Talent Acquisition Manager
About The Role
As one of our Talent Acquisition Managers, you work closely within the People & Talent team to provide an excellent recruitment service to the studio. You will work collaboratively to hire across different departments by sourcing, screening and recruiting and re-employing great talent.
Reporting into the Talent Acquisition Team Lead, you will be responsible for hiring high volume across specific departments across the studio, using our Applicant Tracking System (Eploy), to manage the full cycle recruiting process. You will also work closely with the rest of the Talent Team on internal resourcing, ensuring that internal talent have suitable opportunities to move on to, where possible.
You will build strong, collaborative relationships across the studio and bring a positive, proactive and solutions-focused approach. You will be approachable, adaptable and organised, with the enthusiasm and energy to thrive in a fast-paced environment and deliver a thoughtful, inclusive and candidate-focused recruitment experience.
We are very happy to discuss flexible, hybrid and remote working options for all our vacancies. Please note that this vacancy can close early if we receive a high number of applications.
This opportunity is being offered on a 12 month fixed term contract (PAYE), with the successful candidate joining the People & Talent team in the Camden studio once a week. The successful candidate will need to be based in the UK and will require the right to work in the UK.
Day to Day:
- Manage the full cycle recruitment process across a number of different departments and creative and technical teams.
- Build strong relationships with both hiring managers and candidates.
- Source and engage talent and activate passive candidates through the use of Boolean on LinkedIn and alternative search techniques.
- Engage and maintain relationships with prospective talent in order to establish networks in the industry to meet current and future hiring needs.
- Look after the recruitment inbox (in rotation), responding to emails and requests.
- In collaboration with key personnel and hiring managers, write role descriptions and post job adverts, making sure they are up to date for production/department requirements.
- Identify the most suitable candidates for each vacancy, as well as proactively approaching potential candidates for current and future vacancies.
- Screen candidates and arrange Zoom interviews with suitable applicants.
- Work in collaboration with hiring managers to deeply understand the requirements of each role, the function and how it fits into the studio structure.
- Fully utilise the scope of the Applicant Tracking System (Eploy) and instil best practice within the recruitment process.
- Be the studio’s point of contact for Apprenticeships, Internships, work experience, schools and events.
- Ensure candidates have an excellent experience from application to onboarding.
- Support internal mobility by identifying and communicating suitable opportunities for existing talent across the studio.
- Work closely with Production, Heads of Department and People & Talent to understand upcoming resource needs and match internal talent to opportunities where possible.
- Maintain clear visibility of internal availability, skills and potential moves across departments.
- Ensure internal candidates have a positive, fair and well-supported experience throughout the process.
About You
Must Haves:
- Recruitment experience within the creative/animation industries, with an understanding of the roles, skills and talent within these sectors.
- Ability to remain calm, positive and solutions-focused when managing competing priorities and challenging situations.
- Work well with others, sharing knowledge and supporting the wider People & Talent team.
- Full understanding of the needs of the studio and can balance hiring requirements with budgets, timelines and resourcing priorities.
- Ability to anticipate recruitment needs, take ownership and engage in problem solving.
- Be comfortable working in a fast-paced, changing environment and able to adjust priorities as studio needs evolve.
Bonus Points:
- Previous experience working within animation and visual effects.
- Understanding of the animation pipeline.
- Previous experience working within production.
About Us
Blue Zoo is a leading animation studio in the UK, with a world-class reputation as the go-to place for creating bold, fun and characterful animation. Established in London in 2000, the studio has grown to become the largest dedicated CG animation studio in the UK, picking up a shelf full of BAFTAs, an Annie and an Emmy along the way!
We couldn’t be prouder that Blue Zoo is the first major animation studio in the world to receive B Corp certification. We’ve been independently certified by B Lab, a non-profit organisation who award the B Corp certification. The certification verifies companies who are working to improve the lives of employees as well as industries as a whole. The certification process involves over 170 rigorous metrics to improve the lives of our staff, customers, suppliers, and the local community, ensuring we are not just saying we are ethical with empty gestures, but independently evidencing it.
We are going through an exciting period of growth and are building a studio that is full of amazingly talented, happy artists, making work they are proud of, which in turn makes a small contribution to a happier world. Blue Zoo believes that a healthy balance in our lives - whatever our situation - is key to supporting the wellbeing of our staff. We offer flexible working to support this.
We look for people who have expertise, enthusiasm and are motivated to make things better. You’ll work alongside a talented and diverse group of people who respect each other's differences and seek to understand and embrace fresh perspectives.
What we’ve got for you:
- Winner of Broadcast Best Places to Work in TV 2019, 2020, 2022, 2024, 2025 & 2026.
- Inclusive self-funded shorts programme.
- Many fun in person and remote social events throughout the year.
- Bi-monthly employee feedback and engagement programme.
- Comprehensive benefits package, including loads of discounts and offers.
- Online wellbeing programme.
- Profit share (for employees who have been with us for 2+ years).
Blue Zoo is committed to creating and nurturing an inclusive studio that promotes and values diversity and invites everyone to ‘bring their whole selves’ to work. We believe that companies that truly embrace and value diversity, and create an environment where everyone from any background can do their best work, are better companies.
To be engaged our people have to feel included and valued. We work hard to build and nurture a culture where inclusiveness is embedded in the way we work, not just an initiative. We strive to engender a studio community that feels a deep sense of pride and commitment that transcends any role, department or level and works together to produce excellent and engaging work.