Payal Jain
Noida
Summary
Strategic Talent Acquisition Leader with 18 years of experience driving workforce strategies for global technology organizations. Built and managed high-performing talent acquisition functions in diverse hiring environments. Advised senior leaders on hiring governance, employer branding, and inclusive talent outcomes. Specialized in AI-enabled recruitment transformation and HR technology modernization to enhance efficiency and decision-making.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Head of Talent Acquisition
Aristocrat Technologies
Noida
04.2016 - Current
- Recruitment Leader: Led end-to-end talent acquisition across India and APAC, driving hiring strategy for all business units. Designed and institutionalized innovative workforce planning and staffing strategies, scaling the organization from 150 to 1,600 + employees across three locations within 10 years.
- Led global talent marketing and employer branding strategy for Aristocrat, responsible for developing and deploying the EVP, promoting internal and external talent, and enhancing brand presence, achieving a 25% increase in talent engagement and a 15% improvementstrong>in the talent branding index.
- Designed and implemented D&I initiatives, including women returnee programs, PWD hiring frameworks, and partnerships with organizations such as Avtar and HerKey, enhancing workforce diversity and increasing diversity hires by 12% year over year.
- Built and led high-performing, geographically distributed TA team, ensuring consistent hiring standards and delivery excellence across regions.
- AI-Driven Recruitment Transformation: Led the strategic implementation of generative AI platforms (Metaview, Textio, Paradox) to digitize and optimize end-to-end talent acquisition processes, including automated job description development, intelligent resume screening, personalized candidate engagement, and dynamic FAQ management. Achieved a 20% reduction in time-to-fill and improved candidate satisfaction scores by 10%through enhanced recruiter productivity and faster response times. Strengthened organizational capability by upskilling TA teams in prompt engineering and responsible AI practices, ensuring compliance, governance, and high hiring quality standards.
- Conceptualized and executed thematic recruitment campaigns such as 'Flex Work,' 'Bring Back Home,' and skill-specific drives, achieving 3x increase in candidate engagement through targeted, multi-channel outreach.
- Recruitment Compliance & Governance: Ensured adherence to global and regional labor laws, GDPR, and data privacy standards across all hiring processes. Conducted regular audits and capability-building sessions to maintain regulatory compliance.
- Talent Analytics & Reporting: Developed advanced hiring dashboards and analytics reports to track hiring velocity, funnel conversion rates, and workforce growth. Enabled leadership to make real-time, data-driven talent decisions and proactively adjust hiring strategies.
Team Lead
SoftwareOne
03.2015 - 03.2016
- Managed a team of six recruiters, providing mentorship and strategic direction to optimize performance.
- Developed customized recruitment strategies aligned with company hiring needs and long-term business goals.
- Built and maintained active and passive candidate pipelines to ensure a steady supply of high-quality talent.
- Conducted market research and industry mapping, specializing in leadership hiring for senior roles.
- Managed Led talent sourcing initiatives across India, driving recruitment success for leadership positions
Recruitment Specialist
Pitney Bowes
03.2009 - 02.2015
- Collaborated with LOB units to staff open positions efficiently.
- Maximized various channels for hiring, including direct sourcing through networking, headhunting, job sites, references, and refer-a-pal scheme to reduce cost of hire.
- Reviewed resumes against job requirements, ensuring alignment with specific criteria such as skill set, salary range, and work authorization.
- Strategizing and planning for the fulfillment of open requirements at all levels.
- Coordinated technical interviews and HR formalities.
- Organized recruitment fairs and walk-in events to attract potential candidates.
Education
MBA -
Jiwaji University
06-2007
Skills
- Talent acquisition
- Global recruitment
- Workforce planning
- HR analytics
- Diversity initiatives
- Employer branding
- Stakeholder management
- Market research
Accomplishments
Employee of the year award for exceptional performance
Timeline
Head of Talent Acquisition
Aristocrat Technologies
04.2016 - Current
Team Lead
SoftwareOne
03.2015 - 03.2016
Recruitment Specialist
Pitney Bowes
03.2009 - 02.2015
MBA -
Jiwaji University