Senior Talent Acquisition Delivery Partner : Product Engineering - Lisbon based

Why we're hiring:

A Newly Formed Product Engineering Talent Acquisition Team
We are on a mission to build a world‑class Product Engineering organisation within WPP Data, Tech Solutions that will redefine how WPP operates at scale. To achieve this, we are establishing a brand new, dedicated Talent Acquisition team specifically focused on securing the best engineering talent globally. This isn't just about filling roles; it's about shaping a talent strategy, building a distinctive employer brand for engineering, and directly contributing to WPP’s technology and data transformation.

As a Senior Talent Acquisition Delivery Partner, Product Engineering, you will be a pivotal member of this elite team, taking on complex and critical engineering leadership searches. You will not only be instrumental in sourcing, attracting, and hiring top‑tier product engineers but will also play a significant role in establishing best practices, mentoring junior team members, and directly influencing our overall talent strategy and employer brand for engineers. This role offers a unique opportunity to help architect recruitment processes and culture from the ground up.

 

What you'll be doing:

This is an advanced end‑to‑end recruitment role where you will operate as a strategic advisor to Product Engineering leadership, not just a recruiter. You will be responsible for the full lifecycle of talent acquisition, focusing on senior and niche product engineering roles, from strategic sourcing and candidate engagement through to offer negotiation and onboarding preparation.

Beyond direct recruitment, you will significantly contribute to and influence the overall talent strategy for WPP Data, Tech Solutions, identifying market trends and shaping our approach to attracting world‑class engineering talent.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Partnership & Influence:
Proactively collaborate with Product Engineering hiring managers and senior leaders to deeply understand their technical roadmaps, strategic objectives, and long‑term talent needs. Act as a trusted advisor, providing proactive market insights, competitive intelligence, and strategic recommendations on talent acquisition strategies, team structures, and compensation.

Full‑Cycle Recruitment for Critical Roles:
Lead the entire recruitment process for highly specialised, senior, and leadership‑level Product Engineering roles (e.g., Principal Engineers, Architects, Engineering Managers, Staff Engineers, Senior DevOps/SRE, Data Science Leads, Technical Product Leaders), from initial brief to successful hire.

Advanced Sourcing & Talent Mapping:
Develop and execute sophisticated, multi‑channel sourcing strategies, including proactive talent mapping, to identify and engage highly passive and in‑demand technical candidates. Leverage platforms such as LinkedIn Recruiter, GitHub, Stack Overflow, niche tech communities, industry events, executive search networks, and other creative channels, often mentoring others on best practice.

Exceptional Candidate Experience:
Deliver a best‑in‑class, high‑touch candidate experience for senior technical talent, acting as a premier brand ambassador for WPP Data, Tech Solutions. Ensure clear, empathetic, and professional communication at every stage, setting the standard for the team.

Market Intelligence & Employer Branding Leadership:
Proactively gather and synthesise actionable market intelligence on talent availability, compensation benchmarks, and competitor activity to inform and shape hiring strategies. Take a leading role in developing and promoting the WPP Data, Tech Solutions employer brand within the product engineering community through strategic content, events, and partnerships.

 

What you'll need:

• Proven Experience (8+ years): Significant hands-on experience in full-cycle Talent Acquisition, with a dedicated focus on recruiting Product Engineering talent in fast-paced, high-growth, and complex enterprise or agency-like environments.
• Domain Expertise: Understanding of modern software development methodologies (Agile, Scrum, Kanban) and the product development lifecycle.
• Technical Acumen: Ability to speak confidently about and understand various programming languages (e.g., Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, NodeJS, .Net), cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), microservices architectures, data technologies, DevOps tools, and similar development frameworks. You don't need to be an engineer, but you must "get" engineering.
• Complex Environment Experience: Demonstrated ability to navigate and succeed within large, matrixed organizations, managing multiple stakeholders and competing priorities. Experience within a global or multi-brand environment is highly advantageous.
• "Builder" Mindset: A proactive, self-starter attitude with experience contributing to the setup or scaling of recruitment functions, processes, or teams from scratch. Comfort with ambiguity and a desire to shape the future.
• Strategic Sourcing Mastery: Expert-level proficiency in direct sourcing techniques and tools, with a track record of identifying and engaging passive, in-demand technical talent.
• Stakeholder Management: Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build strong, credible relationships with hiring managers, leadership, and candidates at all levels.
• Data & Metrics Orientation: Proficient in using Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS - e.g., Greenhouse, Workday) and recruitment analytics to drive insights and improve performance.
• Influence & Negotiation: Strong persuasion, negotiation, and closing skills.
• D&I Advocate: A genuine commitment to fostering an inclusive hiring process and building diverse teams.

Who you are:

You're open: We are inclusive and collaborative; we encourage the free exchange of ideas; we respect and celebrate diverse views. We are open-minded: to new ideas, new partnerships, new ways of working.

You're optimistic: We believe in the power of creativity, technology and talent to create brighter futures or our people, our clients and our communities. We approach all that we do with conviction: to try the new and to seek the unexpected.

You're extraordinary: we are stronger together: through collaboration we achieve the amazing. We are creative leaders and pioneers of our industry; we provide extraordinary every day.

 

What we'll give you:

Passionate, inspired people – We aim to create a culture in which people can do extraordinary work.

Scale and opportunity – We offer the opportunity to create, influence and complete projects at a scale that is unparalleled in the industry.

Challenging and stimulating work – Unique work and the opportunity to join a group of creative problem solvers. Are you up for the challenge?

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