What Do Directors of Talent Acquisition Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for directors of talent acquisition?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what directors of talent acquisition do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Directors of Talent Acquisition Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about directors of talent acquisition by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Directors of Talent Acquisition plan, direct, or coordinate human resources activities and staff of an organization.
Popular Job Titles For Directors of Talent Acquisition
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Human Resources Managers
- Human Resources Business Partners
- Directors of Human Resources
- Directors of Diversity and Inclusion
- Talent Acquisition Managers
- Directors of Talent Acquisition
- Staffing Managers
- Human Resources Partners
- Recruiting Managers
- Workforce Managers
- People Business Partners
- Workforce Management Managers
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for directors of talent acquisition can be found.
Best Industries for Directors of Talent Acquisition
Directors of Talent Acquisition Jobs By Industry
- Management of Companies and Enterprises: 12.6%
- Federal Government, Military: 5.7%
- Employment Services: 5.1%
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services: 4.5%
- Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services: 3.9%
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 3.7%
- Other: 64.5%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of directors of talent acquisition can be found working in the Management of Companies and Enterprises sector. In 2023, about 12.6% of all jobs for directors of talent acquisition were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Federal Government, Military (5.7%), Employment Services (5.1%), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (4.5%), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (3.9%) and Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (3.7%).
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Directors of Talent Acquisition
Find ways to attract, train, and retain the very best talent by implementing effective benefits and labor-relations strategies.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Accreditation: IACBE
- Class Type: 100% online
- Years To Complete: 3
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Learn the strategic skills needed to be a leader in the evolving field of Human Resources.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Accreditation: IACBE
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Strengthen your grasp of brain science and personality styles, individual and organizational intelligence and innovation and change management and become a transformational leader, with Franklin’s online accredited MBA with a Specialization in Business Psychology.
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Be a dynamic HR leader by building your expertise in workplace law, organizational development and strategic human resource management, with Franklin’s online accredited 12-month MBA with a Specialization in Human Resources.
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Earn your Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree with a Specialization in Human Resources and build the leadership skills to advance a government or public service agency alongside an emphasis on strategic HR best practices.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Do Directors of Talent Acquisition Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what directors of talent acquisition do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work directors of talent acquisition do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that directors of talent acquisition tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for directors of talent acquisition, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Directors of Talent Acquisition
Based on 145,869 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Directors of Talent Acquisition
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Employee Relations | 45,271 | 31% |
| Performance Management | 34,611 | 24% |
| Human Resources Information System (HRIS) | 24,061 | 16% |
| Talent Management | 23,960 | 16% |
| Project Management | 22,927 | 16% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Directors of Talent Acquisition
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 73,995 | 51% |
| Leadership | 73,308 | 50% |
| Communication | 71,856 | 49% |
| Operations | 35,798 | 25% |
| Problem Solving | 32,457 | 22% |
Based on 145,869 job postings related to directors of talent acquisition, employee relations was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 31% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for performance management, human resources information system (hris), talent management, project management and human resource management were also highly sought.
As for common skills, management was the most desired skill found in job postings for directors of talent acquisition, followed by leadership, communication, operations, problem solving and coaching.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Employee Relations | 45,271 | 31% |
| Performance Management | 34,611 | 24% |
| Human Resources Information System (HRIS) | 24,061 | 16% |
| Talent Management | 23,960 | 16% |
| Project Management | 22,927 | 16% |
| Human Resource Management | 22,863 | 16% |
| Employee Engagement | 18,799 | 13% |
| Labor Law | 17,516 | 12% |
| Succession Planning | 16,069 | 11% |
| Talent Acquisition | 15,928 | 11% |
| Change Management | 15,758 | 11% |
| Human Resource Strategy | 13,156 | 9% |
| Business Strategies | 12,914 | 9% |
| Organizational Development | 12,518 | 9% |
| Workforce Planning | 12,178 | 8% |
| Labor Relations | 12,015 | 8% |
| Data Analysis | 11,971 | 8% |
| Auditing | 11,846 | 8% |
| Employee Onboarding | 11,165 | 8% |
| Continuous Improvement Process | 11,058 | 8% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 73,995 | 51% |
| Leadership | 73,308 | 50% |
| Communication | 71,856 | 49% |
| Operations | 35,798 | 25% |
| Problem Solving | 32,457 | 22% |
| Coaching | 32,309 | 22% |
| Planning | 31,599 | 22% |
| Writing | 28,811 | 20% |
| Customer Service | 27,588 | 19% |
| Microsoft Office | 27,519 | 19% |
| Influencing Skills | 25,492 | 17% |
| Detail Oriented | 25,452 | 17% |
| Microsoft Excel | 23,419 | 16% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 22,490 | 15% |
| Training And Development | 22,395 | 15% |
| Investigation | 21,911 | 15% |
| Presentations | 20,506 | 14% |
| Organizational Skills | 18,512 | 13% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 18,372 | 13% |
| Coordinating | 18,223 | 12% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Directors of Talent Acquisition
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Human Resources Managers | 63,254 | 32.3% |
| Human Resources Business Partners | 54,585 | 27.9% |
| Directors of Human Resources | 31,313 | 16% |
| Directors of Diversity and Inclusion | 7,061 | 3.6% |
| Talent Acquisition Managers | 4,721 | 2.4% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was human resources managers, with 24,866 unique job postings. Human resources business partners were second, with 13,073 postings, followed by directors of human resources, directors of diversity and inclusion and talent acquisition managers.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to directors of talent acquisition.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Human Resources Managers | 63,254 | 32.3% |
| Human Resources Business Partners | 54,585 | 27.9% |
| Directors of Human Resources | 31,313 | 16% |
| Directors of Diversity and Inclusion | 7,061 | 3.6% |
| Talent Acquisition Managers | 4,721 | 2.4% |
| Directors of Talent Acquisition | 4,293 | 2.2% |
| Staffing Managers | 2,791 | 1.4% |
| Human Resources Partners | 3,347 | 1.7% |
| Recruiting Managers | 2,481 | 1.3% |
| Workforce Managers | 2,415 | 1.2% |
| People Business Partners | 2,272 | 1.2% |
| Workforce Management Managers | 1,916 | 1% |
| Vice Presidents of Human Resources | 3,009 | 1.5% |
| Human Resources Supervisors | 2,701 | 1.4% |
| Employee Relations Managers | 1,688 | 0.9% |
| Talent Managers | 1,786 | 0.9% |
| Human Resources Operations Managers | 1,521 | 0.8% |
| HRIS Managers | 1,526 | 0.8% |
| Employee Experience Managers | 1,320 | 0.7% |
| Directors of People and Culture | 1,533 | 0.8% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for directors of talent acquisition? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for directors of talent acquisition.
How much do directors of talent acquisition make?
Directors of Talent Acquisition: How do you become one?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.