Talent Acquisition Associate/Senior Associate

Role: Talent Acquisition Associate/Senior Associate

Start Date: Immediate

Employment Type: Full time, 1-Year Contract (Renewable)

Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Reporting Line: Head of Talent Acquisition

Role Purpose

Lead recruitment efforts for one or more Fellowship pathways by managing high-level engagements, executing targeted campaigns, and supporting the development of the Talent Acquisition team.

Principal Accountabilities

1. Lead the design and implementation of recruitment strategies across targeted Fellowship pathways (e.g. Guru Muda, local, overseas).
2. Build and manage relationships with key stakeholders such as MOE, district education leaders, universities, and corporate partners.
3. Deliver high-quality candidate engagement through strategic events, talks, and communications that inspire top talent.
4. Meet or exceed recruitment targets for designated pathways by driving execution excellence across the recruitment lifecycle.
5. Oversee parts of the recruitment pipeline, from selection to matriculation, and ensure data-driven decision-making.
6. Manage early engagement initiatives by building communities of advocates and cultivating future candidates.
7. Contribute to process improvements and campaign effectiveness through regular analysis and reporting.
8. Support junior team members or volunteers (e.g. Campus Leaders) and play a thought-partner role to the TA Manager.

Role Requirements

Competencies required for the role

As people join TFM, we expect individuals to be aligned with our core values, have passion and drive to the TFM mission.

Technical/ Functional competencies:

• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English and Bahasa Malaysia, with the ability to deliver compelling pitches and high-impact engagement sessions.
• Proven experience in recruitment strategy execution and stakeholder engagement.
• Tech-savvy and skilled in data interpretation, with experience (or willingness to learn) in using ATS, CRM, analytics dashboards, and knowledge management systems such as Salesforce, Power BI, and Google Workspace.
• Proficient in recruitment storytelling, pitching, and managing public-facing events.
• Familiarity with recruitment marketing via social media and digital campaigns.
• Operationally strong with advanced organisational and strategic planning skills; able to lead projects, manage campaign timelines and tools, and adapt workflows effectively in a fast-paced, VUCA environment.

Leadership competencies:

• Proactive self-starter with the ability to manage multiple streams of work, and independently prioritise tasks
• Strong desire to learn new things and grow professionally
• Ability to be adaptable in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced, and dynamic environment
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively with all levels of employees and stakeholders
• Able to think strategically, critically, innovatively, and in a resourceful manner
• Ability to lead recruitment initiatives independently, taking ownership of strategies and execution.
• Strong stakeholder management and negotiation skills, particularly when engaging with government agencies, district leaders, and external partners.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to analyze recruitment trends and propose innovative solutions.
• Effective team player who mentors junior team members and fosters collaboration.
• Proactive in continuously learning and staying updated on best practices in talent acquisition and employer branding.

Experiences & qualification

• Minimum Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline.
• At least 2 years of working experience, preferably in recruitment, youth engagement, or the education sector.
• Experience in government stakeholder engagement or the teaching profession is an advantage.
• Strong written and spoken English and Bahasa Malaysia proficiency.
• Willing to travel as well as working over unconventional hours (e.g. weekends or nights for recruitment & selection events or calls with candidates in different time zones).