multiple vacancies and competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment. 

• Proactive, adaptable and resilient, with the confidence to operate autonomously and respond positively to changing business needs. 

• Excellent communication, interpersonal and influencing skills. 

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use data and market insights to inform decisions. 

• Knowledge of recruitment best practices and relevant local employment legislation. 

• Experience with applicant tracking systems (ATS) and other talent acquisition technologies. 

• Global recruitment experience is desirable. 

At Stella McCartney, we are committed to creating a supportive and inclusive environment in which all of our voices are heard. Where people can work to their maximum potential by offering equal opportunities for growth and fair pay. For us, it is about appreciating what is different in others and also what we have in common. We hire people who want to change things, disrupt the norm, who are naturally confident with a positive attitude. Our decisions respect all people regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, age, social or political belief, or world view. 

Reward

Our philosophy is to go beyond monetary return and consider ourselves responsible for your wellbeing, your family, your health, your time and the community.

• Up to 50% discount on Stella McCartney products
• Matched pension contribution up to 6%
• Annual Health Screening
• 25 days annual leave (not including Bank Holidays) + 1 day of Birthday leave
• Flexible working/core hours
• Enhanced Maternity/paternity packages
• Matched Give as You Earn charity scheme
• Health cash plan
• Physical and Mental Wellbeing Support Services
• Employee referral bonus
• Optional/ Paid Benefits: Season ticket loan, cycle to work and tech schemes, travel and dental insurance and much more. Extensive private medical and critical illness insurance, as well as life assurance

We welcome people with disabilities and endeavour to make reasonable adjustments, if you do require such adjustments please let us know within 48 hours of your interview.

At Stella McCartney, we like to be bold. For us this means challenging ourselves and the wider industry in which we operate. As part of our commitments to inclusive fashion, we have an ambitious strategy to put diversity, equity and inclusion at the centre of everything we do. Our starting point is to create a workplace where different voices are respected, heard and empowered in equal measure regardless of factors such as culture and backgrounds, and to influence and disrupt fashion and other industries by providing opportunities for global diverse talent to shine.