Senior Specialist, Talent & HR

Lincoln Avenue Communities•Santa Monica, CA

3d•$110,000 - $120,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Lincoln Avenue Communities (LAC) is a mission-driven real estate private equity firm focused on developing and preserving affordable housing. As a vertically integrated developer, investor, and operator, LAC manages a portfolio of over 200 properties and 30,000+ homes across 33 states, aiming to strengthen communities and provide sustainable, high-quality housing for lower- and moderate-income individuals, seniors, and families. LAC has been recognized as an industry leader, ranking No. 1 on Affordable Housing Finance’s 2025 AHF 50 list. The Senior Specialist of Talent & HR will play a key role in supporting LAC's mission by managing the end-to-end candidate and new-hire experience, ensuring a smooth and positive onboarding process. This role involves supporting full-cycle recruiting and onboarding, maintaining strong relationships with hiring managers, and delivering a high-touch experience. Additionally, the role will contribute to LAC's annual summer internship program, assisting with recruitment, programming, and overall intern experience. While the primary focus is talent acquisition and onboarding, the position offers broad exposure to the HR/People function, including offboarding, employee events, and special projects, providing a foundation for a career in HR. The role reports to the Manager of Talent & HR and requires three days per week onsite in Santa Monica, CA.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; degree in human resources, psychology, humanities, social sciences, or a related field preferred.
5 years of relevant experience in talent acquisition, recruiting, onboarding, or a related People function, with exposure to broader HR/People Operations responsibilities preferred.
Experience in a fast-paced, high-volume, high-urgency environment is required.
Experience supporting full-lifecycle recruiting (scheduling, ATS management, agency coordination, interviewing, and hiring manager communication) and onboarding in a corporate environment.
Strong proficiency with applicant tracking systems (Greenhouse), HRIS platforms (e.g., Insperity, Rippling), Microsoft Office Suite, and project management tools (e.g., Notion, Asana).
Experience using GenAI tools responsibly to improve efficiency, support research and analysis, drive better outcomes, and standardize ways of working.
A polished, professional, and highly service-oriented approach in working with candidates, hiring managers, and leadership.
Strong interpersonal instincts and high EQ, with a thoughtful, intentional approach to identifying talent that aligns on motivation, judgment, long-term retention potential, and culture fit.
Experience working with external agencies and partners on active searches and drive searches forward as a strategic partner.
Strong interviewing skills, with the ability to assess candidates thoughtfully and represent the company well throughout the process.
Strong business acumen and the ability to learn organizational needs and role requirements quickly.
A solid understanding of compensation fundamentals, including benchmarking, leveling, and how to assess candidate profiles against internal and external market data.
Excellent organizational skills—able to manage multiple open items and shifting priorities, connect the dots and anticipate what's next, and jump in wherever the People team needs support.
A positive, solutions-oriented attitude and sound judgment—staying composed in a fast-moving environment.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with professionalism, responsiveness, and discretion when handling sensitive or confidential information.
A genuine interest in creating a standout experience for both candidates and new hires.

Nice To Haves

Experience in the finance industry or similar industries is highly desirable.
Degree in human resources, psychology, humanities, social sciences, or a related field preferred.
Exposure to broader HR/People Operations responsibilities preferred.

Responsibilities

Support full-cycle recruiting across a variety of roles, from kickoff through offer and close.
Partner closely with the HR & Talent Manager to maintain organized, efficient, and urgent recruiting activities.
Coordinate interview scheduling seamlessly across candidates, hiring managers, and internal stakeholders.
Manage and maintain the applicant tracking system, ensuring data accuracy and trackability.
Assist with job postings, applicant flow review, and overall pipeline management.
Partner with external staffing agencies and search firms to ensure efficient searches with clear communication and high quality.
Conduct interviews and candidate screens, assessing technical skills, soft skills, and culture fit with consistent judgment.
Assist with researching compensation for open roles, including benchmarking, leveling, and evaluating candidate profiles against internal levels, role scope, and market data.
Support offer coordination, candidate closing, pre-employment steps, and other administrative hiring details.
Manage onboarding logistics to ensure a welcoming experience for new hires, including pre-start planning, orientation materials, scheduling, and cross-functional coordination.
Support recruitment for LAC’s summer internship program, including sourcing, scheduling, selection, and offers.
Help create a well-organized intern experience that reflects LAC’s culture and commitment to quality programming.
Learn LAC’s business, teams, and roles to effectively evaluate candidates and identify strong matches.
Assist with other People team priorities as needed, such as offboarding support, team events, special projects, and overflow assistance for broader HR functions.
Use GenAI thoughtfully to help scale and standardize talent and People processes.