Scaling talent acquisition at speed: The power of listening, partnership and purpose

What does it take to completely transform Talent Acquisition across 47 countries… during a global pandemic… in just six months?

That’s exactly the story shared last week at the HRCoreLab conference in Barcelona, where Carrier and AMS took to the stage to showcase what true partnership and agility look like in action.

When Carrier spun off from its parent company in 2021, they were starting from a blank sheet. There was no global TA infrastructure. No modern tech stack. No consistent process. Just a pressing need to build a function that could scale rapidly, deliver value, and support the business in a time of global uncertainty.

Originally, the plan was to build an in-house team — until COVID hit. In a matter of weeks, the strategy had to pivot. The hiring plan was pulled. The headcount disappeared. And the CHRO gave a new brief: find a way to build a world-class TA function — without increasing cost, and fast.

That’s where AMS came in.

From complexity to clarity

The TA landscape at Carrier was, in the words of TA leader Dan Fitzpatrick, “a mess.” Fragmented agency spend. Inconsistent processes. No data. No visibility. No candidate experience to speak of. The goal was clear: simplify, standardise, harmonise — and do it all at pace.

Why AMS?

As Dan explained on stage:

“All the RPO providers can offer similar services — sourcing, delivery, tech support. But AMS stood out because they listened. They didn’t just sell a standard solution. They heard what we needed, challenged our thinking, and built something bespoke around our vision.”

It wasn’t just about ticking boxes. It was about partnership with purpose — aligning not only on processes and tools, but on mindset, culture and ambition.

The result? A global transformation at scale.

✔️ A fully integrated TA function covering 47 countries

✔️ Workday Recruiting at the core, supported by a strong tech ecosystem

✔️ 24 languages supported

✔️ Globally standardised processes with local flexibility where it matters

✔️ Less than 10% agency usage

✔️ $21.9 million in savings delivered in just three years (versus a five-year $12 million target)

✔️ And an award-winning programme recognised across the industry

And perhaps most importantly — data-driven hiring

Before the transformation, local hiring managers relied on anecdotal input and invoices from agencies. Now, Carrier has real visibility: funnel metrics, time to hire, conversion rates, market insights — all powering better, smarter talent decisions across the business.

🔄 A repeatable blueprint for success

The success of the EMEA transformation became the blueprint for further rollout across APAC and the Americas — proving that when you get the fundamentals right, global scalability is not just possible — it’s powerful.

As Dan said:

“The RPO only works if you lead it well, empowering it and enabling its success — it’s about creating one team, one mission, one standard. That’s how you win.”

Huge thanks to Dan Fitzpatrick and the team at Carrier for sharing this incredible journey so openly on stage — and for being such a fantastic partner.

This is what great TA transformation looks like:

🔹 Vision

🔹 Pace

🔹 Challenge

🔹 Collaboration

🔹 And a partner who truly listens.

If you’re thinking about how to elevate your own Talent Acquisition strategy — we’d love to talk.

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