Senior Sourcing Specialist: Executive Hiring

Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together…one story at a time.

Job Summary

Builds and sustains Absa’s pan-African executive talent pipeline through market mapping, talent intelligence, executive sourcing, and strategic candidate engagement. As the Group executive sourcing function , the role identifies, assesses, and engages internal and external diverse executive talent potential, develops targeted sourcing strategies and talent pools, provides market insights, and strengthens external leadership networks. The role focuses on talent identification and engagement, not end-to-end executive recruitment delivery.

Job Description

Key Focus Areas:

• Executive Talent Mapping & Market Intelligence
• Strategic Executive Sourcing & Candidate Engagement
• Leadership Pipeline Development
• Competitive & Industry Talent Insights
• Diversity-Focused Executive Talent Identification
• Talent Community & Relationship Management
• Executive Search Research & Longlisting
• Sourcing Analytics & Continuous Improvement
• Employer Positioning within Executive Talent Markets
• Workforce Planning & Succession Sourcing

Key Accountabilities:

• Executive Talent Mapping & Market Intelligence:
• Conduct targeted market mapping to identify executive talent across priority sectors, geographies, and competitor organisations.
• Develop and maintain intelligence on leadership talent movements, market trends, and emerging executive capability requirements.
• Provide talent landscape insights to support proactive executive workforce planning and succession discussions.

 

2. Strategic Executive Sourcing & Candidate Engagement:

• Design and execute targeted sourcing strategies for executive and niche leadership talent.
• Identify, approach, and engage passive executive candidates through direct search and networking methodologies.
• Build long-term relationships with high-calibre executives to strengthen future leadership pipelines.

 

3. Leadership Pipeline Development:

• Build and maintain diverse executive talent pools aligned to critical leadership capabilities and future business needs.
• Continuously assess pipeline strength, availability, and readiness across strategic talent segments.
• Ensure talent pools reflect Absa's transformation, diversity, and pan-African talent objectives.

 

4. Competitive & Industry Talent Insights:

• Monitor competitor hiring trends, organisational changes, and executive talent movements.
• Produce market intelligence reports to inform sourcing approaches and leadership talent strategies.
• Identify emerging executive talent and future-fit leadership capabilities relevant to Absa's strategy.

 

5. Diversity-Focused Executive Talent Identification:

• Proactively identify executive talent from underrepresented groups to support employment equity and inclusion objectives.
• Embed diverse sourcing methodologies and talent mapping practices into executive search activities.
• Track diversity pipeline metrics and recommend opportunities to strengthen representation.

 

6. Talent Community & Relationship Management:

• Build and nurture executive talent communities aligned to priority leadership disciplines and markets.
• Maintain ongoing engagement with prospective executive talent through targeted networking and relationship-building activities.
• Strengthen Absa's presence within relevant executive talent networks and professional communities.

 

7. Executive Search Research & Longlisting:

• Conduct detailed executive search research to identify qualified candidates aligned to agreed success profiles.
• Develop high-quality talent maps, market reports, and candidate longlists for executive hiring assignments.
• Validate candidate suitability through desk-based research, market referencing, and talent intelligence.

8. Sourcing Analytics & Continuous Improvement:

• Analyse sourcing effectiveness, pipeline conversion trends, and talent availability data to improve outcomes.
• Leverage recruitment technologies, talent intelligence platforms, and data insights to optimise sourcing performance.
• Identify and implement best practices to enhance executive sourcing capability and effectiveness.

 

9. Employer Positioning within Executive Talent Markets:

• Collaborating with the Senior Manager Employer Branding to promote Absa's executive value proposition through targeted talent engagement and market interactions.
• Position Absa as an employer of choice within relevant executive talent segments and markets.
• Gather external market feedback to strengthen leadership attraction strategies and employer branding initiatives.

 

10. Workforce Planning & Succession Sourcing Support:

• Partner with business HC colleagues to identify future talent requirements arising from workforce and succession plans.
• Develop proactive talent pipelines for anticipated leadership vacancies and strategic growth requirements.
• Provide talent availability insights to inform future hiring and leadership continuity decisions.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS:

 

Knowledge:

• Advanced executive search and talent strategy methodologies
• Leadership capability frameworks and organisational talent planning
• Market dynamics, competitor landscapes, and executive talent trends
• Governance, risk, and compliance within talent acquisition
• Pan-African talent considerations

 

Skills:

• Strategic stakeholder engagement and influencing at senior levels
• Long-term workforce planning and talent pipeline development
• Advanced assessment, judgement, and decision-making
• Commercial and market insight application
• Execution of complex, multi-dimensional initiatives

 

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

 

Education / Qualification:

• Bachelor’s Degree, Advanced Diploma, Postgraduate Certificate or B Tech (NQF Level 7) in Human Resources, Industrial/Organisational Psychology, Business Administration, or a related field.

 

Work Experience:

• 5-12 years’ experience in talent acquisition or executive search, including 3 years of exposure to executive-level hiring across multiple business capabilities and geographies across Africa and global markets.
• Exposure to process design, optimisation, quality management, customer centricity, technology and data-driven decision-making is preferred.

 

COMPETENCIES:

 

Technical Competencies:

• Executive search strategy design and advanced sourcing methodologies
• Talent analytics, market intelligence, and insight generation
• Governance frameworks and process optimisation
• Advanced assessment and selection methodologies
• Offer strategy and executive value proposition design

 

Behavioural Competencies:

• Strategic decision making and initiative
• Advanced critical thinking and complex problem solving
• Strong commercial and business acumen
• Impactful and persuasive communication
• Relationship building and organisational influence
• Planning, organising, and executing at scale
• Adaptability in complex and changing environments
• Customer and stakeholder value focus

 

Leadership Competencies:

• Strategic Thinking
• Business Acumen
• Communication
• Influence
• Leadership
• Delivering Results
• Adaptability
• Collaboration
• Decision-Making

Education

Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Human and Social Studies (Required)

Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank.

Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised