The alignment between employer branding & recruitment marketing is crucial for a comprehensive and cohesive talent acquisition strategy. But who takes the lead? In this third article of our four-week series, the CXR Community Research panel had a serious (dare we say heated?) conversation on where the function sits, how to build the business case for it, and the undeniably interconnected relationship between the two.
At CareerXroads, we bring together expert practitioners and leaders through our quarterly research panel program, where we explore critical talent acquisition topics over the course of four to five weeks. Each panel consists of anywhere from 30 to 50 invited experts and leaders from top organizations who engage in in-depth discussions on key issues. These conversations are enhanced by input from hundreds of our community members, gathered through weekly surveys and polls. The insights we collect are then compiled into a series of headlines like this and a number of quarterly reports that provide actionable recommendations and best practices for talent acquisition professionals.
Who Owns Employer Branding & Recruitment Marketing?
The question of who should take the lead on these functions sparked a "lively" discussion among leaders, with no definitive answer but plenty of valuable insights. What became clear is that ownership can vary depending on organizational structure, priorities, and the maturity of the employer branding strategy. As panelist @James Ellis, Chief Brand Builder at Employer Brand Labs noted, “It depends on the person in the role and the business's expectation as to what needs to be accomplished and who is paying for it more than anything. Which means there is no one right answer.”
Some leaders argued that EB and RM should reside within Talent Acquisition (TA) due to the close connection with candidate attraction. Others made a strong case for housing these functions within Marketing to leverage the resources, creative strategy, and budget that typically come with that department. The discussion highlighted that wherever these functions sit, the key is collaboration between departments - especially HR, Marketing, Communications, and other key stakeholders - to ensure the employer brand is supported, aligned with corporate goals, and effectively resourced.
Whether employer branding resides with the Chief Marketing Officer or the Chief People Officer, the leaders agreed that a tailored approach is needed, and the right answer will differ from one organization to another. In the end, the success of an employer brand depends not on its ownership but on its alignment with the organization’s mission and the strength of relationships across departments.
The Business Case for Employer Branding and Recruitment Marketing
Developing a robust employer brand and recruitment marketing (EB/RM) strategy requires careful planning and, often, significant investment. Our panelists shared their approaches to convincing stakeholders to make this investment, with a strong focus on aligning EB/RM strategies with business needs and demonstrating measurable outcomes.
Many agreed that the most effective way to build a business case is to focus on metrics that resonate with the business, particularly financial ones. Key selling points when asking for resources should include metrics that directly impact the bottom line, such as:
- Reducing ad and agency spend,
- decreasing time-to-fill, and
- improving candidate quality.
"It's easy to focus on vanity metrics like likes, shares, and comments, but the real question is, what business value are we deriving from these interactions? Are we improving key metrics such as time-to-hire, quality of hire, or employee satisfaction? No one gets married on the first date. EB is a courtship, and the measurement of success should be the quality of the date so as to get a second date, which should lead to a long-term relationship!" - @John Graham, VP Employer Brand, Diversity & Culture for Shaker Recruitment Marketing.
Ultimately, building a successful business case means connecting employer branding efforts to real business value while showing leadership how the strategy can improve hiring, lower costs, and drive long-term success.
The Working Relationship between Branding & Marketing
In exploring whether employer branding (EB) and recruitment marketing (RM) can succeed independently, leaders shared that while both strategies have distinct functions, they are most effective when they work in tandem. As @Vince Vitti, VP Employer Branding & Recruitment Marketing at Infinitee Healthcare put it, “Brand presence fuels a successful marketing campaign.”
Employer branding sets the strategic foundation by defining a company’s culture, values, and long-term vision, while recruitment marketing focuses on attracting candidates through targeted campaigns. The consensus was that while recruitment marketing can operate independently, it is far more impactful when tethered to a well-defined employer brand.
"I always say the Marketing is informative and the Brand is persuasive. Maybe everyone wants to work for your org but never sees a job opening. Maybe everyone sees your job openings but aren't motivated to apply. You need both to engage top talent at scale." - @Rachel Duran, Head of Global Employer Brand & Recruitment Marketing, Hewlett Packard Enterprise.
Several leaders noted that without a strong employer brand, recruitment marketing risks becoming generic and ineffective, with messages that could easily blend into the noise of competing job ads. A solid employer brand ensures that recruitment marketing is grounded in a clear narrative, helping to attract the right candidates for the right roles. Together, EB and RM drive both quantity and quality in talent acquisition, ensuring that marketing efforts are not just about filling roles, but about building a workforce aligned with the company’s long-term goals. Ultimately, the panel agreed that the two strategies are not mutually exclusive, but rather complementary forces that should work hand in hand to ensure consistent, effective talent acquisition.
In Conclusion: Employer Branding and Recruitment Marketing: Better Together
While employer branding and recruitment marketing serve distinct purposes, leaders agree they are most effective when aligned. Employer branding sets the strategic foundation by defining the company's culture and values, while recruitment marketing executes targeted campaigns to attract talent. Operating independently, recruitment marketing can struggle with generic messaging, but when grounded in a strong employer brand, it enhances both the quality and quantity of candidates. Together, these strategies create a cohesive, impactful approach to talent acquisition.
Join us next week as we continue the discussion, focusing on how to measure the success of employer branding and recruitment marketing efforts.
This research project on the Alignment of Employer Branding & Recruitment Marketing brings together exclusive insights from a select group of industry leaders and experts. Through in-depth discussions, they are exploring how to align Recruitment Marketing and Employer Branding strategies effectively. Their expertise, along with input from hundreds of CareerXroads community members, will result in actionable recommendations and best practices for talent acquisition professionals worldwide.
Our research is ongoing, and we’re always looking for new participants to join the conversation. If you’re interested in taking part in our next research topic, express your interest at www.cxr.works/research. The broader talent acquisition community is also invited to participate in our weekly polls, found on the same page.
We’re proud to collaborate on this project with @Jimmy McCourt, Vice President of Client Services at Shaker Recruitment Marketing, who has generously sponsored the administrative costs of this research. Together, Jimmy and the CXR team are co-facilitating the discussions and surveys that drive our insights.
Join the conversation and share your thoughts as we continue to explore the evolving landscape of Recruitment Marketing and Employer Branding. To stay informed and express your interest in future panels, visit https://cxr.works/research.