Global Talent Acquisition Director
Zuru · Auckland
About ZURU
ZURU is on a mission to disrupt across industries, challenge the status quo and catalyst change through radical innovation and automation advances. This is in play in different pillars of the company: ZURU Toys are re-imagining what it means to play; ZURU Tech is shaping a better future by leading the next building revolution; ZURU Edge is pioneering new generation FMCG brands to better serve modern consumers.
Founded in 2003 by EY Entrepreneur of the Year and World Entrepreneur Hall of Fame brothers Nick and Mat Mowbray, ZURU has quickly grown to a team of over 5000 direct and indirect members across more than 30 international locations.
One of the largest toy companies in the world, globally recognized and award-winning brands include Bunch O Balloons, Mini Brands, XSHOT, Rainbocorns and Smashers. Our global FMCG brands include MONDAY Haircare, Rascals, NOOD, BONKERS, Gumi Yum Surprise, and more!
For more information, visit www.zuru.com
Role Purpose:
Hiring the best people is ZURU's number one priority. ZURU has built two Talent Acquisition operations: one out of New Zealand, supporting hires across NZ, Australia, the Americas and Europe, and one out of China. The opportunity now is to bring them together as one global function, with shared standards, shared data and a genuine pipeline strategy built to match ZURU's hypergrowth.
One Director will own that vision: one global TA strategy, one set of frameworks, and a team resourced and specialized to move ZURU toward proactive, pipeline-led hiring. This role has real scope to design, influence and build a global TA function from the ground up, something ZURU has never had before.
Core Roles and Responsibilities:
Global Strategy and Leadership
Own TA strategy end to end across International and China, leading the China TA Managers and International TA Managers to one global standard rather than two disconnected models.
Support the business to get in front of their TA needs as the business grows over 30% year on year.
Bring consistency to how ZURU hires everywhere, so a role, a process and a candidate experience mean the same thing whether the hire is in Auckland or Shenzhen.
Give leaders clear direction and the support to execute at pace, without taking over their day-to-day delivery.
Structure, Ways of Working and Resourcing
Review how the TA function operates today, structure, team roles, processes, KPIs across both International and China, and decide the best course to keep up with ZURU’s pace and the recruitment challenges we’re facing right now.
Design the resourcing model to match where ZURU is growing.
Build out the frameworks, processes and standards to support mass adoption.
Empower hiring managers to do more of the process themselves, by providing a clear framework and training that build their capability.
Refine TA systems and tools to enable new TA team members to onboard and become effective faster.
Early Careers and Campus
Make sure ZURU's early careers and campus recruitment are set up to succeed: the teams running internships, graduate and campus programmes have clear direction, the right structure and what they need to deliver. This role steers and enables it rather than executing it.
Set the global standard and share learnings across regions, so a strong programme in one market lifts the others rather than staying local.
Drive continuous improvement, so early careers keeps building a deliberate pipeline of future talent and raises the bar as ZURU grows.
Employer Brand and Marketing Partnership
Partner closely with Marketing to bring a marketing lens to talent: joint campaigns, storytelling and creative that sell ZURU as a place to build a career, not just job adverts.
Drive ZURU's employer brand globally, with particular focus on the markets where we do not yet have a strong brand presence, so we can win the best people in places that do not already know us.
Put ZURU's brand, channels and creative firepower to work for talent the way they already work for our consumer brands, so we show up as boldly to candidates as we do to customers.
Own ZURU's employer value proposition and candidate experience in every market, so the best people know who we are and want in.
Sourcing and Pipeline
Build a genuine sourcing and pipeline function, so ZURU is building relationships with strong candidates before a role opens.
Shift the function’s posture from reactive to proactive.
AI and the Future of Talent Acquisition
Actively assess how AI is likely to reshape Talent Acquisition over the next one to two years, sourcing, screening, scheduling, assessment and bring AI into day-to-day delivery now: automate the admin and repetitive work across both regions.
Accountability
Drive accountability across the whole function: real KPIs, forecasting and reporting that let Talent Acquisition operate with the discipline of a business function, not a service desk.
Coach and develop Managers to grow into director-level capability themselves.
Skills and Experience Required:
A track record leading Talent Acquisition at scale across multiple countries, ideally including experience bridging Western and Chinese or Greater China markets.
Proven experience reviewing and redesigning how a TA function operates, structure, ways of working and resourcing, to keep pace with fast-changing hiring demand.
Strong command of TA data, reporting and forecasting.
Genuine interest in how AI is changing recruitment, and the judgement to decide what that means for team structure and roles and how we can move faster.
Experience coaching and building hiring manager capability to empower them to do more themselves.
Comfortable holding both strategy and delivery scope at once, in a lean team.
Genuine willingness to travel to China regularly to build one unified team.
Sees possibility where others see complexity, and thrives in the space between strategy and execution.
Builds strong relationships and credibility quickly, and is energized by growth and change.
LIFE@ZURU
ZURU is on a quest to reimagine tomorrow. Founded in 2003, ZURU Group has rapidly grown and now spans three core divisions—ZURU Toys, ZURU Edge (consumer goods) and ZURU Tech (construction).
At ZURU, we have cultivated a high-performing culture that encourages excellence. Our team works towards ambitious goals, learning, performing, and improving together, all while having fun. We empower talented individuals to do their best work every day.
At ZURU, you get out what you put in. You are responsible for driving your own career and we provide the platform to achieve it. As ZURU is on such a fast growth trajectory, there are opportunities here that you won’t find anywhere else.
Get to know us a little better by checking out LIFE@ZURU on Instagram or www.zuru.com
WHAT WE OFFER
🌱 Culture for Growth
🧘 Health Benefits
🌎 Global Opportunities
💡 Surrounded by an A Player Team
💰 Competitive Remuneration
🍓 Lots of fresh fruit, coffee, Pals fridge and more
ZURU – Reimagining tomorrow 🚀
#LI-KM1
ZURU may use AI tools to help screen, assess or select applicants.