This episode features an interview with Mark Smith, Head of Talent Acquisition at The Kraft Heinz Company, and your host Sultan Saidov, Co-Founder and President at Beamery. Mark has been a Talent Leader for more than 20 years and has worked for a variety of world-class organizations. Before Kraft Heinz, Mark was Senior Director, Global Talent Acquisition at SC Johnson. Here he implemented a new TA delivery model, which included establishing an employer brand team, executive hiring, and a focus on the candidate experience through one process and technology.

Mark discusses how he turned his employer brand around, leveraging leadership to drive change, and how to harness authenticity. 

About The Kraft Heinz Company:

The Kraft Heinz Company is one of the largest food and beverage companies in the world, with eight $1 billion+ brands and global sales of approximately $25 billion. We’re a globally trusted producer of high-quality, great-tasting, and nutritious foods for over 150 years. While Kraft Heinz is co-headquartered in Chicago and Pittsburgh, our brands are truly global, with products produced and marketed in over 40 countries. These beloved products include condiments and sauces, cheese and dairy, meals, meats, refreshment beverages, coffee, infant and nutrition products, and numerous other grocery products in a portfolio of more than 200 legacy and emerging brands.

Quote:

“Keeping the TA organization closer to not just offer accepted and then next role and you kind of stay over here in your lane, was to try and bring the organization a bit closer to the onboarding, and it gives us more skin in the game. And especially when it comes to things like employer branding and integrity of that, in terms of what we are selling to candidates, it has to be truly authentic. So to have ownership in that swim lane, you can't hide from that. And what I mean by that is I would never want recruiters in any of my teams to sell something that wasn't accurate. And that gives us more ownership and credibility, I feel.” - Mark Smith from The Kraft Heinz Company

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TimeStamps

**(04:11) - The start of Mark's journey 

**(12:02) - How Mark measures success

**(16:46) - Biggest challenges 

**(24:18) - Lessons on mindset 

**(28:36) - Recipes for success 

**(32:22) - Hopes for the future

Sponsor

The Talent Blueprint is brought to you by Beamery. Beamery's Talent Lifecycle Management Platform makes it possible for companies to deliver more human talent experiences and unlock the skills and potential of their global workforce using industry leading AI. Learn more at beamery.com.

Links

Connect with Mark on LinkedIn

Connect with Sultan on LinkedIn