Shiva Kumar Achar — Head of Talent

Seasoned Talent Acquisition Leader with over 18 years of experience driving recruitment excellence and operational efficiency across global organizations. Adept at building high-performing teams, aligning recruitment strategies with business goals, and delivering talent solutions for diverse industries, including BFSI, Retail, Manufacturing, Healthcare, and Life Sciences. Currently serving as GM – Head of Talent Acquisition & Global PMO, overseeing strategic hiring and PMO functions for a leading IT services organization. My expertise spans across offshore hiring, technology recruitment, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and AI-driven recruitment automation. Key Highlights: • Leadership and Strategy: Successfully led recruitment teams of up to 50 recruiters, managing end-to-end hiring operations for niche and large-scale roles across verticals like Generative AI, Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Cloud, and ERP. • Stakeholder Engagement: Partnered with senior leadership to deliver data-driven hiring strategies and ensure alignment with business revenue goals. • Operational Excellence: Directed the hiring of 1,000–1,400 professionals annually while optimizing TAT, source mix, cost-per-hire, and compliance with SLAs. • AI and Automation: Pioneered the use of AI tools for recruitment automation, including resume screening, candidate engagement, and performance analytics, improving recruitment efficiency. • Diversity and Inclusion: As a D&I Council Member, spearheaded global initiatives to eliminate bias in recruitment, train hiring managers, and track diversity metrics. • Global PMO Leadership: Supervised demand forecasting, talent supply chain management, recruitment costs, and employee referral initiatives. • Vendor and Market Intelligence: Built robust vendor networks and leveraged industry insights to attract top talent across India and international markets. • Awards and Recognition: Recipient of multiple awards, including "Service Excellence," "Delivery Excellence," and "DNA – Play to Win" for achieving recruitment milestones and enhancing operational standards. I am passionate about leveraging technology and data to redefine talent acquisition processes and create impactful hiring experiences. Let’s connect to discuss innovative solutions and share best practices in talent strategy!

Stackforce AI infers this person is a Talent Acquisition Leader with expertise in HR transformation and recruitment automation across diverse industries.

Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Experience: 19 yrs 8 mos

Skills

Talent Acquisition Strategy And Execution
Human Resource Development
Diversity And Inclusion Leadership
Leadership And Team Management
Stakeholder And Vendor Management

Career Highlights

Led recruitment teams of up to 50 recruiters
Directed hiring of 1,000–1,400 professionals annually
Pioneered AI tools for recruitment automation

Work Experience

Sonata Software

GM - Human Resource (1 yr 4 mos)

Head of Talent Acquisition for US BFSI, US Healthcare, Retail CPG & MFG Verticals (1 yr 9 mos)

Head of Lateral Recruitment (Pan India -Tech Hiring) (1 yr 4 mos)

Senior Manager Talent Acquisition (1 yr 8 mos)

Manager - Talent Acquisition (4 yrs 7 mos)

PwC Acceleration Centers

Senior Manager - Human Capital (10 mos)

Allegis Group

Sr. RRM (Recruitment Relationship Manager) (2 yrs 3 mos)

Recruitment Lead (2 yrs 6 mos)

Sr.Recruitment Specialist (2 yrs 3 mos)

Recruitment Specialist (1 yr 6 mos)

Education

Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) at SVKM's Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS)

Bachelor’s Degree at Bangalore University

Shiva Kumar Achar

Head of Talent

Bengaluru, Karnataka, India19 yrs 8 mos experience

Most Likely To SwitchHighly Stable

Key Highlights

Led recruitment teams of up to 50 recruiters
Directed hiring of 1,000–1,400 professionals annually
Pioneered AI tools for recruitment automation

Stackforce AI infers this person is a Talent Acquisition Leader with expertise in HR transformation and recruitment automation across diverse industries.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

Talent Acquisition Strategy And ExecutionHuman Resource DevelopmentDiversity And Inclusion LeadershipLeadership And Team ManagementStakeholder And Vendor Management

Other Skills

Business DevelopmentCustomer EngagementCustomer Escalation ManagementData DrivenEmployee Benefits DesignEmployee EngagementEmployee RecognitionEmployee RelationsEmployee WellnessEngagement ManagementHR LeaderHR ProcessHRBPHeadhuntHeadhunting

About

Experience

19 yrs 8 mos

Total Experience

5 yrs 2 mos

Average Tenure

4 yrs 1 mo

Current Experience

Sonata software

5 roles

GM - Human Resource

Promoted

Feb 2025 – Present · 1 yr 4 mos · Hybrid

Lead end-to-end HR transformation across the hire-to-retire lifecycle, driving strategic initiatives and digital adoption.
Collaborate with senior leadership to enhance processes, automation, and employee experience. Ensure compliance, efficiency, and scalability of HR operations.
Spearhead change management and workforce analytics to optimize business impact.

Talent Acquisition Strategy and ExecutionTalent ManagementHire to retireHuman Resource DevelopmentHuman Capital ManagementStrategic Human Resources Leadership+12

Head of Talent Acquisition for US BFSI, US Healthcare, Retail CPG & MFG Verticals

Apr 2023 – Jan 2025 · 1 yr 9 mos · Hybrid

Stakeholder and Vendor ManagementTalent Acquisition Strategy and ExecutionLeadership and Team ManagementDiversity and Inclusion LeadershipProcess Optimization and Data-Driven Decision Making

Head of Lateral Recruitment (Pan India -Tech Hiring)

Apr 2022 – Aug 2023 · 1 yr 4 mos · Hybrid

Stakeholder and Vendor ManagementTalent Acquisition Strategy and ExecutionLeadership and Team ManagementDiversity and Inclusion LeadershipProcess Optimization and Data-Driven Decision Making

