Lead Talent Acquisition Specialist

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day talent acquisition and job placement activities for the assigned site or portfolio, ensuring work is coordinated, responsive, and aligned with departmental priorities.
• Develop and implement proactive recruitment strategies to attract qualified candidates across job titles and experience levels based on employer and workforce needs.
• Recruit, screen, interview, and assess candidates to evaluate qualifications, employment readiness, behavioral competencies, and overall fit for employer partner opportunities.
• Match candidates with appropriate employment opportunities based on experience, qualifications, employer requirements, scheduling needs, credentialing status, and workforce readiness.
• Review candidate resumes and profiles to confirm that applicants meet employer qualifications and placement-readiness requirements.
• Provide on-site technical and performance guidance to the assigned team and help troubleshoot operational questions and site-level issues.
• Oversee the flow of Employer Relations and Job Placement work for the assigned site, monitor priorities, and elevate significant issues or needed changes to leadership.
• Prepare and manage the site monthly calendar and flag updates or changes for discussion with the Assistant Director.
• Assist with onboarding and training new staff and provide peer support across sites as needed.
• Serve as a subject matter resource at jobs committee meetings by reviewing recruitment and placement information, identifying barriers, and supporting stakeholder advocacy for job placement.
• Collaborate with Career Services, the Job Security Fund, Employer Relations and Placement teams, and other internal partners to support job readiness, workforce transition, recruitment, and placement activities.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with employers, human resources representatives, union representatives, community-based organizations, and workforce development partners.
• Increase visibility with stakeholders and community-based organizations to strengthen engagement and support for recruitment and placement efforts.
• Coordinate recruitment workflows in the Applicant Tracking System, including iCIMS or a similar platform, and maintain accurate candidate documentation, tracking, reporting, and workflow progression.
• Monitor recruitment activity, candidate pipelines, referral quality, placement outcomes, and other relevant performance indicators, and use findings to identify hiring barriers and improvement opportunities.
• Assist in developing recruitment materials, employer outreach content, and internal and external job advertisements.
• Represent the Employment and Job Placement Division at hiring events, networking functions, workforce development initiatives, and recruitment activities.
• Ensure adherence to Fund policies, recruitment standards, Collective Bargaining Agreement considerations, confidentiality requirements, and applicable compliance expectations.
• Respond to inquiries from candidates, stakeholders, site staff, and Employment and Job Placement leadership in a timely and professional manner.
• Provide a high level of customer service, professionalism, emotional intelligence, and candidate support throughout the recruitment and placement process.
• Perform additional duties and projects assigned by management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Workforce Development, Operations Management, Public Administration, or a related field required or equivalent experience.
• Minimum five (5) years of experience in workforce development, operations management, compliance tracking, recruitment operations, program coordination, or related operational leadership roles; and a minimum of two (2) years of supervisory or team management experience required.
• Strong experience managing teams, operational workflows, compliance monitoring activities, and performance accountability within a fast-paced environment.
• Experience working within applicant tracking systems, preferably iCIMS, including workflow management, participant tracking, reporting, operational oversight, and data auditing functions.
• Experience utilizing CRM systems such as Salesforce for tracking, coordination, and operational reporting purposes preferred.
• Experience developing workflows, SOPs, operational procedures, and staff training materials preferred.
• Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and operational management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and implement process improvements.
• Ability to analyze operational data, identify workflow trends, monitor reporting accuracy, and address operational gaps.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments and with external stakeholders.
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential participant information with professionalism and discretion.
• Experience supporting grant-funded, workforce development, healthcare workforce, or compliance-driven programs preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to travel throughout the five boroughs, Hudson Valley, and Long Island to support operational and programmatic initiatives.
• Bilingual or multilingual abilities are a plus.
• This role requires flexibility to work a rotating schedule, including a remote 12 PM – 8 PM shift to support job seekers during extended hours. Staff will rotate between the standard 9 AM – 5 PM shift and the 12 PM – 8 PM shift, with a minimum of two remote days per week scheduled for the 12 PM – 8 PM shift based on division needs