Talent and Acquisition Specialist

Assisted Student Transportation•Kansas City, KS

1d•$65,000 - $75,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Talent Acquisition Specialist leads a people-focused, consistent recruiting experience from approved requisition through accepted offer, pre-employment coordination, and onboarding handoff. The specialist partners with hiring managers on staffing priorities, position requirements, and hiring timelines; develops sourcing strategies and talent pipelines; and represents the Company at hiring events and community outreach activities. The role independently evaluates candidates and makes substantive hiring recommendations, while hiring managers retain final selection authority. The specialist coordinates candidate communications and interviews, prepares approved offers, initiates and tracks pre-employment requirements, and maintains accurate recruiting records in the ATS/HRIS. The role also monitors recruiting KPIs and early-retention trends to identify process improvements and supports new-hire readiness through accurate information and coordination with Human Resources. Recruiting and onboarding are the primary responsibilities, but the position also supports the broader Human Resources department, including employee engagement, communications, records management, and other priorities as business needs evolve. The work is primarily office-based and includes visits to Company locations, hiring events, and community activities. Local travel may be required, as may occasional evening or weekend work.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, management, or a related field plus at least three years of progressively responsible recruiting experience; alternatively, at least five years of progressively responsible recruiting experience in lieu of a degree.
Experience with full-cycle recruiting, structured interviewing, hiring-manager partnership, and pre-employment coordination.
Ability to exercise independent judgment and make substantive recommendations that influence hiring decisions.
ATS/HRIS proficiency and Microsoft Office skills, including Outlook, Excel, Word, and Teams.
Strong communication, organization, discretion, problem-solving, and collaborative follow-through.
Valid driver's license, acceptable motor vehicle record (MVR), and successful completion of required background checks.
Ability to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily, with reasonable accommodations as applicable.

Nice To Haves

Experience recruiting high-volume hourly, part-time, or variable-hour employees across multiple locations.
Paycom experience.

Responsibilities

Partner with hiring managers to understand staffing priorities, position requirements, and hiring timelines.
Develop recruiting and sourcing strategies, maintain qualified talent pipelines, and engage candidates through job fairs and community outreach.
Conduct and document initial phone screens and potentially participate virtually in onsite interviews.
Assess job-related qualifications, availability, candidate alignment, strengths, concerns, and hiring risks; provide substantive hiring recommendations.
Coordinate interviews, maintain timely candidate communication, provide accurate information about roles and expectations, and work with managers to obtain prompt decisions.
Obtain required approvals, prepare approved offers, and confirm compensation, position, status, supervisor, location, and start date.
Initiate and track applicable background checks, MVRs, drug screenings, physicals, and other pre-employment requirements; escalate exceptions or eligibility concerns.
Maintain accurate applicant statuses, interview documentation, and recruiting records in Paycom or the ATS/HRIS.
Complete the recruiting handoff gate, move candidates to Pre-Employment Initiated as required, and coordinate complete, accurate information through Ready for Onboarding without duplicate entry.
Monitor recruiting KPIs and early-retention trends and identify improvements in recruiting speed, consistency, and new-hire readiness.
Support employee engagement, HR initiatives, employee communications, records management, and other department priorities.
Cross-train, share knowledge, provide backup coverage, and take ownership of assigned responsibilities across the Human Resources department.