Global Talent Acquisition Operations Manager

Unit4 · Lisbon

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Company Description

Meet Unit4. We’re a fast-paced growth cloud company, changing the game in ERP for mid-market people-centric organizations. We’re on a mission to turn 40 years of conventional legacy ERP software on its head and re-write the industry.

We are in Business for People, empowering people in service organizations with innovative Enterprise and Business software solutions. We’ve innovated and taken a new approach to delivering ERP that works for people. Self-driving, adaptive and intuitive software that is changing the way people work. Our solutions empower people and deliver a better people experience so people can spend time on meaningful high value work they live for.

Job Description

The Talent Acquisition Operations plays a critical role in both delivering and evolving the global Talent Acquisition (TA) operating model.

The role ensures strong day-to-day operational performance across core TA activities, while leading the transformation of how recruitment operates, shifting from traditional, process-driven approaches to more flexible, outcome-led and AI-enabled ways of working.

This is a dual-focus role:

• Owning and maintaining operational excellence today
• Designing and implementing the future TA model for tomorrow

While rooted in strong operational delivery, this role provides the opportunity to shape the future of Talent Acquisition by designing systems, programmes, and experiences that enable scale, efficiency, and impact in an increasingly AI-driven environment.

Key Responsibilities

TA Operations Delivery & Ownership

• Own the day-to-day execution and performance of TA operations globally
• Ensure processes are consistently followed, understood, and effective in practice
• Act as the central point of accountability for operational quality, consistency, and delivery
• Identify and resolve operational issues, bottlenecks, and inconsistencies in real time
• Support recruiters and hiring managers in enabling and implementing processes effectively

TA Operations & Process Excellence

• Design, optimise, and continuously improve end-to-end TA processes globally
• Standardise workflows to ensure consistency, clarity, and high-quality delivery
• Develop and maintain playbooks, SOPs, and guidance materials for recruiters and hiring managers
• Drive operational efficiency across the hiring lifecycle, from job creation through to offer and onboarding handover
• Partner with cross-functional teams to reduce friction and improve overall process effectiveness

System Governance & Data Integrity

• Act as the operational owner of TA systems, ensuring effective configuration, access, and usage
• Monitor and improve data accuracy, process compliance, and reporting quality
• Build reporting frameworks and dashboards to track pipeline health, hiring performance, and operational efficiency
• Identify system gaps and support the research, identification, and implementation of enhancements and new tools

Future-State TA Design & Transformation

• Redefine the recruitment model, moving from linear, process-driven hiring to flexible, outcome-led approaches
• Challenge legacy processes and introduce new ways of working aligned to business transformation
• Design and evolve the TA operating model, including roles, team structures, and ways of collaborating with stakeholders
• Explore innovative approaches such as integrated or pod-based models to improve delivery and responsiveness

AI & Digital Enablement

• Lead the integration of AI tools and capabilities across the TA lifecycle, enhancing sourcing, screening, assessment, and workflow design
• Evaluate and prioritise AI use cases that improve efficiency, quality of hire, and candidate experience
• Ensure responsible and compliant use of AI, aligned to regulatory requirements and internal governance (e.g. bias, transparency, candidate consent)
• Partner with PX, IT, Legal, and Data teams to implement AI-enabled solutions
• Build AI literacy across the TA function, enabling recruiters and stakeholders to adopt new tools confidently
• Continuously monitor emerging trends and assess their relevance for TA

Programme & Initiative Leadership

• Lead global TA programmes end-to-end, from concept through to delivery and adoption
• Manage a portfolio of initiatives focused on improving hiring outcomes and operational maturity
• Own and evolve strategic programmes such as:
  • • Early careers and internship programmes
    • Talent pipelining and nurture strategies
    • Candidate engagement and experience initiatives
• Shift TA from reactive hiring to proactive, relationship-led talent strategies

Candidate & Hiring Manager Experience

• Design and continuously improve the end-to-end hiring experience
• Develop tools, training, and guidance to support hiring manager effectiveness
• Analyse feedback and data to identify improvement opportunities
• Ensure a consistent, high-quality experience across regions and functions

Change Management & Adoption

• Lead adoption of new processes, tools, and ways of working across TA
• Drive mindset shifts from process-following to problem-solving
• Act as a bridge between strategy and execution, translating vision into practical delivery
• Deliver effective communication, training, and engagement to support change

Operational Excellence & Governance

• Ensure compliance with governance standards, including salary benchmarking and approvals
• Maintain high standards of system usage, data integrity, and process hygiene
• Ensure roles are accurately created, approved, and advertised
• Own the consistency and quality of the candidate and hiring manager experience
• These are core accountabilities of the role and remain critical as the function evolves and adopts new tools and AI-enabled approaches.

Qualifications

Experience

• Strong experience across end-to-end Talent Acquisition in a global environment
• Track record of leading operational improvements, programmes, or transformation initiatives
• Experience working with ATS platforms, reporting tools, and data-driven decision making
• Exposure to AI, automation, or digital transformation initiatives within TA or HR
• Proven ability to influence and partner with senior stakeholders

Capabilities

• Strong systems thinking with the ability to design and improve end-to-end processes
• Ability to balance hands-on operational delivery with longer-term strategic thinking
• Programme leadership across multiple, evolving initiatives
• Ability to challenge established ways of working and think non-linearly
• Comfort operating in ambiguity and shaping undefined problems
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to translate data into actionable insights
• Curiosity and capability to adopt and apply AI tools in practical, business-relevant ways

Behavioural Profile

• Curious, experimental, and future-focused
• Proactive in redefining how work gets done
• Comfortable navigating change and driving transformation
• Strong communicator, able to align and influence across teams
• Collaborative and outcomes-oriented

Scope & Impact

• High visibility role with exposure to senior stakeholders across the business
• Central to Talent Acquisition and wider organisational transformation initiatives
• Opportunity to shape how hiring operates in a scaling, technology-led organisation
• Works closely with TA leadership, PX, IT, and business leaders globally

Role Evolution

This role is designed to evolve over time.

The initial focus balances hands-on operational ownership with identifying opportunities to improve and simplify how recruitment works. Over time, the role will increasingly focus on:

• Redesigning processes and systems
• Leading transformation initiatives
• Embedding AI and new ways of working

This progression ensures continuity of delivery while enabling long-term transformation.

Why This Role

This is an opportunity to move beyond traditional recruitment operations and play a key role in shaping how hiring works in a modern, AI-enabled organisation.

You will help define the future of Talent Acquisition, building scalable systems, embedding intelligent technologies, designing new ways of working, and delivering meaningful impact across the business.

Additional Information

Join Unit4 and you’ll be part of one of the most exciting journeys in the cloud software space today. We’re a fast-paced and high-growth people-centric cloud player offering a host of benefits & development opportunities for individuals serious about their career

• A culture built on trust. That’s why we offer our people an uncapped time off policy and remote working opportunities. We focus on results, not how many days you work or where that work takes place
• Work, learn & be inspired by some of the best talents in the software space
• Whole host of great benefits & perks
• Talent program for high performers. Each year we provide a platform for high-potential talent to accelerate their careers!
• Committed to corporate social responsibility with our Act4Good initiative,  our global movement to do good, and a way for everyone at Unit4 to come together and engage in actions that benefit society
• Diversity4U. Helping our people thrive starts with a safe and inclusive work environment. We launched our Diversity4U program that builds on our “be genuine” value

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