Senior Sourcing Specialist: Executive Hiring

Job Summary

• Builds and sustains Absa’s pan-African executive talent pipeline through market mapping, talent intelligence, executive sourcing, and strategic candidate engagement.
• As the Group executive sourcing function , the role identifies, assesses, and engages internal and external diverse executive talent potential, develops targeted sourcing strategies and talent pools, provides market insights, and strengthens external leadership networks.
• The role focuses on talent identification and engagement, not end-to-end executive recruitment delivery.

Job Description

Key Focus Areas:

• Executive Talent Mapping & Market Intelligence
• Strategic Executive Sourcing & Candidate Engagement
• Leadership Pipeline Development
• Competitive & Industry Talent Insights
• Diversity-Focused Executive Talent Identification
• Talent Community & Relationship Management
• Executive Search Research & Longlisting
• Sourcing Analytics & Continuous Improvement
• Employer Positioning within Executive Talent Markets
• Workforce Planning & Succession Sourcing

Key Accountabilities:

Executive Talent Mapping & Market Intelligence:

• Conduct targeted market mapping to identify executive talent across priority sectors, geographies, and competitor organisations.
• Develop and maintain intelligence on leadership talent movements, market trends, and emerging executive capability requirements.
• Provide talent landscape insights to support proactive executive workforce planning and succession discussions.

Strategic Executive Sourcing & Candidate Engagement:

• Design and execute targeted sourcing strategies for executive and niche leadership talent.
• Identify, approach, and engage passive executive candidates through direct search and networking methodologies.
• Build long-term relationships with high-calibre executives to strengthen future leadership pipelines.

Leadership Pipeline Development:

• Build and maintain diverse executive talent pools aligned to critical leadership capabilities and future business needs.
• Continuously assess pipeline strength, availability, and readiness across strategic talent segments.
• Ensure talent pools reflect Absa's transformation, diversity, and pan-African talent objectives.

Competitive & Industry Talent Insights:

• Monitor competitor hiring trends, organisational changes, and executive talent movements.
• Produce market intelligence reports to inform sourcing approaches and leadership talent strategies.
• Identify emerging executive talent and future-fit leadership capabilities relevant to Absa's strategy.

Diversity-Focused Executive Talent Identification:

• Proactively identify executive talent from underrepresented groups to support employment equity and inclusion objectives.
• Embed diverse sourcing methodologies and talent mapping practices into executive search activities.
• Track diversity pipeline metrics and recommend opportunities to strengthen representation.

Talent Community & Relationship Management:

• Build and nurture executive talent communities aligned to priority leadership disciplines and markets.
• Maintain ongoing engagement with prospective executive talent through targeted networking and relationship-building activities.
• Strengthen Absa's presence within relevant executive talent networks and professional communities.

Executive Search Research & Longlisting:

• Conduct detailed executive search research to identify qualified candidates aligned to agreed success profiles.
• Develop high-quality talent maps, market reports, and candidate longlists for executive hiring assignments.
• Validate candidate suitability through desk-based research, market referencing, and talent intelligence.

Sourcing Analytics & Continuous Improvement:

• Analyse sourcing effectiveness, pipeline conversion trends, and talent availability data to improve outcomes.
• Leverage recruitment technologies, talent intelligence platforms, and data insights to optimise sourcing performance.
• Identify and implement best practices to enhance executive sourcing capability and effectiveness.

Employer Positioning within Executive Talent Markets:

• Collaborating with the Senior Manager Employer Branding to promote Absa's executive value proposition through targeted talent engagement and market interactions.
• Position Absa as an employer of choice within relevant executive talent segments and markets.
• Gather external market feedback to strengthen leadership attraction strategies and employer branding initiatives.

Workforce Planning & Succession Sourcing Support:

• Partner with business HC colleagues to identify future talent requirements arising from workforce and succession plans.
• Develop proactive talent pipelines for anticipated leadership vacancies and strategic growth requirements.
• Provide talent availability insights to inform future hiring and leadership continuity decisions.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS:

Knowledge:

• Advanced executive search and talent strategy methodologies
• Leadership capability frameworks and organisational talent planning
• Market dynamics, competitor landscapes, and executive talent trends
• Governance, risk, and compliance within talent acquisition
• Pan-African talent considerations

Skills:

• Strategic stakeholder engagement and influencing at senior levels
• Long-term workforce planning and talent pipeline development
• Advanced assessment, judgement, and decision-making
• Commercial and market insight application
• Execution of complex, multi-dimensional initiatives

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

Education / Qualification:

• Bachelor’s Degree, Advanced Diploma, Postgraduate Certificate or B Tech (NQF Level 7) in Human Resources, Industrial/Organisational Psychology, Business Administration, or a related field.

Work Experience:

• 5-12 years’ experience in talent acquisition or executive search, including 3 years of exposure to executive-level hiring across multiple business capabilities and geographies across Africa and global markets.
• Exposure to process design, optimisation, quality management, customer centricity, technology and data-driven decision-making is preferred.

COMPETENCIES:

Technical Competencies:

• Executive search strategy design and advanced sourcing methodologies
• Talent analytics, market intelligence, and insight generation
• Governance frameworks and process optimisation
• Advanced assessment and selection methodologies
• Offer strategy and executive value proposition design

Behavioural Competencies:

• Strategic decision making and initiative
• Advanced critical thinking and complex problem solving
• Strong commercial and business acumen
• Impactful and persuasive communication
• Relationship building and organisational influence
• Planning, organising, and executing at scale
• Adaptability in complex and changing environments
• Customer and stakeholder value focus

Leadership Competencies:

• Strategic Thinking
• Business Acumen
• Communication
• Influence
• Leadership
• Delivering Results
• Adaptability
• Collaboration
• Decision-Making

Education

• Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Human and Social Studies (Required)

End Date: September 4, 2026