Director of Talent Acquisition

Job Description

Job Description

The Director of Talent Acquisition is responsible for setting and executing the enterprise talent acquisition strategy for a large employee-owned (ESOP) professional services and technology company. DCS Corporation provides engineering, programmatic and technical support services to the Department of Defense and other customers focused on national security. This leader will balance strategic vision with operational effectiveness, ensuring the organization attracts, assesses, and hires critical talent efficiently, compliantly, and at scale.

This role requires a leader who can interact with senior executives, partner with the internal customers/stakeholders/hiring managers and translate strategy into executable plans, roadmaps, and measurable outcomes particularly in an environment shaped by government contracting and compliance requirements.

This will be a hybrid role reporting to the Vice President of Human Resources based at DCS Corporate headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia.

Essential Functions:

Enterprise Talent Acquisition Strategy

Define and execute a multi-year talent acquisition roadmap aligned to business priorities, workforce planning, and growth plans.

Ensure recruiting capabilities support critical skill areas, leadership succession, and evolving workforce needs.

Lead change effectively through periods of organizational and industry change.

Operational Excellence & Governance

Oversee recruiting delivery, executive recruiting, employer branding, and Talent Acquisition operations.

Ensure strong controls, audit readiness, and compliance with employment regulations and internal policies.

Leverage data and demand forecasting to manage tradeoffs between speed, cost, and quality.

Oversee hiring compliance and outreach programs.

Business Partnerships

Work directly, collaborate, and communicate effectively with business operations and internal customers/stakeholders. Design talent acquisition processes that best support attainment of business objectives.

Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on talent market dynamics, hiring/sourcing strategies, and workforce risks.

Partner closely with internal customers/stakeholders/hiring managers to manage demand, prioritize roles, and set expectations.

Directly manage key senior executive searches and other corporate positions.

Support proposals and business development activities to assist with DCS growth plans.

Leadership and Team Development

Build, lead, motivate, mentor and develop a high-performing talent acquisition team capable of managing enterprise-scale recruiting volume and supporting growth. Plan and support team development and career progression.

Establish clear roles, accountability, and responsibilities across the function.

Foster a culture of ownership, result orientation, continuous improvement, and professional growth.

Technology, Data, and Process

Fully leverage Recruiting Applicant Tracking System (Taleo) and adjacent technologies to drive efficiency, transparency, and decision quality.

Improve reporting, analytics, and insights related to hiring outcomes, time to fill, quality of hire, and candidate experience.

Continuously improve recruiting processes to enhance and optimize for candidates and hiring managers. Scale processes for company growth.

Design and optimize high-volume recruiting operations, including pipeline management, interview processes, and hiring workflows that balance speed with quality.

In a responsible manner, research and leverage AI-enabled recruiting technologies to enhance sourcing, screening, and recruiting analytics.

Success Measures

Clear, credible talent acquisition strategy with defined priorities and execution roadmap.

Improved predictability and transparency of recruiting capacity, cost, and outcomes aligned with overall workforce planning strategy.

Improved talent acquisition metrics vs. benchmarks (e.g., Time to Fill, Cost per Hire, Average Days Open)

Strong executive, business leader, and confidence in the TA function.

Demonstrated progress in hiring critical roles efficiently while maintaining quality and compliance.

Stable, engaged talent acquisition team with clear operating rhythms and governance.

Maintain and build compliant processes and coordinate required federal and state submissions/reporting in the areas of AAP, EEO, Veterans, Pay Transparency, and others.

Required Skills:

15+ years of relevant talent acquisition experience with at least 5+ in a leadership capacity.

Bachelor’s degree required.

Senior leadership experience leading enterprise-wide talent acquisition or across a large business division or corporate area, ideally in a large, complex organization.

Strong relationship-building skills with ability to influence and partner effectively across all levels of the organization.

Proven track record managing high-volume recruiting operations (500 to 1,000+ hires annually).

Hands-on experience implementing or optimizing recruiting applicant tracking systems (Taleo is the current DCS ATS)

Proven success operating in government contracting, highly technical, and cleared environments (e.g., engineering/computer services, aerospace, technology, government-contracting, research and development, defense).

Experience leading executive recruiting and partnering directly with C-suite and senior executives.

Experience managing external recruitment partners, vendors, and tools.

Data-driven approach to recruiting with experience building, analyzing and implementing trackable recruiting metrics. Strong analytical and reporting skills.

Demonstrated ability to manage cost, capacity, and delivery tradeoffs in constrained environments.

Knowledge of employment law and compliance requirements across multiple jurisdictions.

Professional HR certification a plus (e.g., SHRM, recruiting certifications)

Ability to work hybrid from our Alexandria VA office location.