Associate Director, Talent Acquisition & Operations

About the role

This role is responsible for ensuring a seamless, equitable, and high-quality employee experience across the full talent lifecycle. The Associate Director will leverage operational excellence, data-driven decision-making, and people-centered problem-solving to support hiring managers, candidates, and employees.

Responsibilities

• Talent Operations & Employee Lifecycle Management (50%): Develop and maintain documentation, SOPs, and knowledge-sharing resources for consistent, scalable talent operations. Own the interview coordination process, ensuring speed, consistency, accuracy, and a world-class candidate experience. Support compliance efforts, audits, and reporting in partnership with People Operations, Finance, and Legal. Collaborate cross-functionally to streamline processes and deliver operational excellence across the talent lifecycle. Identify gaps, inefficiencies, or risks in people processes and proactively propose solutions to the Director Talent Acquisitions while comfortable building from zero and energized by the absence of existing playbooks.
• Systems, Data & Process Improvement (30%): Serve as the subject matter expert for the recruitment technology ecosystem (e.g., Workday and Workable) managing configurations, integrations, troubleshooting, and user support. Approach broken processes with curiosity while mapping, diagnosing, and fixing inefficiencies with a systems-thinking mindset. Drive innovation in recruitment technology by identifying opportunities to simplify workflows, integrate new tech and AI, and enhance overall efficiency. Build dashboards, analyze KPIs, and co-translate recruiting data into actionable recommendations that inform strategic decisions.
• Talent Acquisition & Hiring Support (20%): Manage a small portfolio of searches, supporting end-to-end hiring processes including job setup, interview logistics, candidate communications, and offer coordination. Ensure data accuracy, process consistency, and timely movement of candidates within the Applicant Tracking System. Deliver an equitable, candidate-centered hiring experience that reflects Braven's values. Co-lead enablement sessions on interview best practices and hiring processes, earning trust and building strong relationships with hiring managers across functions.

Requirements

• Minimum Requirements: At least 3 - 5 years of experience in talent operations, HR operations, recruiting operations, or a related field. Demonstrated experience supporting hiring processes and partnering with hiring managers in a fast-paced or growing organization.
• Preferred Qualifications: Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and operate effectively in ambiguity. Excellent organizational and analytical skills, with a strong focus on process improvement and operational excellence. Exceptional interpersonal and customer service skills, including the ability to communicate clearly and empathetically with candidates, employees, and leaders. High level of comfort using tools such as Google Suite, HRIS and ATS platforms (e.g., Workable, Workday), Slack, Jira, or similar systems. Proficiency in leveraging, implementing, and optimizing leading technology tools, including proven experience leading change management processes. Alignment with and exemplification of Braven's core values and mission. Highly organized and able to manage multiple roles, recruiters, and workflows simultaneously without losing track of details. Exemplification of Braven's core values. Experience that has informed your belief in Braven's mission and has prepared you to work with, or for, Braven's student Fellow population.

Work Demands

• Ability to work in-person in Atlanta (GA), Chicago (IL), New York (NYC), or Newark (NJ) 3 days per week. Travel for the team's annual planning meetings 3 - 4 times a year.

Benefits

• Competitive base salaries based on the midpoint of the market among not-for-profit organizations of similar size, with opportunities for salary growth over time. Comprehensive benefits, recognition, and career development.