Owner-Operator Senior Recruiter

Roadrunner Transportation Services•Downers Grove, IL

3d•Onsite

About The Position

This role exists because Roadrunner’s growth depends on a steady pipeline of the owner-operators—drivers who understand the business, can handle the work, and will stay. Standard recruiting is not enough. We need someone with the maturity, experience, and judgment to work at high volume while truly understanding how drivers think, what motivates them, and what causes them to say yes or walk away. The Owner-Operator Senior Recruiter is a high-impact, results-driven role that sits at the intersection of talent acquisition and sales. You will sell the Roadrunner opportunity to experienced Independent Contractors—building urgency, handling objections, and closing candidates who strengthen our network. Success is measured by results: quality hires, speed-to-fill, conversion rates, and early-tenure retention. This is a fast-paced, high-volume, metrics-driven position. You will own a demanding pipeline, operate with urgency, and treat every conversation as a chance to win the right driver for Roadrunner.

Requirements

4+ years of high-volume recruiting, sales, or business development experience (transportation or driver recruiting preferred).
Proven ability to hit aggressive targets in a fast-paced, metrics-driven environment.
Strong phone presence and the ability to build rapport quickly while managing high call volume.
Natural closer mentality—comfortable creating urgency, handling objections, and driving decisions.
Real understanding of how drivers think, what they care about, and how to earn their trust.
Exceptional organizational discipline and follow-through under pressure.
Comfort operating within defined processes while identifying ways to improve them.
Proficiency with ATS/CRM systems and strong data hygiene.
Proficiency with Tenstreet, Clearinghouse, MVR, PSP, and the ability to read the consumer reports and determine if the driver is qualified.
Resilience and composure in a high-pressure, results-oriented setting.

Responsibilities

Own the full hiring lifecycle like a sales process: Take candidates from first contact through orientation with speed, discipline, and professionalism. Run a structured, high-conversion process—qualify hard, set clear expectations, and move qualified drivers forward without delay. Prioritize activity based on business demand and pipeline health. Treat every conversation as a sales opportunity: position the value of partnering with Roadrunner and close with confidence.
Drive high-volume, high-intensity communication: Manage significant inbound volume while executing aggressive outbound activity to generate and convert leads. Maintain a relentless, professional follow-up cadence that keeps momentum high. Serve as the primary point of contact—clear, direct, and persuasive. Handle objections with skill and turn interest into committed applicants.
Operate with precision in a metrics-driven environment: Keep the ATS/CRM accurate and up to date in real time—data discipline is non-negotiable. Live in the numbers: conversion rates, time-to-hire, pipeline stages, and weekly/monthly targets. Spot bottlenecks early and adjust activity to stay on track. Deliver visibility and insights that help the broader team perform.
Coordinate clean handoffs and support retention: Drive document collection and onboarding readiness with urgency. Partner tightly with Safety, Orientation, and Fleet teams to eliminate friction. Stay engaged through early tenure to reinforce expectations and reduce early turnover. Help set drivers up for success so they stay and perform.
Raise the bar for the recruiting function: Model what high-performance recruiting looks like in a results-oriented culture. Share market feedback, process gaps, and winning approaches. Contribute to a team that moves fast, owns outcomes, and continuously improves.