Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist

Company Overview: Cedarhurst Senior Living is an experienced operator of independent living, assisted living and memory care communities across the Midwest, Mid-South, and Southeast. Cedarhurst Senior Living is part of the Dover Companies, a vertically integrated healthcare organization established in 2007 to develop, construct, acquire, own, and operate high-quality senior living communities. In addition to Cedarhurst Senior Living, the Dover Companies include Dover Development, Brahms Construction, Dover Capital, Dover Health, and Medicine Express. Cedarhurst Senior Living and the Dover Companies are mission driven — everything we do is grounded in our higher purpose of caring for seniors. Our decision making is informed by our mission “to create communities where each person feels loved, valued, supported and able to live life to the fullest.” Each business unit and each team member have a unique ability and responsibility to impact the lives of seniors, and we take that responsibility very seriously. We also embody an entrepreneurial spirit that has fueled our growth and continues to drive us forward. Position Summary: The Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist, reporting directly to the Talent Acquisition Manager, leads full-cycle recruiting and serves as the senior individual contributor on the talent acquisition team. This role owns sourcing strategy, candidate evaluation and selection recommendations, and offer development for hard-to-fill, high-impact, and leadership roles across the organization. Beyond day-to-day requisition management, the Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist designs and improves recruiting workflows, builds and maintains recruiting reporting and dashboards, tracks and interprets key recruiting metrics, and advises hiring managers and HR leadership on data-informed hiring decisions. The role also provides guidance, training, and mentorship to Talent Acquisition Specialists and helps shape the standards, tools, and processes the broader team operates within. Why Work for Cedarhurst: At Cedarhurst, our core values guide how we work together and how we care for those we serve. We expect every team member to be passionate, trustworthy, empathetic, positive, respectful, and approachable. Being part of Cedarhurst means making a meaningful difference every day. We believe our team is our greatest strength. That’s why we invest in comprehensive training, as well as opportunities for both personal and professional growth. We’re committed to promoting from within and supporting team members who want to build their careers with us. Cedarhurst offers a competitive benefits package, including medical insurance, life insurance, long-term disability coverage, and a 401(k) plan with company match (after one year of service) for eligible employees. Additional Benefits Include: Work that makes a difference in the lives of our residents and community An on-site gym with brand-new equipment A personal trainer offering daily group classes, stretching sessions, and one-on-one training Catered lunches twice a week, prepared by our on-site chef Monthly team events and more Essential Duties: The following duties are normal for this position. This list is not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. Other duties may be required and assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Manage the full recruitment lifecycle, including publishing and optimizing job postings, candidate sourcing, screening, interviewing, selection, and offer negotiation, while delivering a strong candidate and hiring manager experience. Serve as the team’s subject-matter expert on sourcing strategy, developing and executing creative, data-informed approaches for hard-to-fill, high-impact, and leadership roles. Design, document, and continuously improve recruiting workflows, process maps, and standard operating procedures, and recommend changes to hiring practices. Build, maintain, and enhance recruiting reports and dashboards, translating applicant tracking system data into actionable insight for hiring managers and HR leadership. Track, analyze, and interpret key recruiting metrics: time-to-fill, cost-per-hire, source-of-hire, pipeline conversion, and outreach volume, using the findings to drive decisions and continuous improvement. Own and optimize the applicant tracking system (Paylocity), including configuration recommendations, data integrity, troubleshooting, and identifying opportunities for automation and efficiency. Advise and partner with hiring managers and business leaders to assess current and future staffing needs, define role requirements, and develop proactive talent pipelines and workforce plans. Provide guidance, training, and mentorship to Talent Acquisition Specialists. Proactively source candidates through direct outreach, cold calling, LinkedIn Recruiter, Indeed Smart Sourcing, other job boards, networking events, industry groups, and social platforms. Conduct phone screens and in-depth interviews to evaluate candidate qualifications, experience, and cultural fit, and make hiring recommendations to managers. Partner with the Marketing team to shape and lead employer branding strategy, including recruitment campaigns, social media content, employee testimonials, and hiring event promotion. Serve as a company ambassador, actively promoting the organization’s culture, mission, and values and representing the organization at career fairs, networking events, and community outreach initiatives. Administer and interpret candidate assessments, including