Senior Associate Talent

We are seeking a driven, entrepreneurial Senior Associate, Talent to build and lead recruiting efforts across a growing portfolio of companies backed by a private investment firm. This is a unique opportunity for a recruiting professional who enjoys sourcing great talent, building relationships, and creating processes from the ground up.

As the first dedicated talent hire, you will establish the foundation for recruiting across portfolio companies, partnering closely with senior leadership to define hiring needs, develop recruiting strategies, and identify high-impact talent. This is a hands-on role with significant ownership, autonomy, and the opportunity to shape how recruiting is approached as the organization grows.

The ideal candidate is equally comfortable developing a recruiting strategy and rolling up their sleeves to conduct research, identify candidates, execute outreach, and manage the process from initial contact through offer. You will have access to modern recruiting tools and AI technology, with the freedom to experiment, improve workflows, and build a more effective approach to talent acquisition.

Responsibilities

• Build the Recruiting Function: Establish foundational recruiting processes, sourcing strategies, and workflows to support hiring across a growing portfolio of companies.
• Drive Candidate Sourcing and Outreach: Proactively identify qualified candidates, research target talent pools, uncover contact information, and execute high-volume outreach campaigns through email, LinkedIn, and other channels.
• Partner with Leadership: Collaborate with senior leaders to develop role specifications, define candidate profiles, establish hiring priorities, and create targeted recruiting plans.
• Manage the Recruiting Lifecycle: Own the process from initial sourcing and outreach through candidate engagement, coordination, and offer, ensuring a consistent and effective experience.
• Leverage AI and Technology: Actively use AI tools to enhance sourcing, develop job specifications, personalize outreach, streamline workflows, and improve recruiting efficiency.
• Build Talent Pipelines: Develop and maintain relationships with prospective candidates, creating pipelines that support both immediate hiring needs and future growth.
• Track Performance and Results: Establish clear recruiting goals, monitor progress, and continuously refine strategies to improve candidate engagement and hiring outcomes.
• Scale with the Business: Help develop a repeatable recruiting model that can evolve alongside the portfolio, with opportunities to expand into executive search, onboarding, and broader human resources responsibilities over time.

Ideal Experience

• 3–5 years of experience in recruiting, talent acquisition, executive search, or staffing; experience in a high-growth or private equity-backed environment is a plus.
• Demonstrated strength in sourcing, candidate research, direct outreach, and relationship development.
• Comfortable building processes and operating independently in an environment where structure and established systems are limited.
• Strong technology skills and genuine fluency with AI tools, including the ability to apply them creatively to improve recruiting workflows.
• Outgoing, persuasive, and energized by proactive outreach, networking, and engaging candidates who may not be actively looking for a new opportunity.
• Highly self-motivated, organized, and results-oriented, with the ability to prioritize effectively and maintain momentum with limited day-to-day direction.
• Competitive mindset and a strong sense of ownership, with a desire to meet ambitious goals and see a direct connection between performance and results.
• Adaptable and comfortable with ambiguity, shifting priorities, and the pace of a small, entrepreneurial organization.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, sound judgment, and the ability to build credibility with candidates and senior stakeholders.

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Larko is a women-owned, premier staffing and recruiting firm based in Chicago with a nationwide reach. We specialize in Direct Hire, Temp-to-Hire, and Temporary/Project placements across a wide range of roles, including Executive Assistants, Administrative Assistants, Personal Assistants, Chief of Staff, Office Managers, Receptionists, General Office, Event Support, Project Management, and Customer Service.