Talent Acquisition Manager

Knighted Ventures•Dallas, TX

8d•Onsite

About The Position

Knighted is a multi-faceted investment organization poised for continued growth over the coming years. Within the gaming space, we are the largest provider of Third-Party Player Proposition Services (TPPPS) for California cardrooms, recognized as the premier industry leader. In addition to enjoying a dominant position in the gaming industry, we are continuing to explore high-potential businesses across markets, expanding our reach most recently in the Texas market with a mission to redefine the entertainment landscape. The Founders are accomplished entrepreneurs recognized for disrupting enterprise through innovation and an unwavering commitment to serve our clients, our people, and our communities. Driven by innovation and corporate excellence, our team thrives on curiosity, strategic vision, and a commitment to integrity, quality, and good judgment. Company culture at Knighted is of the utmost importance to us. We seek individuals who view the world through a lens of unlimited possibilities, and who value people above everything else. KSI is seeking a Talent Acquisition Manager to join our growing Executive Talent Team and serve as the primary recruiting leader supporting the Champions Group and Knighted Services Inc in Texas. Reporting to the Executive Talent Partner, this role sits at the intersection of strategy and execution owning the full recruiting lifecycle across two high-volume, hospitality-driven venues while building and refining the talent acquisition infrastructure that supports our Texas operations. This is an individual contributor role with a clear path toward people management as the team grows. The ideal candidate is a seasoned talent acquisition professional who leads with both expertise and influence, someone who can independently run full-cycle recruiting and onboarding, serve as a strategic partner to business leaders, and elevate the quality of hiring across Texas. Experience in high-volume hospitality or guest-facing environments is strongly preferred, as is a genuine passion for people and the ability to build authentic relationships quickly.

Requirements

4–6 years of full-cycle talent acquisition experience, with a strong track record of managing requisitions independently from intake through offer in a fast-paced environment
Prior recruiting experience in hospitality, food & beverage, private club, entertainment, or a similarly high-volume, guest-facing industry strongly preferred
Proven experience designing and/or running new hire onboarding and orientation programs
Demonstrated ability to operate as a subject matter expert and influence stakeholders, including senior leaders and hiring managers, without direct authority
Experience interpreting and managing background check processes and vendor relationships
Exceptional people skills with the ability to quickly build genuine rapport across a wide range of candidates, hiring leaders, and internal partners
Demonstrated ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-volume environment where priorities shift frequently and speed and quality must coexist
Strong interpersonal, consulting, and relationship-building skills with the confidence to advise and push back constructively when needed
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a professional and personable presence in every interaction
Exceptional organizational and time management skills with strong attention to detail and a solutions-focused mindset
Proficiency with Greenhouse, Veritable, UKG, and Google Workspace preferred

Nice To Haves

5–8 years of full-cycle recruiting experience, with direct exposure to hospitality, private club, food & beverage, or entertainment industries at scale
1-3 years supervisory experience
Experience supporting high-volume, multi-site operations and managing staffing demands tied to events, openings, or seasonal peaks
Familiarity with private club or members-only venue culture and the staffing dynamics that come with it
Prior exposure to the Dallas and/or Houston talent markets
Familiarity with HR compliance and employment law basics in Texas
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Communications, Hospitality Management, or a related field preferred

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary recruiting lead for Texas, owning full-cycle recruitment across KSI, Champions Club Texas (Houston) and Champions Social Club (Dallas)
Partner with senior business leaders and hiring managers to develop and execute talent acquisition strategies that align with the growth objectives of the market
Translate workforce planning conversations into actionable recruiting plans, bringing both process discipline and creative sourcing strategies to attract top hospitality talent
Manage a pipeline of requisitions simultaneously, balancing urgency with quality and exercising sound, independent judgment on prioritization
Drive proactive candidate outreach including cold sourcing, resume screening, and phone interviews, assessing both qualifications and cultural alignment
Recruit across a range of corporate, guest-facing and operational roles including front-of-house, food & beverage, events, and management-level positions
Manage the full candidate lifecycle from intake through offer acceptance, including interview coordination, debrief facilitation, compensation recommendations, and offer delivery
Adapt recruiting strategies quickly to meet the seasonal, event-driven, and growth-driven staffing demands of a high-volume hospitality operation. This may include in-person hiring events and on-campus recruiting
Lead the new hire onboarding and orientation program for KSI and Champions Group, ensuring a seamless and culturally resonant experience
Collaborate with the Human Resources team to ensure timely onboarding, compliance, and adherence to time-to-fill metrics
Continuously evaluate and improve the orientation experience to reflect Champions’ hospitality-first values and set new hires up for long-term success
Monitor onboarding outcomes, track new hire satisfaction, and proactively resolve issues to ensure a high-quality experience for both new hires and hiring managers
Act as the primary TA liaison between Texas and the broader Executive Talent Acquisition team, ensuring consistent alignment on priorities, processes, and communication.
Serve as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert to hiring managers, bringing consultative guidance on market intelligence, hiring best practices, and candidate assessment
Influence without authority driving alignment and adoption of TA best practices across business leaders who may have varying levels of familiarity with structured recruiting processes
Partner with the Executive Talent team on broader TA projects, process improvement initiatives, and People & Talent programs that span the organization
Represent the organization professionally at all times, both internally and externally with candidates and community partners
Interpret and manage background check processes with accuracy and compliance, exercising sound judgment on results and escalation process
Maintain rigorous, accurate, and compliant documentation in the Applicant Tracking System (ATS), holding a high standard for data integrity across the recruiting lifecycle
Ensure all recruiting activity adheres to applicable employment law and internal policy, including Texas-specific requirements
Identify gaps in current TA processes and proactively propose and implement improvements that drive efficiency, consistency, and a better candidate experience
Perform other related duties as assigned