Group Head of Talent Acquisition (based Waterloo

Position: Group Head of Talent Acquisition (based Waterloo  )

Group Head of Talent Acquisition An opportunity to transform talent acquisition across one of the most complex and important organisations in the rail industry.

DFTO is looking for an exceptional Group Head of Talent Acquisition to lead and transform our approach to recruitment and strategic resourcing across the Group.

This is much more than a recruitment leadership role.

DFTO is a growing and evolving organisation, working across a diverse group of publicly owned train operating companies. Our ability to attract, recruit and secure exceptional leadership, specialist skills and critical capability is fundamental to delivering a safe, reliable and high-performing railway.

Reporting directly to the Group HR Director and operating as a senior member of the HR leadership team, you will lead the development of a modern, high-performing and strategically aligned talent acquisition function across the DFTO Group.

Working closely in partnership with the sister function in Network Rail you will shape our Group-wide talent acquisition and strategic resourcing approach; lead executive, specialist and scarce-skills recruitment; modernise recruitment processes and technology; strengthen our employer brand and employee value proposition; and use data and insight to drive better recruitment decisions and outcomes.

A significant part of the role will be building greater capability, consistency and collaboration across a complex federated Group. You will work closely with our operating businesses, creating scalable approaches that improve quality of hire, candidate experience, diversity outcomes and recruitment performance, while recognising the different operational environments in which our businesses operate.

We are looking for a strategic talent acquisition leader who can think big — and deliver.

You will bring significant experience of leading recruitment or strategic resourcing in a large, complex organisation. You will understand executive and specialist recruitment, innovative sourcing strategies, recruitment technology and analytics, and what it takes to build and lead a high-performing recruitment function.

You will be an influential and collaborative leader, comfortable working with senior executives and stakeholders across organisational boundaries. You will have the credibility to challenge established approaches, the judgement to navigate complexity and the energy to turn strategy into practical delivery.

Experience of regulated, unionised or public sector environments would be valuable, alongside a strong understanding of inclusive recruitment and equitable selection practices.

This is a genuine opportunity to build and transform a critical Group capability and make a visible impact across DFTO and our operating businesses.

Vacancy Details:

Duration:
Fixed Term Contract/Secondment

Location:

London Waterloo/Birmingham/Leeds/Hybrid
Salary:
Circa £110,000 plus Benefits
Closing date: 14th Aug 2026

Reports To:

Group HR Director

Additional Information

Disclaimer: Candidates applying for this position on a secondment basis must inform their line manager prior to submitting their application. This is to ensure transparency and facilitate any necessary discussions regarding workload and responsibilities.

About our people and the recruitment process - We're an inclusive employer of choice and we welcome applications from everyone! We encourage our colleagues to work flexibly, as we know traditional working patterns don't always fit. If you want to consider working flexibly, just let us know and we'll do our best to help and invest in your career with us, whilst you have a healthy work life balance.

Contact: If you have any questions or reasonable adjustments, please contact sa

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