Suggestions
Jonathan Wells
Talent Acquisition Manager Booking.com - Trips
Professional Background
Jonathan Wells is a driven and dedicated talent acquisition professional, currently leading a dynamic team at Booking.com, where he is instrumental in scaling the Trips business unit across major European cities such as Manchester, London, and Amsterdam. His extensive experience in recruitment encompasses not just the delivery of talent for technology and product roles, but also fostering collaborative relationships with stakeholders at all levels, including directors. Wells' hands-on approach to recruitment reflects his deep passion for sourcing top-tier talent and enhancing the overall hiring strategy within his organization.
In his role at Booking.com, Jonathan has successfully overseen substantial growth in hiring numbers and has become a pivotal figure in shaping the recruitment process. His significant skill set includes a strong understanding of recruitment data, capacity planning, and a keen ability to drive recruitment metrics that align with the demand for talent within the tech industry. His innovative use of analytics tools, such as his custom Power BI dashboard, showcases his commitment to evidence-based recruitment strategies, allowing his team to effectively gauge productivity, hires by source, conversion rates, and budget adherence.
Education and Achievements
Jonathan's educational background laid a solid foundation for his analytical skills and technical understanding. He graduated with a BEng in Chemical Engineering from the prestigious University of Leeds. Prior to that, he achieved five A's and three B's at Marple Hall High School and demonstrated aptitude in Sciences with A-Levels in Physics and Chemistry from The Ridge College.
His career is marked not only by his impressive recruitment numbers but also by his strategic approach to talent acquisition. Wells played a crucial role in doubling the number of hires from 135 in 2016 to over 250 in 2017 and further increasing that figure to 325 in 2018, reaching an impressive 278 hires in 2019. His effectiveness in recruitment is underpinned by his personal involvement in securing high-level strategic hires while leading efforts to instill a 'sourcing first' mentality throughout his team.
Notable Achievements
Some of Jonathan's most notable achievements include:
- Managing a significant increase in hiring volumes from 135 (2016) to over 325 (2018).
- Personally recruiting several strategic senior-level roles, enhancing the leadership capability of the organization.
- Establishing a sourcing-focused culture within the team, which has resulted in around 50% of hires being sourced through talent searches and approximately 90% of hires made directly, underlining his effectiveness in direct sourcing strategies.
- Creating a robust analytical framework for recruitment, including an offer to acceptance rate and tracking productivity per tech recruiter, which allows the team to better understand recruitment efficacy and forecast future hiring needs effectively.
Through these accomplishments, Jonathan Wells has proven his ability to thrive in high-pressure environments and deliver outstanding results that significantly enhance the recruitment outcomes for Booking.com and its Trips business unit.
