Why join us 

You’ll be part of Sainsbury’s People function, within the Recruitment and Attraction community. This team sits at the heart of how Sainsbury’s attracts, assesses and hires talent across all brands and business areas. Working closely with operational recruitment teams, technology partners and senior stakeholders, the function plays a critical role in shaping fair, inclusive and future‑ready hiring at scale. This is a high‑profile area of the business, with significant opportunity to influence how recruitment evolves in a fast‑changing labour market.

 

More about the role

As Head of Recruitment Capability, you will set the strategic direction for recruitment and attraction capability across Sainsbury’s. You’ll lead the design and optimisation of end‑to‑end recruitment practices, from employer branding and assessment strategy through to process, systems and governance. A key focus of the role is driving innovation, particularly through AI‑enabled recruitment, skills‑based hiring and data‑led decision making, while ensuring approaches remain ethical, inclusive and compliant.

Day to day, you’ll work closely with operational recruitment leaders, People Services, technology and external suppliers to translate strategy into practical, scalable solutions. You’ll oversee major transformation initiatives, uplift hiring manager and recruiter capability, and establish clear standards and measures of success. You’ll also lead and develop a specialist capability team, creating strong operating rhythms that connect strategy with operational delivery.

 

More about you

You bring a deep understanding of recruitment strategy, assessment and selection, with the ability to balance future‑focused innovation and real‑world implementation. You’re comfortable operating at enterprise scale, influencing senior stakeholders and navigating complex organisational environments. You use data and insight to shape direction, challenge thinking and build compelling narratives that support decision making.

You demonstrate inclusive, collaborative leadership and are known for building high‑performing teams and communities of practice. You approach technology and AI with curiosity and sound judgement, ensuring fairness, transparency and positive candidate experience sit at the centre of all recruitment activity.

 

Essential criteria

Demonstrable experience designing and leading enterprise‑wide recruitment or attraction strategies aligned to organisational priorities. Proven expertise in assessment and selection methodologies, including governance of tools, frameworks and external vendors. Evidence of leading complex, cross‑functional recruitment or people projects within a large or multi‑brand organisation. Demonstratable capability in using recruitment, workforce or labour‑market data to inform strategy and influence senior stakeholders. Proven understanding of recruitment technologies, including AI‑enabled solutions, automation and ethical hiring considerations.

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