Talent Acquisition Leaders Podcast - Recruiting, Staffing, Human Resources Developing TA Functions That Match the Complexity of Global Growth with Michael Peterson of Edwards Lifesciences
Predictable hiring isn’t just possible —it’s essential. On this episode, host Ryan Dull is joined by Michael Peterson, Sr. Director of Global Talent Acquisition – Talent Sourcing, Intelligence and Innovation at Edwards Lifesciences, to explore how strategic planning, data-driven practices and a consumer-minded approach are shaping modern TA functions in highly regulated industries. Michael walks through his path from aspiring pilot to TA leadership, sharing lessons from roles across healthcare, tech and international organizations. From building teams from scratch to redefining success metrics, Michael also offers practical insights into the evolving TA landscape.
Key Takeaways:
(00.00) Introduction.
(02:35) Michael pivoted from aviation to a career in TA leadership.
(04:48) Edwards Lifesciences leads in heart valves, with 17 on Michael’s TA team.
(05:59) Intelligence and innovation functions are early, with one analytics role in place.
(07:58) The Valencia plant proves the strategy works and uncovers key process gaps.
(10:11) TA taught the business the market’s tough — now it’s about how to act on it.
(12:52) Quality of hire is the top priority, even if measurement still needs work.
(15:12) TA priorities include field roles, tech optimization and guiding AI innovation.
(17:01) Focus on doing the right thing, not on being liked.
Resources Mentioned:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/taleadermichaelkpeterson/
Edwards Lifesciences | LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/edwards-lifesciences/
Edwards Lifesciences | Website
https://www.edwards.com/
This episode is brought to you by Sagemark HR.
Sagemark HR can help you:
✔ Improve your talent practices and make better, more informed people decisions.
After 20+ years of experience leading Recruiting and Talent Acquisition across a wide variety of industries, I've seen enough hires (over 100,000 to date) to know that hiring decisions truly can make or break an organization.
✔ Identify opportunities to not only improve your talent practices, but also delivering tangible business results.
We understand every organization is different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all magic solution. So we listen first and identify the gaps and sticking points in your current process before ever recommending a solution.
✔ Bridge the gap from “traditional” to modern recruiting, without the painful learning curve.
We believe recruiting, talent, and HR technology is a deep well of untapped business potential, and our mission is to help you identify and implement those hiring tools in a way that works for you.
If you’re interested in learning more, you can reach me at:
#Talent #Recruiters #Recruiting #HRTech