Tugba

Talent Acquisition leader with over a decade of experience building and scaling recruiting functions across EMEA for one of the world's largest, most data-driven operating environments. Proven track record designing end-to-end hiring strategy, standing up direct-sourcing and hire-ahead operating models, and leading large, geographically dispersed recruiting teams (Recruiting Leads, Recruiters, Sourcers) through high-growth and transformation phases. Strong record partnering with senior stakeholders up to VP level, using data and insights to drive resourcing decisions, and leading change management and process improvement at scale.

Background spans in-house corporate TA (Amazon) and executive search/research (Odgers Berndtson, Leathwaite), giving a rounded view of both volume and senior/executive hiring.

Family Care at Career Break (2024-09 – Present)

Took a planned step back from full-time employment to provide full-time care for a seriously ill immediate family member based overseas. Alongside caregiving responsibilities, provided independent talent consulting, under NDA, to a wealth management firm — building their talent function from scratch with no existing infrastructure or team. Now returning to the market ready to take on a senior Talent Acquisition leadership role.

Recruiting Manager, Worldwide Operations (WW Ops) EMEA Talent Acquisition at Amazon (2021-08 – 2024-09)

Senior leader within Amazon's EMEA Talent Acquisition Leadership team, owning end-to-end attraction and sourcing strategy, D&I, candidate experience and recruiting technology for a large, multi-country recruiting organisation comprising geographically dispersed Recruiting Leads, Recruiters and Sourcers.

• Set and led end-to-end hiring strategy and resourcing transformation programmes across executive, volume and graduate hiring, translating business growth plans into scalable TA operating models.
• Designed and implemented direct-hiring and hire-ahead operating models, including global sourcing, market research and executive search capability, reducing reliance on external agencies.
• Used internal and external workforce data and analytics to inform headcount planning and resourcing decisions in a fast-paced, metrics-driven environment, reporting performance and risk to senior leadership.
• Built and maintained senior stakeholder relationships with global and regional business leaders and cross-functional partners up to VP level, acting as a trusted advisor on resourcing strategy.
• Led large-scale change management initiatives spanning process redesign, team re-alignment and the rollout of new recruiting technology across multiple markets.
• Led, coached and developed centralized and remote multi-country recruiting teams; owned performance management, goal setting, headcount planning and promotion processes, and coached peer managers on team leadership practices.
• Owned diversity & inclusion, engagement and candidate experience strategy across EMEA, alongside employer marketing and recruiting event strategy.

Senior Lead Recruiter, Transportation Risk, Compliance & Sustainability at Amazon (2020-10 – 2021-08)

• Managed a team of Recruiters delivering end-to-end recruitment for Transportation Risk, Compliance and Sustainability functions, partnering closely with hiring leaders on role scoping and pipeline strategy.
• Stepped up into people-management responsibility ahead of formal promotion, demonstrating readiness for broader team leadership.

Lead Recruiter at Amazon (2019-04 – 2020-10)

• Owned full-cycle recruitment for specialist and senior hires, building direct-sourcing pipelines and managing stakeholder relationships through a period of rapid headcount growth.

Recruiter at Amazon (2017-05 – 2019-03)

• Delivered high-volume and specialist recruitment, building the sourcing and assessment foundations that underpinned later progression into team leadership.

Associate at Leathwaite (2015-09 – 2017-04)

• Worked on retained executive search and talent advisory mandates for financial and professional services clients, managing candidate research, longlisting and client reporting.

Researcher at Odgers Berndtson (2014-09 – 2015-08)

• Conducted executive search research and headhunting across the government, health, life sciences, education and charity sectors for one of the world's leading executive search firms.

Intern, Strategy & Operations / Supply Chain Management at Deloitte Turkey (2012-06 – 2012-07)

• Supported business process re-engineering for a multinational beverage client, including competitor research, data quality analysis and process mapping.

Intern at LVR-Klinikum (2011-06 – 2011-08)

• Co-therapist on stationary and ambulant wards, counselling patients through a dependency withdrawal programme.

Level 2–4 Certifications in Personal Training & Nutrition – Origym (2024 – 2026)

Master's Degree in Management – University College London (UCL), University of London (2013 – 2014)

BSc (Hons) in Psychology – City, University of London (2010 – 2013)

Abitur – Goethe-Gymnasium Düsseldorf (2000 – 2010)