Predictive Index and assessments provided via CMA Consult, and counsel hiring managers on results. Establish and monitor recruiting compliance standards, ensuring all stages of the hiring process adhere to internal policies, employment regulations, and best practices. Champion inclusion and diversity throughout the recruitment process. Conduct ongoing market and competitive research on talent trends, compensation, and sourcing practices to inform strategy. Partner with onboarding and HR colleagues to ensure a seamless transition from offer acceptance through new-hire onboarding. Assist with the development of the annual recruitment budget, including forecasting advertising and sourcing spend and tracking costs against cost-per-hire and other budget targets. Own the day-to-day relationships and recurring meetings with key recruiting platforms (Indeed, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn), monitor their performance and return on investment, and research and pilot new sourcing channels and tools. Train and coach hiring managers on effective, compliant interviewing, candidate evaluation, and selection best practices. Establish and maintain strategic sourcing partnerships with colleges and training programs, community organizations, employment agencies, and professional networks to build durable applicant pipelines. Conduct intake meetings with hiring managers to define role requirements, success criteria, and sourcing approach. Coordinate and schedule interviews between candidates and hiring managers, including arranging candidate travel and accommodations when applicable. Other duties as assigned. Qualifications, Education and/or Experience: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required. Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field preferred. Four or more (4+) years of full-cycle recruiting experience required, including experience sourcing for hard-to-fill, high-volume, or leadership roles. Experience recruiting within the healthcare industry strongly preferred; experience supporting senior living is a plus. Demonstrated experience building recruiting reports, dashboards, or metrics tracking and using data to influence hiring decisions is required. Demonstrated experience designing or improving recruiting workflows, processes, or applicant tracking system configuration is required. Working knowledge of employment law and recruiting compliance is required. Advanced proficiency with applicant tracking systems and recruitment tools is required; experience with Paylocity is strongly preferred. Experience mentoring, training, or providing work direction to other recruiters or coordinators is preferred. Excellent communication, interpersonal, and consultative skills are required, with the ability to advise and influence hiring managers and leadership. Strong analytical, problem-solving, and troubleshooting skills, including the ability to interpret recruiting data and resolve ATS issues, are required. Strong attention to detail and accuracy is required. Ability to exercise independent judgment and discretion, manage competing priorities, and work with minimal supervision is required. Proficiency in the MS Office suite (particularly Excel) and experience with HRIS systems is required. Working Conditions: As part of The Dover Company’s commitment to providing outstanding care and support, the company ensures that staff work under conditions that prioritize safety, collaboration, and professional growth. The conditions listed below define the experience of working in the Home Office or remotely. This position may involve a range of physical activities, including those outlined in the Essential Duties, but is not limited to them. This position may need to walk or stand for extended periods. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand/move, communicate, and identify written information. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and lift and/or move up to 50 pounds independently. This role is measured by key recruiting metrics (KPIs) and requires maintaining performance standards to ensure successful hiring outcomes. This position requires the employee to be present at the corporate office daily. The role involves working at a desk for most of the workday. This position may need to move through areas of the corporate office or other worksites of the organization. Occasional travel (up to 20%) may be required for recruitment events, training events, or site visits, depending on the organization’s needs. This position involves juggling multiple recruitment processes simultaneously, which requires strong time management and organizational skills. There may be deadlines for hiring specific roles or initiatives. Must be proficient in video conferencing tools, email, and Microsoft Office Suite for managing reports, schedules, and communications. This role involves actively participating in all staff activities aimed at fostering teamwork, unity, and morale. The individual will contribute as a collaborative team player, working alongside colleagues to create a supportive and cohesive work environment. Individuals in this position are required to stay current on all training and ongoing education initiatives. They are expected to actively pursue self-improvement and embrace opportunities for continuous learning to enhance their skills and knowledge in providing exceptional care to residents. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, we will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages prospective employees and incumbents to discuss potential accommodations with the employer. #J-18808-Ljbffr