University Talent Partner

McMaster-Carr•Chicago, IL

About The Position

We’re expanding our team to meet ambitious goals, and we know that great people are the key to our success. As a University Talent Partner, you’ll play a critical role in shaping how we identify and evaluate early career talent. You’ll thoughtfully recognize potential, understand context, and surface insights that help us make thoughtful hiring decisions. Your work will directly support our ability to build high-performing teams, refine our approach to campus recruiting, and deliver meaningful candidate experiences. You’ll collaborate closely with your management team, engage with students and university partners, and bring a discerning eye to every step of the process. You’ll also lead efforts to deeply understand each campus ecosystem—identifying where top talent lives, which academic programs and student organizations align with our hiring goals, and how to tailor our approach to each school’s unique strengths. You’ll plan and execute campus events with precision, anticipating challenges and solving them before they arise. And you’ll prepare McMaster-Carr leaders to participate effectively in the recruiting process—equipping them with campus insights, guiding them through interview best practices, and helping them represent our brand with clarity and impact.

Requirements

Discerning Judgment & Talent Evaluation: Ability to assess diverse experiences and identify potential beyond the resume by synthesizing context, observed behaviors, and candidate interactions. Skilled at recognizing capabilities, motivations, and long-term fit through thoughtful engagement and insight development.
Strategic Research & Adaptability: Skilled at uncovering campus-specific insights and adjusting strategies to align with evolving team goals and candidate profiles.
Operational Excellence & Foresight: Strong attention to detail and ability to anticipate challenges before they arise. Comfortable managing logistics and executing events with precision.
Insight-Driven Decision Making: Skilled at turning nuanced observations into actionable insights that inform recruiting strategy.
Collaborative Relationship Building: Builds trust across teams and with university partners through clear communication and a shared commitment to thoughtful, high-impact hiring.
Leader Enablement & Influence: Comfortable guiding and coaching internal stakeholders to participate effectively in recruiting, ensuring alignment and consistency across the candidate experience.

Responsibilities

Conduct research to understand the academic strengths, student organizations, and talent concentrations at each target university. Use these insights to shape outreach, event strategy, and long-term engagement plans.
Engage with students and assess their potential through thoughtful conversations, contextual analysis, and nuanced judgment—not just resume review.
Engage in thoughtful conversations with students to uncover their motivations, strengths, and potential. Use these insights to inform hiring decisions and deepen our understanding of early career talent. Conduct offer calls to clarify expectations and gather strategic insights into each candidate’s priorities, helping shape a personalized and meaningful offer experience.
Turn observations into ideas. Share candidate insights that help hiring managers assess fit and long-term impact.
Cultivate strong partnerships with key stakeholders on campus, like career centers, faculty, and student organizations to strengthen McMaster-Carr’s presence and pipeline.
Design and deliver high-impact campus events with precision and foresight. Anticipate potential challenges and proactively solve for them to ensure smooth execution and a strong candidate experience.
Prepare and support McMaster-Carr managers and ambassadors to participate in campus recruiting. Provide campus-specific guidance, interview training, and strategic direction to ensure alignment and consistency across the candidate experience.
Reflect on hiring outcomes and share feedback that helps us refine how we assess and engage early talent.