Talent Acquisition Specialist

$75,000 - $78,970/Yr

Metropolitan Transportation Authority - New York, NY

Full-time - Mid Level

New York, NY

Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation

About the position

The Talent Acquisition Specialist is a vital member of the MTA's Talent Acquisition organization, responsible for providing comprehensive recruitment guidance and support to client leaders across various departments. This role involves developing and implementing effective strategies to attract, identify, and source qualified candidates for a range of positions, including managerial, administrative, clerical, operational, and skilled craft roles. The incumbent will ensure a strong focus on candidate care throughout the recruitment process, acting as a point of contact and resource for candidates. The position requires collaboration with hiring managers to determine the necessary skills, qualifications, and experience for open positions, as well as creating tailored recruitment strategies to find both active and passive talent. In addition to sourcing candidates through various methods such as online research, job boards, and networking events, the Talent Acquisition Specialist will review and assess resumes, conduct pre-screens, and prepare candidates for interviews. The role also involves working cross-functionally with client leaders and HR teams to ensure a smooth recruitment process, influencing hiring decisions with relevant data and market trends, and managing candidates in the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) according to departmental guidelines. The incumbent will also be responsible for generating recruiting reports, maintaining records of recruitment activities, and ensuring compliance with employment laws and regulations. The position requires a proactive approach to building candidate pipelines and staying abreast of industry trends and best practices in recruitment. The Talent Acquisition Specialist will attend career fairs and networking events to promote the MTA's brand and values, contributing to the organization's efforts to attract top talent. Special projects and other duties may also be assigned as needed.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with hiring managers to determine the skills, qualifications, and experience needed for open positions.
• Create a recruitment strategy to find both active and passive talent.
• Source candidates using various methods such as online research, job boards, recruitment platforms, and networking.
• Review and assess resumes to determine suitability for specific roles and provide qualified resumes to client leaders.
• Research and recommend new sources for active and passive candidate recruiting.
• Develop networks and partnerships to build candidate pipelines.
• Conduct pre-screens to gauge candidates' qualifications, skills, and motivations, including phone or video interviews.
• Ensure candidate care by being a point of contact and resource for candidates throughout the interview process.
• Effectively pitch the organization as an employer of choice to candidates, ensuring transparency about the role and department.
• Prepare candidates for subsequent interviews highlighting key focus areas and sample questions.
• Work cross-functionally with client leaders, HR teams, and other stakeholders to ensure a smooth recruitment process.
• Partner closely with client leaders to determine recruitment efforts' effectiveness and communicate updates.
• Influence hiring decisions by providing relevant data points and market trends.
• Partner with the Compensation team to make salary offers to selected candidates.
• Manage candidates in the Applicant Tracking System in accordance with departmental guidelines and SLAs.
• Generate recruiting reports to track open, active recruitment efforts.
• Maintain efficient and appropriate records relating to recruitment activities.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
• Stay abreast of industry trends including the latest recruitment strategies and best practices.
• Attend a minimum of 2 career fairs or networking events quarterly to promote the organization's brand.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in human resources or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum 3 years related HR experience with at least 1 year in recruitment/talent acquisition.
• Hands-on experience with full-cycle recruitment.
• Knowledge of various recruiting techniques and ability to identify, attract, and source passive talent.
• Understanding of building talent pipelines across multiple candidate sourcing platforms.
• Ability to consult, manage, and influence a range of stakeholders while building partnerships with hiring leaders.
• Proven ability to effectively sell an organization's value proposition and benefits package.
• Understanding of staffing principles and employment and state labor laws.
• Excellent written communication skills for effective job postings.
• Excellent interviewing, networking, interpersonal, and customer service skills.
• Good understanding of HR databases, applicant tracking systems, and customer relationship management systems; proficiency in Jobvite is a plus.
• Excellent time management, multi-tasking, and organizational skills with the ability to prioritize competing demands.
• Experience partnering with agency leaders and business partners to drive recruitment processes.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment.
• Strong work ethic and sense of integrity, trustworthiness, and confidentiality.
• Experience using various interview techniques and evaluation methods.

Nice-to-haves

• Bachelor's degree in a related field preferred.
• Attainment of or in the process of attaining specific functional licenses or certifications in area of specialty if applicable.
• Familiarity with the MTA's policies and procedures.
• Familiarity with the MTA's collective bargaining procedures.