Talent Manager

About the Role 

Blue Acorn iCi is seeking a Talent Manager to lead resource strategy, operational effectiveness, and the growth and development of our people across engagements. 

In this role, you will serve as the bridge between delivery leadership, recruiting, and team members, ensuring the right talent is aligned to the right work at the right time. You will drive visibility into capacity, optimize resource allocation, and implement scalable processes that enable teams to deliver high-quality work efficiently. 

You will own the talent lifecycle across staffing, operations, and development, helping to balance business needs with employee growth while mitigating delivery risk and supporting long-term organizational health. 

Key Responsibilities 

Resource Strategy & Workforce Planning 

• Own resource allocation across projects, ensuring alignment between business demand and team capacity.  

• Partner with delivery leaders to forecast staffing needs and proactively identify gaps or risks.  

• Monitor utilization, bandwidth, and allocation trends to optimize performance and reduce revenue leakage.  

• Collaborate with Talent Acquisition to define hiring needs, prioritize roles, and support onboarding strategies.  

Operational Excellence & Process Optimization 

• Define and implement scalable processes for staffing, resource management, and operational workflows.  

• Establish and track KPIs related to utilization, capacity, and delivery efficiency.  

• Identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies, driving continuous improvement across talent operations.  

• Ensure consistent execution of processes across teams while maintaining flexibility for business needs.  

Talent Development & Engagement 

• Build and support frameworks for career growth, skill development, and performance management.  

• Provide coaching and guidance to team members to support professional development and retention.  

• Partner with leadership to align individual growth plans with business objectives.  

• Facilitate training, upskilling, and career pathing initiatives to strengthen team capabilities.  

Cross-Functional Collaboration 

• Partner with delivery, recruiting, and leadership teams to ensure alignment on priorities and resourcing strategies.  

• Act as a key stakeholder in workforce planning discussions and business decision-making.  

• Communicate resource plans, risks, and recommendations clearly to stakeholders.  

• Foster collaboration and transparency across teams to support a high-performing culture.  

Risk Management & Business Impact 

• Identify risks related to capacity constraints, hiring delays, and shifting demand.  

• Develop and implement strategies to mitigate revenue impact and delivery delays.  

• Support decision-making with data-driven insights into staffing trends and operational performance.  

• Continuously evaluate trade-offs between speed, quality, and cost in talent decisions.  

Required Skills & Experience 

Resource & Operations Management 

• Experience in resource management, workforce planning, or talent operations within a consulting or agency environment.  

• Strong understanding of utilization, capacity planning, and delivery models.  

• Ability to balance competing priorities and make informed staffing decisions in a fast-paced environment.  

Leadership & Collaboration 

• Proven ability to work cross-functionally with delivery, recruiting, and leadership teams.  

• Strong communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at multiple levels.  

• Experience managing or mentoring team members and supporting career development.  

Process & Analytical Thinking 

• Experience building or improving operational processes and workflows.  

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and translate insights into action.  

• Comfortable working with KPIs, reporting, and performance metrics.  

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience in a digital consultancy or services-based organization  

• Familiarity with Agile delivery environments  

• Experience partnering closely with Talent Acquisition or HR teams  

• Exposure to workforce planning tools or resource management platforms  

What Success Looks Like 

• Resource allocation is proactive, optimized, and aligned with business demand  

• Utilization and delivery efficiency improve, reducing revenue leakage  

• Hiring needs are clearly defined and executed against quickly  

• Teams have clear development paths and feel supported in their growth  

• Leadership has visibility into capacity, risks, and operational performance