From Tool Users to Trusted Advisors: John Fitzgerald on AI Strategy, Organizational Readiness, and What RPO Partners Must Deliver Now

AI consulting and expertise have become the top capability buyers demand from RPO partners — surpassing operational delivery for the first time. According to the 2026 RPOA RPO Buyer Trends Study (conducted with Lighthouse Research & Advisory, n≈1,000 employers), 29% of employers cite balancing AI benefits against risk as their primary challenge, and 21% struggle to gain leadership buy-in for AI recruiting technology. The organizations that bridge that gap won't just use AI — they'll advise on it.How can talent leaders distinguish between an RPO provider that deploys AI tools and one that delivers genuine strategic advisory — and what questions should they ask before signing? In this episode of Time to Hire, host Lamees Abourahma speaks with John Fitzgerald, President and Chief Strategy Innovation Officer of LevelUP HCS, about organizational readiness, stakeholder alignment, change management for recruiting teams, fraud detection as an emerging AI priority, and why ISO certification may be the clearest signal of a trustworthy RPO partner.About the PodcastTime to Hire is produced by the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association (RPOA), the leading authority on recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) foresight and innovation, and the trusted convener for the global RPO community. Through conversations with industry leaders, the podcast explores the trends, insights, and innovations shaping the future of talent acquisition.Learn more about RPOA and join the community at: https://www.rpoassociation.org.Follow the host, Lamees Abourahma, on LinkedIn.