Talent Acquisition Specialist

Center For Global Development - Washington, DC

Full-time - Entry Level

Washington, DC

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

About the position

The Center for Global Development (CGD) is seeking a proactive and resourceful Talent Acquisition Specialist to enhance its recruiting efforts. This role is pivotal in partnering with hiring teams to expand the talent pipeline and diversify external partnerships, particularly with universities. The Specialist will also integrate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles into recruitment practices, ensuring that all actions reflect an equity focus. A significant aspect of this position involves leading the planning and management of CGD's Summer Delegates internship program, which is designed to provide valuable experiences for interns while supporting the organization's recruitment goals. In this role, the Talent Acquisition Specialist will manage all recruitment activities, collaborating closely with hiring teams to streamline the recruitment process. This includes drafting job descriptions, sourcing candidates, and conducting initial interviews. The Specialist will ensure that the candidate experience is smooth and engaging, while also supporting the VP of HR in broader recruiting strategies and onboarding processes. The incumbent will be expected to exercise discretion and good judgment, often working with minimal supervision to drive recruitment initiatives forward. The Specialist will also play a key role in promoting CGD's DEI efforts, suggesting new initiatives and areas of focus related to diversity and inclusion in recruitment. This position requires a strong relationship builder who can enhance CGD's external presence with candidates and maintain internal alignment to ensure a continuous flow of talent acquisition activities. Additionally, the Specialist will engage with university partners to expand CGD's network and reach, contributing to the overall success of the organization’s recruitment efforts.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of recruitment-related activities including drafting and editing job descriptions, posting jobs, candidate screening, scheduling interviews, and gathering candidate feedback.
• Partner with hiring teams to support recruitments across the organization in a business partner model.
• Drive adoption of the applicant tracking system and related integrations for efficiency and productivity, training colleagues on the use of CGD's systems.
• Plan and manage CGD's annual Summer Delegates Program, ensuring a thoughtful and engaging schedule of activities.
• Participate in team meetings and discussions as a member of the operations team, contributing to overall team efforts including People, IT, Administration, and Finance.
• Act as an internal voice and change agent for diversity and inclusion, suggesting new areas of work related to CGD's DEI efforts, particularly around recruiting.
• Support the engagement of university partners and expand CGD's network and reach.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• 2-3 years of experience in recruiting/talent acquisition, including implementing policies and processes, deploying tools/technology, and improving approaches.
• High level of emotional intelligence, empathy, and humility.
• Familiarity with internship programs, university outreach, and campus recruiting.
• Excellent communication, organization, and writing skills.
• Strong initiative; ability to carry projects forward without close supervision.
• Ability to collaborate, build relationships, advocate for a position, and work closely with other teams to foster consensus.
• Intrinsically motivated to stay productive, focused, and see projects to completion.
• Bachelor's degree in a related field; nonprofit experience is a plus.
• Experience with JazzHR or similar ATS is highly preferred; Sharepoint experience is a plus; Outlook experience is a must.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with nonprofit organizations.
• Familiarity with digital recruitment tools and technologies.