The Internal Talent Awards (ITAs) were held on 3 September 2026 at the Plaza Ballroom, Melbourne, recognising the achievements, innovation and impact of the people and teams shaping the internal Talent Acquisition industry across Australia and New Zealand.
The 2026 award winners and sponsors are:
Enterprise Talent Team of the Year, sponsored by SmartRecruiters, won by Ampol.
Enterprise Talent Leader of the Year, sponsored by TQSolutions, won by Emma Cassidy – Ampol.
Enterprise Talent Professional of the Year, sponsored by Avature, won by Annalise Neal – Culture Amp.
Corporate Talent Team of the Year, sponsored by SDP Solutions, won by Movember.
Corporate Talent Leader of the Year, sponsored by Oncore, won by Edan Haddock – Movember.
Corporate Talent Professional of the Year, sponsored by Checkmate, won by Natalie Badaway – Andromeda Robotics.
Excellence in Candidate Experience, sponsored by Havas People, won by Each.
Excellence in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, sponsored by Workday, won by Australia Post.
Excellence in Employer Branding, sponsored by VideoMy, won by Coles Group.
Excellence in Onboarding, sponsored by Enboarder, won by Story House Early Learning.
Excellence in Innovation, sponsored by WorkPro, won by Probe CX.
Social Consciousness Award, sponsored by Indeed, won by Melbourne Talent Meet Up.
Best Tech Stack, sponsored by Talent Tech, won by InstantScripts.
Best Contingent Workforce Program, sponsored by The Human Collaborative, won by Ampol.
Best Careers Website, sponsored by PageUp, won by Endeavour Group.
Best Vendor Solution, sponsored by TaPod, won by CheckWorkRights & Delaware North.
TaPod co-host and ITAs co-creator, Lauren Sharp, said:
“What makes the ITAs so special is the community behind them. Every year, we get to shine a light on the people and teams doing exceptional work, often behind the scenes, to create better experiences for candidates, employees and organisations. The calibre of this year’s finalists and winners has been incredible, and it’s a privilege to bring the industry together to celebrate what they’ve achieved.”
The Internal Talent Awards 2026 will be held at the Plaza Ballroom in Melbourne on Thursday, 3 September 2026, bringing together the talent community for an evening celebrating the industry’s outstanding people, teams and achievements.