Talent HR Manager

King County•Seattle, WA

13h•Hybrid

About The Position

Metro Transit's Talent Acquisition team is seeking a hands-on, collaborative Talent HR Manager with a strong passion for recruitment and workforce development. This role provides leadership to support the development and retention of a highly skilled workforce while delivering high-quality, customer-focused HR services. A strong commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, transparency, and employee engagement is essential. This position supports department-wide recruitment efforts and works closely with Division and Department leaders to strengthen organizational health and labor practices. The Talent HR Manager reports to the Metro Transit Human Resource Manager II and supports the division by identifying best practices, establishing and following standard procedures, and continuously improving HR recruitment services. Success in this role requires strong interpersonal skills, the ability to build effective teams and partnerships, and the capacity to influence change and solve complex problems. In addition to managing a team of 10-15 Talent Acquisition and HR professionals, you will actively support employee relations across the division, interpret and apply employment law, and ensure HR policies and practices are followed. The goal is to provide reliable, efficient, and consistent HR services while minimizing organizational risk.

Requirements

Five (5) years of progressively responsible Human Resources experience, with an emphasis in Talent Acquisition, including at least two (2) years of experience in a recruiting senior, lead, supervisor or manager role.
Demonstrated success leading and developing Talent Acquisition teams, including coaching, assigning work, providing performance feedback, setting goals, and fostering continuous improvement.
Proven experience designing, implementing, and improving recruitment strategies, processes, and service delivery models using recruitment metrics and workforce data to improve hiring outcomes.
Knowledge of essential HR functions, including recruitment, labor relations, classification and compensation, training, and performance management.
Strong knowledge of recruitment practices in a unionized, high-volume, and complex labor environment, with the ability to balance competing priorities while maintaining excellent customer service.
Ability to provide legally defensible HR guidance and build productive relationships with applicants, employees, supervisors, managers, and external partners.
Strong relationship-building skills with internal and external stakeholders.
Excellent customer service, communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to handle sensitive situations professionally, fairly, and respectfully.
Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging through inclusive leadership and equitable employment practices.
An online King County application.
Updated with accurate contact information, and relevant work history going back at least 10 years (or more, if necessary), with all job duties, dates of employment, and reasons for leaving explained clearly.
Completed supplemental questions.
A cover letter (two pages or less) that addresses: What interests you in this Talent HR Manager role, and how has your HR and/or Talent Acquisition leadership experience prepared you to lead a recruitment team in a complex organization? Please also include the size and structure of the recruitment or HR team(s) you oversaw, and your role in relation to them. Describe a recruitment initiative, process improvement, or organizational change you led. What was your role, and what were the results? Describe how you have coached recruiters and partnered with hiring managers and other stakeholders to improve hiring outcomes while ensuring compliance and excellent customer service.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading or overseeing a Talent Acquisition function in a large, complex public-sector organization, including workforce planning, recruitment strategy, and supervision of multiple employees or teams.
Experience developing and delivering recruitment training, standard operating procedures (SOPs), onboarding programs, and coaching for recruiters and hiring managers.
Experience partnering with executive leadership, hiring managers, HR Business Partners, labor relations, and external stakeholders to develop and implement recruitment strategies that meet organizational hiring goals.
Experience managing recruitment operations in a unionized civil service environment while ensuring compliance with employment laws, policies, collective bargaining agreements, and merit system principles.
Experience leading enterprise-wide Talent Acquisition initiatives, technology implementations, or business process improvements.

Responsibilities

Lead and manage timely, high-quality HR services for Metro Transit.
Design and implement systems to recruit, develop, and retain a diverse, high-performing workforce.
Oversee HR data and records management systems.
Communicate complex HR concepts clearly to diverse audiences.
Ensure HR practices comply with collective bargaining agreements and applicable federal, state, and local laws.
Allocate staff and resources to meet recruitment demands and workload changes.
Coach, mentor, and develop direct reports; support other managers in developing their teams.
Set and monitor goals for high-quality, customer-focused service.
Foster continuous learning and skill development.
Promote accountability for service excellence.
Create and maintain a welcoming, inclusive work environment.
Provide performance feedback, manage performance issues, and handle disciplinary actions with compassion and consistency.