Talent Acquisition Lead

Talent Acquisition Lead Fully Remote Role 3-Month FTC initially (ideally becoming permanent thereafter) The Company Amber Labs is a cutting-edge technology consultancy on a mission to accelerate innovation. We empower autonomy, encourage experimentation, and foster rapid learning to deliver exceptional value to our clients. Collaboration is at our core - our teams of consultants, analysts, and support staff work seamlessly to reduce risk and speed up delivery. The Role We’re seeking an experienced and strategic Talent Acquisition Lead to drive recruitment excellence across Amber Labs’ technology practices. This role blends hands-on technical sourcing with leadership, team management, and process ownership. You’ll be accountable for building scalable recruitment frameworks, mentoring TA's, and ensuring the quality, speed, and consistency of all talent acquisition delivery. You’ll act as the functional owner of TA, with authority to shape process, tools, and hiring standards across the company. As the senior member of our Talent Acquisition team, you will outline hiring strategies across AI, Software Development, Cloud (Azure/AWS), Data Architecture, Security, Testing, and Digital Delivery functions, while also leading on hard-to-fill and senior technical mandates. This is a key leadership opportunity to build, mentor, and scale a high-performing TA function in a growing consultancy environment. Key Responsibilities Leadership & Strategy Lead, coach, and develop a small team, fostering continuous improvement and high performance. Own end-to-end delivery across multiple technical hiring streams, ensuring alignment to business priorities and project timelines. Conduct quarterly performance and development reviews with the Talent Acquisition team, providing coaching, feedback, and goal alignment to ensure continuous improvement and delivery excellence. Use data and performance insights to identify training needs, celebrate achievements, and evolve team capability over time. Partner closely with senior stakeholders and account managers to define workforce plans, headcount needs, and talent strategies. Provide regular reporting and talent performance insight to the SLT, ensuring they have a clear view of pipeline health, risks, delivery trends, and overall recruitment effectiveness. Use this to influence decision-making and support strategic workforce planning. Implement scalable processes, recruitment frameworks, and reporting mechanisms to ensure delivery consistency and quality. Champion data-driven recruitment - analysing pipeline health, conversion rates, and hiring metrics to drive improvement. Technical Recruitment & Delivery Source and engage top-tier professionals across AI, Software Development, Cloud, Data Architecture, Security, Testing, BA, and PM roles. Take ownership of senior and niche technical searches, including SC-cleared and public-sector-focused talent. Drive proactive market mapping, pipeline creation, and competitor intelligence to stay ahead of hiring demands. Ensure an exceptional candidate experience through every stage of the recruitment lifecycle. Partner with marketing and branding teams to enhance Amber Labs’ employer value proposition and online presence. Own and evolve Amber Labs’ technical interview framework from skills assessment design to interviewer training and calibration - ensuring objectivity, rigour, and a first-class candidate experience. Define what “great” looks like in technical capability, and embed those standards into every stage of our hiring process. Participate in high-impact interviews for senior and niche technical hires, providing expert evaluation and insight. Qualifications & Experience Proven experience in technical recruitment leadership - ideally as a Senior TA Partner, Lead Recruiter, or TA Manager in a fast-paced tech or consultancy environment. Deep understanding of modern technology stacks - including software development, cloud engineering (Azure/AWS), data, and security. Demonstrated success in scaling technical teams, improving processes, and leading TA delivery. Experience recruiting for public sector projects or security-cleared (SC/BPSS) professionals is highly desirable. Excellent stakeholder management, influencing, and communication skills. Proactive, analytical mindset with the ability to balance strategic priorities with hands-on delivery. Highly organised, outcome-oriented, and motivated by building teams and systems that scale. Benefits: Join a rapidly expanding start-up where personal growth is a part of our DNA. Benefit from a flexible work environment focused on deliverable outcomes. Receive private medical insurance through Aviva. Enjoy the benefits of a company pension plan through Nest. 25 days of annual leave plus UK bank holidays. Access Perkbox, a global employee rewards platform offering discounts, perks, and wellness resources. Participate in a generous employee referral program. A highly collaborative and collegial environment with opportunities for career advancement.