Talent Aquisition Specialist

Purpose of the Role:

At Dis-Chem Life, we are building something extraordinary—and to do that, we need extraordinary people. The Talent Acquisition Specialist is the heartbeat of our talent engine, the conduit through which opportunity flows, and the bridge between potential and performance.

Reporting to the Head of HR, this role demands far more than filling jobs—it requires a master talent connector, someone who lives and breathes recruitment, someone who can walk into any room, decode a hiring manager's vision, and translate it into talent strategy and execution. This person must personify the Dis-Chem Life brand: driven, relentless in their pursuit for excellence, purpose-led, innovative, and people-first.

You won't just recruit—you'll own, lead, guide, hustle, and be in the driver seat in finding only the Top talent in south Africa.

Role Summary

The Talent Acquisition Specialist role at Dis-Chem Life is a pivotal role, responsible for attracting, engaging, and hiring top-tier talent across back-office functions. This hands-on, delivery-driven position requires a blend of agency and in-house recruitment experience, ideally within financial services or a similar regulated industry.

Success in this role demands expertise in managing the full recruitment lifecycle, strong stakeholder collaboration, and the ability to quickly identify and secure talent that fits both the role and our culture. The ideal candidate will be a highly motivated, results-oriented professional, with advanced sourcing skills, high emotional intelligence, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

This individual will be an ambassador for the Dis-Chem Life brand, consistently delivering high-quality hires and ensuring an exceptional candidate experience throughout the process.

Benefits:

• A collaborative and inclusive environment that values your contribution and provides space for personal growth.
• High-impact, high-visibility role reporting to the Head of HR
• Partner directly with executives and department heads to influence talent strategy
• Competitive salary
• Visionary Leadership

Key Responsibilities:

Own and Lead Full Recruitment Lifecycle

• Lead and manage the full recruitment lifecycle across all back-office functions, including HR, Finance, Operations, Claims, Underwriting, Compliance, IT, and related support roles
• Ensure timely, high-quality delivery of hires by managing all stages—sourcing, screening, coordinating interviews, reference checks, offer management, and onboarding handover
• Accurately interpret role requirements, profiles, and team dynamics in collaboration with hiring managers
• Create compelling job descriptions and role marketing content in line with brand tone and culture
• Ensure seamless scheduling, communication, and coordination throughout the interview process
• Present top-quality shortlists with context, insight, and candidate rationale
• Drive timely feedback loops between candidates and hiring teams to maintain momentum
• Take full accountability for each placement, ensuring the quality of hire aligns with the team's performance and culture expectations

Sourcing & Pipeline Development

• Proactively source high-caliber candidates using advanced sourcing techniques (LinkedIn Recruiter, Boolean, job boards, personal networks, social recruiting, etc.)
• Build, manage, and nurture talent pools and pipelines, enabling the business to hire at pace
• Continuously research new platforms, communities, and sourcing methods to expand reach
• Engage passive candidates with tailored messaging and storytelling that reflects Dis-Chem Life's mission and energy
• Actively track and record sourcing activity to measure ROI and improve methods
• Cultivate and expand a professional talent network across financial services and insurance sectors

Stakeholder & Candidate Engagement

• Partner with department heads and team leads to align on role priorities, timelines, and feedback expectations
• Facilitate structured, collaborative interview processes that reflect our culture and support informed decisions
• Deliver exceptional candidate experiences, ensuring all touchpoints are professional, personal, and human
• Serve as a brand ambassador, representing Dis-Chem Life with confidence, clarity, and cultural fluency
• Advise on candidate fit beyond just experience—highlighting personality match, values alignment, and team chemistry
• Act as a trusted advisor to hiring managers on candidate positioning, market trends, and talent insights

Execution Accountability & Continuous Improvement

• Meet or exceed internal benchmarks related to time-to-fill, quality-of-hire, offer acceptance, and hiring manager satisfaction
• Track and report on recruitment activity and progress in alignment with team reporting frameworks
• Identify and resolve process inefficiencies—recommending improvements in communication, scheduling, or sourcing flow
• Maintain accurate, real-time documentation and ensure compliance with internal standards and POPIA regulations
• Contribute feedback on hiring trends, candidate insights, and market shifts to inform future recruitment practices

Brand, Culture & Representation

• Act as a walking example of Dis-Chem Life's values, voice, and energy
• Ensure all candidate communications and role advertisements reflect our employer brand and cultural tone
• Engage candidates in meaningful ways that highlight what makes working at Dis-Chem Life unique
• Help champion diversity and inclusion through unbiased, values-led candidate evaluation and outreach
• Take ownership of how we show up in the market—being the human face of recruitment for the business

Technical Skills:

• Expert-level sourcing techniques: Boolean search, LinkedIn Recruiter, headhunting, ATS mastery
• Deep understanding of recruitment platforms, analytics tools, and applicant lifecycle management
• Recruitment marketing and employer branding fluency
• Solid grasp of offer negotiation, stakeholder management, and onboarding best practices
• Experience hiring within regulated environments, preferably in financial services or insurance

Soft Skills:

• High EQ and instinctive understanding of people dynamics
• Exceptional communicator and influencer—can lead conversations and drive alignment with confidence and empathy
• Strategic thinker and relentless executor—knows when to zoom out and when to dig in
• Creative recruiter and brand storyteller, able to connect talent to purpose
• Resilient, solutions-oriented, and agile in fast-paced environments
• A true hustler with integrity—driven, proactive, and uncompromising on quality
• Brings energy, confidence, and positivity to every interaction
• Lives the brand and breathes the mission—a walking, talking ambassador for Dis-Chem Life

Experience:

• 2+ years of experience in talent acquisition (in-house)
• Agency experience would be advantageous
• Experience in a corporate, in-house recruitment role—ideally in financial services, life insurance, or a related high-growth sector (Required)
• Bulk recruitment experience would be advantageous
• Proven success managing complex, multi-functional hiring portfolios
• Comfortable operating in high-demand, high-stakes environments
• Existing candidate and peer network a major advantage

Qualifications:

• Matric or Grade 12 Compulsory
• Tertiary qualification in Human Resources, Psychology, Business, or related field advantageous
• Tech Savvy and Computer Literate
• Ongoing commitment to professional development and learning in recruitment best practices