HR Specialist - Talent Acquisition & Development

Job Description

Job Description

Summary

At our ministry, we are passionate about forming lasting faith in every child, everywhere!  As the Talent Acquisition & Development Specialist, you will propel our mission forward by sourcing exceptional talent and facilitating hiring, onboarding, and retention.  You will play a vital role in helping build a team that aligns with the core values, culture, and strategic goals of Awana.  

In this role you will collaborate with team members across the ministry to define workforce needs, build role profiles, and hire for our open roles. This includes marketing our roles internally and externally to attract missionally & doctrinally aligned top-tier candidates. You’ll also work with these internal partners to ensure ongoing workforce alignment, ensuring retention of the right talent for the needs of the ministry.

You’ll thrive in this role if you have a heart for mission work that directly impacts the lives of children and youth around the world, and you are:

• Discerning and resilient

• Excellent at matching people with roles, teams and culture

• Tech-savvy knowing how to leverage technology to make the recruitment process effective

• Gifted in communicating, networking, and relationship building

• Able to balance a sense of urgency with finding the right person for the role

We’re seeking someone who views talent search work not just as a series of tasks, but as vital ministry work with eternal value.

This is a full-time hybrid position local to our St. Charles, IL office with regular travel (est. 10%) based on strategic organizational meetings. 

Hiring Range for this position is:  $67,000 - $75,000

Who We Are Looking For: 

• Team player who supports, upholds and demonstrates the Awana values in internal and external communications and relationships.

• Collaborative partner who has a natural ability to cultivate genuine relationships with our internal team and external partners.

• Logical problem solver who proactively communicates workflow and/or deadline status to the team.

• Self-motivated, goal-oriented professional with a passion for helping fuel exponential ministry growth.

• A good steward of the assigned budget(s), allocating appropriate expenses for effective ministry in line with our vision and mission.

• Flexible team member who is open to taking on new responsibilities and easily adapts to shifting priorities and needs.

• One who can thrive in a setting of organizational values based on prayer, hustle, craft, and love. 

• Champion of children to belong, believe and become resilient disciples.

Key Responsibilities:

Source, Recruit, and Onboard Awana Team Members (50%)

• Develop, implement and utilize effective and innovative sourcing and recruiting strategies.

• Partner with and provide guidance to hiring managers (leading the sourcing, interviewing, evaluating and hiring processes)  

• Care for the applicant experience with the goal of high responsiveness on behalf of Awana.  

• Travel as needed/requested to make in-person connections with prospective team members.

• Participate in developing, negotiating and presenting employment offers.  

• Perform, evaluate and report on pre-employment requirements including reference and background checks.

• Ensure new team members receive a warm Awana welcome.

• Arrange, facilitate, and shepherd initial operational onboarding (e.g., day 1 and week 1&2 activities).  

Workforce Planning

• Research and provide support to leadership in workforce planning with an eye toward current and future needs.

• Partner with leaders and hiring managers in ongoing efforts to define/update and document position descriptions; maintain our database of position descriptions.  

• Analyze roles in comparison to market and benchmark positions to inform hiring and retention approaches.

• Assist with comp analysis and budgeting processes. 

• Develop a talent community and passive candidate pipeline from which to draw as needs arise.

• Manage dashboards and related analytics e.g., hiring, headcount, turnover, retention risk

• Assist in developing internship and ministry leadership toolkits and pipeline programs.

• Maintain a database of high potential candidates and facilitate matching the candidate to the need (may include facilitating freelance opportunities).

HR Team Support

• Participate in team projects and initiatives.

• Learn key HR Team operational functions as assigned and be prepared to perform when called upon (may include but not be limited to payroll, benefits, comp, rewards, engagement, etc.).

• Collaborate with HR team members regularly to maintain consistency in approach, procedures, documentation, etc.

• Provide on-site local office support including hosting (e.g., interviews, events), engaging with on-site team members, representing HR in on-site employee relations activities (e.g., offboarding conversations).