Talent Acquisition Specialist

Role overview

Oliver James is a specialist recruitment business with a global footprint spanning 15 international offices and a strong presence in Insurance, Asset Management, and Banking. As the US team continues to expand quickly, the company is hiring a Talent Acquisition Partner in New York City at Rockefeller Center to help build high-performing teams for the next stage of growth.

The business has set an ambitious goal to double its US headcount over the next two years. Since 2020, Oliver James USA has increased revenue by more than 350% and grown from 35 employees to more than 160 across North America. This position sits at the center of that expansion and works closely with senior leadership to shape hiring strategy for experienced recruiters.

This is a commercially focused talent acquisition position that requires the mindset of a strong agency recruiter. The role calls for proactive headhunting, influence, resilience, commercial curiosity, objection handling, and the ability to create opportunities with high-caliber recruitment professionals in the market.

What the role involves

You will identify, approach, engage, and persuade experienced recruiters, present Oliver James as an appealing next step, and turn initial interest into successful hires. The proposition is strong—larger markets, faster progression, better infrastructure, and the chance to build valuable desks—but it still requires someone who can start conversations, generate urgency, manage objections, and close candidates.

The role offers a strong platform for an experienced talent acquisition professional: ongoing hiring demand, senior leaders who are invested in growth, a respected market brand, clear progression stories, and the chance to influence your own earnings through hiring outcomes. Talent Acquisition here is treated as a real driver of growth rather than a support-only function.

Key responsibilities

• Search for and directly approach experienced recruiters within Oliver James’ specialist markets
• Create and maintain talent pipelines that support future expansion plans
• Engage passive candidates and generate interest in opportunities with the business
• Present Oliver James as a compelling career move to experienced recruiters
• Guide candidates through the full recruitment process from first contact to placement
• Work with directors and senior stakeholders on hiring strategy and market intelligence
• Carry out initial interviews and candidate evaluations
• Assess motivation, commercial awareness, and fit for agency recruitment
• Strengthen the Oliver James employer brand within the recruitment market
• Oversee referral activity and related initiatives
• Assist with onboarding and post-placement follow-up
• Partner with the wider Talent and Marketing teams on attraction campaigns
• Monitor pipeline movement, hiring performance, and recruitment metrics

Candidate profile

The company requires prior experience in a recruitment agency setting. Ideally, the successful candidate is already working in talent acquisition for a recruitment firm and is hiring experienced recruiters into an agency environment. Strong-performing 360 agency recruiters who want to move into internal talent acquisition will also be considered, provided they bring solid sales ability, strong market understanding, and a genuine interest in influencing career decisions.

A minimum of two years’ experience in agency recruitment is required. This role is not suitable for candidates whose talent acquisition background comes only from in-house or non-agency settings, as the position demands an understanding of the pace, standards, commercial realities, and motivations that shape agency recruitment.

Requirements

• At least two years of experience in an agency recruitment environment
• Background in talent acquisition for a recruitment agency, or success as a 360 agency recruiter
• Strong knowledge of agency recruitment, sales performance, and recruiter motivations
• Proven ability to headhunt and engage candidates effectively
• Commercial thinking and persuasive communication skills
• Confidence in selling opportunities to passive candidates
• Resilience, speed, and comfort working toward hiring targets
• A confident, relationship-led approach to candidate engagement
• Ability to perform in a fast-moving, high-performance environment
• Strong organization and attention to detail

Why join Oliver James

Oliver James combines high performance with investment in people, development, and long-term careers. The team offers clear progression routes, transparent targets, leadership coaching, operational support, and a collaborative, high-achieving culture.

Additional benefits include quarterly lunch clubs, monthly socials, team incentives, and a premium office setting in Rockefeller Center. The role also gives you the opportunity to directly influence earnings through successful hiring delivery.

Additional information

This is a full-time onsite position based in New York City, United States. The company is looking for someone who can help drive the continued scale of Oliver James USA and contribute directly to its growth through high-quality hiring.