This is a rare opportunity to build a talent acquisition function nearly from the ground up at a company in the middle of national expansion. Reporting to the Director of Operations, the Talent Acquisition Manager will lead high-volume property-level hiring across a multi-state portfolio, along with periodic corporate searches, while managing two recruiters. Second, this is a true player/coach role with direct visibility to senior leadership, where improvements in fill times, candidate quality, and team stability will show up quickly across every community. Third, there is a clear growth path: as the function matures, this leader will have the opportunity to take on broader people leadership responsibilities across the organization.
Position Responsibilities
- Build and own an end-to-end recruiting strategy that covers both high-volume property-level hiring and periodic corporate searches, with distinct workstreams and resourcing for each, so the organization can staff new acquisitions and backfill turnover at the pace the business requires.
- Partner with operations leadership to forecast hiring demand tied to acquisitions, dispositions, and turnover, and make staffing recommendations that include requisition load standards, market coverage assignments, and flexible contract recruiting support during peak periods.
- Design grassroots sourcing strategies to reach maintenance technicians, leasing professionals, property managers, and skilled trades talent, including partnerships with trade schools, community colleges, workforce organizations, and trade-adjacent local businesses.
- Launch market-level employer branding and community marketing, from targeted digital channels to on-the-ground flyers and mobile-friendly applications, and strengthen resident and employee referral programs to increase applicant flow in every market.
- Build and maintain talent communities in each market that the team can activate through text and email campaigns the moment an opening arises, shortening the time from requisition to qualified candidate.
- Evaluate the current applicant tracking system and lead the selection and implementation of a platform with campaign, automation, and reporting capabilities that connects job posting, sourcing, and candidate communication in one place.
- Pilot AI-enabled sourcing and first-round screening for hourly roles to expand outreach and improve response times, with clear guardrails and transparent candidate communication.
- Define, track, and report core recruiting KPIs, including time to fill, outreach to placement, submission to placement, interview to placement, offer acceptance, and early attrition, and use the data to coach the team and inform leadership decisions.
- Lead, coach, and develop two recruiters through clear expectations, scorecards, and performance-based incentives, while personally carrying the most complex property and corporate searches and training property-level hiring managers on interviewing, selling the opportunity, and moving candidates quickly to offer.
- Partner with the onboarding and training specialist to strengthen the first-week through 90-day new hire experience, building structured check-ins, pulse surveys, and exit data collection that reduce early attrition and sharpen future hiring decisions.
Required
- A track record of building or rebuilding a recruiting function or playbook, with measurable improvements in time to fill, applicant flow, or quality of hire.
- 4 to 6 years of recruiting experience, including direct experience leading, managing, or formally coaching other recruiters.
- Significant experience recruiting for hourly, trade, or field-based roles across multiple sites or markets, in industries such as property management, skilled trades, facilities, retail, distribution, logistics, or hospitality.
- Hands-on experience selecting, implementing, or optimizing an applicant tracking system, including candidate communication and automation features.
- Currently carries a personal requisition load and is comfortable managing five to seven active searches while leading a team.
- Ability to work on-site five days per week at the corporate office in the Chicago metro area.
Preferred
- Experience building non-traditional sourcing channels such as community partnerships, trade school relationships, local advertising, and referral programs, and managing contract recruiters for flexible capacity.
- A competitive, metrics-driven approach to recruiting performance, paired with curiosity and hands-on experience using AI-enabled sourcing, screening, and candidate engagement tools.
If you’re ready to make an impact and take your career to the next level, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now and a member of Talentfoot’s recruitment team will be in touch should your track record of success, experience, skills and qualifications match our client’s requirements.