Early Talent Manager

The Early Talent Manager will bring the Global Early Talent Strategy to life in the region through partnering with the business to harmonize and deploy signature Early Talent programs including the Mars Leadership Experience & Internship Experiences, Sophomore Experience, and any future Early Talent initiatives. 

The Early Talent Manager will manage the Talent Acquisition & Program Management elements of the suite of Early Talent programs in line with regional strategy to build and grow our early talent pipeline and enhance our employer reputation. This role will specifically be focused around building a robust Finance leadership experience to attract, engage and develop our Finance interns and Finance rotational talent.

What are we looking for?

• Demonstrated track record in developing early talent pipelines, preferably across multiple geographies.
• Strong written, oral and listening communication skills in English
• Ability to communicate with all levels including senior management and external parties.
• Experience working in a highly collaborative team environment – strong interpersonal skills.
• Thrives in a fast paced, matrixed, ambiguous environment and has the ability to manage changing priorities while meeting deadlines.
• Minimum qualification: University degree or equivalent, preferably in HR, Business or Finance
• Ability to travel up to 30%

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Set strategic direction of Mars Finance Leadership Experience (and internship), define entry and exit profiles, program expectations and deliverables. The focus is to ensure the program is supporting the future vision of the finance organization and creating a robust talent pipeline for future talent.  
• Design and deploy the structure of the MFLE program. Leveraging internal expertise and external connections to build a best-in-class program. 
• Collaborate with business leaders, business partners and managers to ensure that Early Talent Sourcing, Selection and Development is a top priority of the business as part of their overall workforce & talent planning strategies.
• Lead deployment of One Mars cross segment Early Talent programs (end-to-end) to build and grow our early talent pipeline over time. 
• Partner with the Employer Reputation Team to ensure innovative attraction campaigns are activated (virtually and in-person where applicable) to drive awareness and attractiveness of Mars as a destination employer of choice. 
• Act as Early Talent subject matter expert and advisor to internal stakeholders, providing insights and on external recruiting trends, competitor landscape and best practices. Be a functional coach and tutor to TA/ET Specialists/Apprentices/Interns in the team, managing the onboarding and development experience and providing day to day support - guiding, coaching and providing feedback whilst supporting their engagement in role in partnership with Early Talent Lead.
• Partner with local TA teams, third parties and business steering teams to manage a robust, fair selection process – acting as guardian of culture and agreed TA processes.
• Drive continuous improvement within suite of Early Talent programs, sharing insight and feedback with the business, global COEs and TA. 
• Build strong and sustainable relationships with business stakeholders across the organization and region to support successful Early Talent programs/initiatives, including by not limited to ensure strong intern candidates, advocate for Mars equity, inclusion and diversity agenda, intern and ET Associate growth and development, and ongoing leadership needs related to the program.
• Manage expectations of all stakeholders (MFLEs, Line Managers, Steering Committee, Finance Leadership teams) and balance the right amount of involvement and communication.  
• Together with the broader Early Talent recruitment team, define the recruitment strategy inclusive of attraction, virtual and in-person recruitment efforts for finance talent (interns and full-time Finance rotational candidates). Ensure the recruitment strategy is optimized for the local market and builds the long-term brand of the MFLE program externally. 
• Leading projects within the region/globally that drive improved outcomes around ET program effectiveness, efficiency or quality to maximize the benefit and value to Mars, ET participants and TA.

Strategy Development & Deployment

• Develop and deploy regional and in-country ET strategies in partnership with P&O Business Partners and business leaders to ensure programs and initiatives enhance value and support business growth.
• Lead harmonization of Early Talent programs in the region - aligning to global frameworks and supporting business priorities.
• Ensure business needs are met by evaluating the ongoing effectiveness of current strategy, programs, and initiatives; consulting with key stakeholders to solicit and evaluate input, applying a continuous improvement mindset to increase efficiency, effectiveness and value over time. Track and analyze key performance metrics at program level to influence data driven decisions and share results, trends and action plans with stakeholders.
• Collaborate with the Employer Reputation team to identify critical talent attraction levers that can be executed to drive a high quality pool of candidates into the pipeline.
• Work with the Global Talent Acquisition CoE to implement best practice Talent Acquisition programs and provide continuous improvement feedback
• Collaborate with P&O Business Partners and functional leaders to ensure graduate rotational assignments and internship projects are providing optimal and engaging developmental experiences for our Early Talent Associates.
• Use data and insights, both internal and external, to recommend new and modern ways to attract, select, onboard and develop Early Talent hires.
• Ensure Early Talent strategy aligned with overall diversity goals in order to build strong pipelines of talent across the business. 
• Leads the management of various projects related to Early Talent and/or Talent Acquisition by developing, communicating and executing project plans, in order to support the TA strategy and develop individual capabilities.

Operational Execution

• Oversee market deployment of Early Talent program initiatives.
• Management of talent pipelines – flagging risks and recommending mitigating actions to drive pipeline health and timely filling of vacancies.
• Coach hiring managers on the Mars recruitment philosophy, policy and process to ensure Mars provides a best in class recruiter and candidate experience.
• Ownership of the pre-boarding journey, minimizing renege of job offers and implementing appropriate keep warm strategies.
• Partner with P&O Business Partners and business leaders in the talent demand planning process.
• Collaborate closely with Talent, Rewards and Learning Centers of Excellence to drive all program related talent management initiatives, including but not limited to Learning and Development curriculums (where applicable) and compensation reviews.
• Monitor key metrics and key performance Indicators to track program effectiveness and ensure strong ROI for Mars.
• Collaborate regularly with Global COE to share best practices and learnings that improve the overall Early Talent Strategy and suite of Programs for Mars.

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with over 130,000 diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
• Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
• Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

Mars is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request.