Sonja Needham

Sonja Needham is an accomplished Talent Acquisition Manager with extensive experience in the airline, charity, and travel sectors. Currently serving at Virgin Australia since October 2021, Sonja oversees talent acquisition for a large team within a growing airline. Previously, Sonja held the same title at yourtown, a charity dedicated to supporting young people and their families. From April 2008 to November 2020, Sonja worked at Flight Centre Travel Group as the National Talent Acquisition Manager, leading a 30-member recruitment team responsible for hiring approximately 3,000 recruits annually. Earlier career roles included Recruitment Consultant positions at Air New Zealand and related leadership responsibilities across various retail brands. Sonja holds a Bachelor's degree in Business with a focus on Human Resource Management from Auckland University of Technology.