Comcast: Creating a tighter partnership between talent acquisition and talent management

As the International Festival of HR is almost upon us, two executives from technology and media giant, Comcast, share their insights and expertise on the current talent landscape. 

Comcast’s Vice President of Global Talent Acquisition, Betsy Kippenhan, and Vice President of Career Growth & Performance, Leon Barnes, will be taking center stage in under three weeks to discuss how the business is unifying talent acquisition and management to revolutionize its recruitment strategy.

During an exclusive conversation, Senior Journalist Lucy Buchholz captures a snapshot of what’s to come at the UNLEASH America 2025. 

Not got a pass for the International Festival of HR yet? Don’t worry, there’s still time.

Balancing global and local markets

As a global conglomerate, it’s imperative that Comcast appeals to both local and global talent market needs. 

For Kippenhan, balancing these operations requires a strategy built on global consistency while maintaining a local connection. 

“About two years ago, shortly after I took on this role, we unified four separate talent acquisition organizations within Comcast into one,” she begins.

“This journey has been incredible – integrating best practices from these organizations to create a single, aligned structure. We operate in many markets globally.

By unifying as one organization, we leverage our global framework while allowing for local flexibility.”

The business has found data to be a transformative factor, enabling the HR team to take a more direct and precise approach, so it can adapt locally while still benefiting from the consistency of a large organization. 

A key part of this has been Comcast’s partnership with talent

Comcast’s Betsy Kippenhan

branding, which helps the business adapt to changing market conditions and proactively position itself in different regions.

For instance, Comcast is not as well known in Europe, so it tailors its approach accordingly. For Kippenhan, it’s all about balancing global consistency with local relevance.

What’s more, she recognizes that talent acquisition is evolving every day. As a result, she highlights three critical areas that are shaping its future: The continued adoption of automation, the shift towards skills-based hiring, and the increasing importance of data and analytics.

“Automation is at the forefront of talent acquisition,” Kippenhan explains. “While skills-based hiring has been discussed for years, we now have the tools and technology to build a robust skills architecture and framework. 

“Data is the backbone of everything we do. By leveraging advanced analytics, we measure every stage of our process, enabling us to make informed decisions, predict hiring needs, and refine our strategies.”

Barnes shares a similar aim, which he describes is to drive one “consistent, aligned and cohesive talent strategy.” 

He explains that over the past three years, Comcast has transitioned from business units operating with different talent priorities to a consolidated strategy that ensures organization-wide alignment. 

“This alignment has been crucial for driving sustainable growth,” he explains.

“Our focus on activation is ensuring we have the right tools and processes to implement our strategy. We’ve developed a comprehensive talent framework, and this year, we’ve concentrated on activation – ensuring our talent initiatives are effectively implemented across all levels. 

“For example, we’ve introduced a new talent management system that has significantly improved our ability to identify, track, and develop high-potential employees.”

Comcast’s Leon Barnes

Looking to the future, Comcast is focused on convergence, by integrating its portfolio of talent acquisition, development, and management into a unified approach. This will help business leaders within the company clearly understand Comcast’s current position, future goals, and the roadmap to achieve them.

“Optimization and scale are our priorities,” Barnes adds. To do so, three specific areas will be the focus: Enhancing talent management practices, accelerating development pathways, and improving collective capabilities. 

Barnes expands: “By addressing these areas collaboratively, we can close talent gaps more quickly and effectively.

“Succession planning remains a critical component. We maintain a robust succession strategy, with detailed plans for each senior leadership position.

In summary, our talent strategy focuses on finding, knowing, developing, and mobilizing our most critical talent.

“It’s about meeting employees where they are, both professionally and personally, while creating pathways that align their growth with our business objectives.”

Working as a unified business

As Comcast is a unified global talent acquisition organization, it consistently aligns and measures every aspect of the talent acquisition process. 

Workforce planning has been a strong area in recent years, with the business collaborating closely with talent management, finance, HR, and business leaders to plan effectively – whether for new acquisitions or ongoing hiring needs.

Key recruiting metrics are tracked, including brand effectiveness, funnel strength, time-to-fill, time-to-interview, time-to-offer, and time-to-disposition. Candidate Net Promoter Score has also been implemented to measure candidate’s experience – whether they’re hired or not – and hiring manager satisfaction is also tracked.

“One of the biggest advantages of forming a global organization has been resource optimization,” Kippenhan adds.

We no longer see our teams as bound by specific groups or business units – we can now fluidly move recruiters to meet business needs. 

“This not only supports the company in an agile way but also provides strong development opportunities for our teams, helping them grow and refine their skills.”

To conclude our conversation, Kippenhan reflects on how she believes talent acquisition will expand over the next five-to-ten years. 

“Talent acquisition will become increasingly data-driven,” she says, “allowing for more precise and efficient hiring processes. 

“The shift towards skills-based hiring will continue to gain momentum, supported by advanced technologies that can accurately assess and match candidates’ skills to job requirements. 

“Finally, the importance of employer branding and candidate experience will grow, as companies strive to attract top talent in a competitive market. Overall, the integration of new technologies will enable a more strategic and agile approach to talent acquisition.”