Senior Manager Operations : Recruitment

Senior Manager Operations : Recruitment

Location : Johannesburg, Fourways

Type : Permanent

Shape the future of recruitment.

Drive strategy, process, and people performance.

About the Role

This is a senior leadership position within the recruitment operations team, where you’ll take ownership of the recruitment strategy, processes, and team delivery. The role balances strategic workforce planning with hands-on operational oversight, ensuring the recruitment function is efficient, compliant, and aligned with business goals.

The successful candidate will deliver measurable improvements in hiring quality, speed, and cost-effectiveness, while fostering a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and client service within the recruitment team.

Who the Client Is

This opportunity is with a dynamic, fast-growing organisation that serves multiple industries and prioritises excellence in people, processes, and performance. Known for its entrepreneurial spirit and strong market reputation, the business is committed to attracting and retaining top talent through innovative recruitment practices.

What You’ll Do

Lead, manage, and mentor the recruitment operations team to deliver seamless hiring processes.

Define and execute recruitment strategies that enhance candidate experience and hiring outcomes.

Develop and monitor recruitment KPIs (time-to-fill, quality-of-hire, cost-per-hire).

Oversee the recruitment technology stack (ATS, CRM, and digital tools).

Continuously refine and optimise processes to improve scalability and efficiency.

Ensure compliance with recruitment legislation and regulations.

Partner with senior leadership and hiring managers on workforce planning and recruitment priorities.

Manage external vendor relationships and negotiate service agreements.

Provide regular reporting, dashboards, and data insights to senior leadership.

What You Bring

8–10 years’ recruitment experience, including 4–5 years in an operations or leadership role.

Proven ability to optimise recruitment processes and deliver operational excellence.

Strong leadership skills with experience managing high-performance teams.

Strategic and operational mindset with strong business alignment.

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, able to influence stakeholders.

Analytical strength, with experience in recruitment metrics and data-driven decision-making.

Degree in HR, Business, or related field; HR certifications a plus.

Highly organised, proactive, and results-driven, with a strong customer-service orientation.

What Success Looks Like

Operational excellence : streamlined processes, measurable efficiency gains, and reduced hiring cycle times.

Team performance : a motivated, high-performing recruitment operations team.

Strategic alignment : recruitment priorities consistently linked to business needs and workforce plans.

Candidate experience : smooth, professional, and engaging recruitment journeys.

Data-driven decisions : leadership empowered by actionable insights and accurate reporting.

Rewards & Challenges

This is a highly visible leadership role with direct impact on the business’s ability to scale and grow. It comes with the challenge of balancing strategic oversight with operational demands in a fast-paced environment, requiring agility, resilience, and excellent people leadership.