Senior Manager Talent Acquisition

Promoted

Oct 2019 – Jun 2021 · 1 yr 8 mos

Stakeholder and Vendor ManagementTalent Acquisition Strategy and ExecutionLeadership and Team ManagementDiversity and Inclusion LeadershipProcess Optimization and Data-Driven Decision Making

Manager - Talent Acquisition

Mar 2015 – Oct 2019 · 4 yrs 7 mos

Develop and implement the strategic hiring plans to meet business requirements of all Open, Super critical and Potential positions in a time bound manner.
Key Responsible for Quality of hiring, Source Mix, Cost per hire, TAT within the Recruitment SLA’s
Develop, review with Director/ Talent Acquisition Head and monitor the implementation fulfillment strategies.
Managing a team for 10 recruiters handling end-to-end Talent Acquisition process for Pan India for across Business Units.
Measure individual team performance against pre-set target, evaluates alternate course of action to increase throughput.
Authenticate the salary fitment across levels and Negotiate with candidates
Measure the offer to joiner ratio for the managed Business Vertical/Horizontal Business Group or a location/region.
Manage and track the candidate pipeline and ensure it is adequate to meet the open Position requirements.
Build; maintain industry / skill specific market intelligence for target-based hiring.
Train and manage the activities of the team members to ensure compliance with pre-agreed SLA’s for Talent Acquisition function.
Prepare monthly MIS on the hiring status – monthly hiring plan update, team members’ performance, sourcing effectiveness and offer to joiner ratio –
Conduct monthly audit to ensure that the team maintain accurate and well-ordered documentation on all candidates’ selection & hiring records (Resume, Offer letter, and Application form, Interview Evaluation Forms, Salary Fitment and Offer Acceptance), updates offer database & other reports/database.
Conduct requirement qualifications and validations with team members and hiring manager’s to develop a thorough understanding of the requirements and enable the team members to source effectively suitable candidate profiles.
Vendor Management for Pan India and quarterly evaluation vendor performance

Stakeholder and Vendor ManagementTalent Acquisition Strategy and ExecutionLeadership and Team ManagementProcess Optimization and Data-Driven Decision Making

Pwc acceleration centers

Senior Manager - Human Capital

Jun 2021 – Apr 2022 · 10 mos · Bangalore Urban, Karnataka, India

Stakeholder and Vendor ManagementTalent Acquisition Strategy and ExecutionLeadership and Team ManagementDiversity and Inclusion LeadershipProcess Optimization and Data-Driven Decision Making

Allegis group

4 roles

Sr. RRM (Recruitment Relationship Manager)

Dec 2012 – Mar 2015 · 2 yrs 3 mos

Recruitment Relationship Manager/ Account Management Since Jan 2014
Key Responsible for End to End Account management
Responsible for Managing Stakeholders, Escalation handling & Customer engagement across Multiple BU’s
Leading and mentoring recruitment teams
Weekly review’s with all Stake holders on active SR’s
Define Hiring/ recruiting plans and implementation and drive to closure

Stakeholder and Vendor ManagementLeadership and Team ManagementProcess Optimization and Data-Driven Decision Making

Recruitment Lead

Promoted

Jun 2010 – Dec 2012 · 2 yrs 6 mos

Responsible for Managing the Delivery for Multiple RPO & SRP Customers
Responsible for Managing Stakeholders, Escalation handling & Customer engagement
Managing & mentoring a Recruitment team of 8-12 peoples
Responsible for Competency building for the COE Team
Requirement Gathering, Sourcing Strategies, Delivery Plan and Execution
Presentations of Market Intelligence Report
Hirecraft Process Implementations
Driving tool utilization and Hirecraft Audit & Compliance reports

Stakeholder and Vendor ManagementLeadership and Team ManagementProcess Optimization and Data-Driven Decision Making

Sr.Recruitment Specialist

Mar 2008 – Jun 2010 · 2 yrs 3 mos

Working with various business functions within the organization to understand and fulfill their hiring needs efficiently.
Responsible for full life cycle recruitment, which included, collecting the requirements, generating resume, pre-Screening resumes and applicants, Collecting the details about the candidature, setting up interviews and processing new hires for employment.
Responsibilities include targeting individuals and professionals for profile matching against customer requirements.
Proactively prospect candidates via various lead generation methods and techniques. Maintain a steady pipeline of active candidates/leads to quickly provide talent to meet immediate needs.
Screening resumes, conducting interviews, coordinating & scheduling technical interviews, completing references and articulating the KRA’s defined.
Ensure continuous flow of information b/w Senior Recruiters and Prospective candidates.
Duties include recruiting professionals through job postings, Headhunting & reference building.
Took initiative in preparing MI Data Analysis.

Process Optimization and Data-Driven Decision Making

Recruitment Specialist

Sep 2006 – Mar 2008 · 1 yr 6 mos

I have handled E2E recruitment cycle of IT/Non IT Recruitment.
Experience with Sourcing, Screening, Scheduling, Qualifying Process
Have gained sound Knowledge on E2E Recruitment Life Cycle.
Client Meeting, Gathering Requirement and Event Co-ordination (Including Large scale walk-in’s)
Sourcing profiles mainly through Referral, Networking & Head Hunting.
Mentoring team
Excellent Knowledge on Recruitment tools like HireCraft, Naukri, Monster, Jobsahead and Timesjob
Coordinating with Technical Panels for the Interview schedules & Feedback
Following up with Client till the closure and to get candidate on board.
Maintaining & updating the records in Internal Database and client Database
Good Knowledge in MS office tools (MS Excel, MS Word, and PowerPoint)
I have handled requirements of up to Sr. Manager/ Group Manager Level.
Establish and maintain a good relationship with the candidates & the clients.