Ben Roberts

Head of Talent Acquisition

Professional Overview
Ben Roberts is an accomplished talent acquisition leader with over 20 years of experience driving strategic workforce planning and recruitment initiatives across diverse industries. As the Head of Talent Acquisition at David Jones, he is responsible for spearheading the company's talent acquisition strategy, streamlining recruitment processes, and building high-performing teams to support the organization's growth and evolution.

Experience Summary

Current Role
As the Head of Talent Acquisition at David Jones, Ben is accountable for overseeing all aspects of the company's talent acquisition function. He leads a team of recruitment specialists to identify, attract, and onboard top talent that aligns with David Jones' organizational goals and cultural values. Under Ben's leadership, the talent acquisition team has implemented innovative sourcing strategies and optimized hiring workflows, resulting in a 25% reduction in time-to-hire and a 35% increase in employee retention rates.

Career Progression
Prior to his current role, Ben held senior talent acquisition positions at leading organizations such as Team Global Express and Australia Post, where he drove significant improvements in recruitment efficiency, employer branding, and candidate experience. As the Head of Recruitment & Workforce Planning at the Melbourne Racing Club, he played a pivotal role in restructuring the organization's talent acquisition function and aligning workforce planning with strategic business objectives.

Ben's earlier career included roles as an Executive Recruitment Partner at Ethos Corporation and as a Senior Recruitment Consultant at various agencies, where he honed his expertise in executive search, talent pipelining, and talent management. His background also includes military service with the UK Ministry of Defence and the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ).

Academic Background
Ben holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Melbourne, with a specialization in Human Resource Management. He is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and has authored several articles on emerging trends in talent acquisition and workforce planning.

Areas of Expertise

• Strategic talent acquisition and workforce planning

• Employer branding and candidate experience optimization

• Recruitment process improvement and data-driven decision making

• Talent pipelining and succession planning

• Diversity, equity, and inclusion in hiring practices

• Change management and cross-functional collaboration

Professional Impact
Throughout his career, Ben has demonstrated a proven track record of driving measurable improvements in talent acquisition and workforce optimization. He has been recognized for his innovative approaches to talent sourcing, his ability to build high-performing teams, and his commitment to fostering inclusive hiring practices that promote diversity and equity.

Conclusion
With his extensive experience, strategic mindset, and passion for talent management, Ben Roberts is a respected leader in the talent acquisition space. In his current role at David Jones, he continues to push the boundaries of traditional recruitment, leveraging data-driven insights and technology-enabled solutions to build a future-ready workforce that supports the company's long-term growth and success.