Talent Acquisition Partner

About the role

This position serves as a strategic talent acquisition partner to hiring managers, search committees, and Human Resources colleagues. The Talent Acquisition Partner leads full-cycle recruitment efforts and develops effective sourcing, outreach, and talent attraction strategies to recruit a highly qualified workforce. The role acts as a trusted advisor, providing consultation throughout the recruitment lifecycle and developing innovative strategies to meet workforce needs. It also supports employer branding initiatives, talent pipeline development, recruitment marketing, and continuous process improvement to enhance recruitment outcomes and candidate experiences.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary talent acquisition partner for assigned searches, providing consultation and guidance to hiring managers and search committees throughout the recruitment and selection process.
• Build strong relationships with campus stakeholders to understand workforce needs and develop recruitment solutions that support departmental and University goals.
• Partner with hiring managers to develop and refine position descriptions, qualifications, recruitment strategies, and advertising plans that accurately reflect business needs and attract qualified applicants.
• Provide recommendations regarding position requirements, market competitiveness, and candidate attraction strategies to support successful hiring outcomes.
• Manage full-cycle recruitment activities from position launch through offer acceptance, ensuring an efficient, consistent, and positive experience for candidates and hiring teams.
• Facilitate candidate sourcing, screening, communications, interview coordination, reference checks, and offer support while maintaining high levels of customer service.
• Provide guidance and training to hiring managers and search committee members regarding recruitment best practices, equitable hiring principles, and applicable employment laws, policies, and procedures.
• Promote consistency, transparency, and compliance throughout the hiring process while supporting informed and effective selection decisions.
• Support executive, leadership, and hard-to-fill searches through targeted recruitment strategies, proactive outreach, and relationship-building efforts.
• Represent MSU Denver at career fairs, networking events, and community outreach activities to increase awareness of employment opportunities and strengthen the University's employment brand.
• Establish partnerships with professional organizations, educational institutions, and community groups to expand recruitment outreach and candidate engagement.
• Collaborate internally with HR colleagues and campus partners to develop and support employer branding, recruitment marketing, and talent attraction initiatives.
• Create and promote recruitment messaging, campaigns, and outreach efforts that position MSU Denver as an employer of choice and support the University's mission and values.
• Analyze recruitment metrics, hiring trends, and talent acquisition outcomes to evaluate the effectiveness of recruitment strategies and identify areas for improvement.
• Utilize data and stakeholder feedback to develop recommendations that enhance recruitment processes, candidate experiences, and overall hiring success.
• Develop and maintain recruitment resources, training materials, and process documentation that support consistent and effective hiring practices across the University.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives and contribute subject matter expertise to projects designed to enhance recruitment operations and service delivery.
• Partner with hiring managers and Human Resources colleagues to identify recruitment challenges, workforce trends, and retention considerations that may impact hiring success.
• Provide insights and recommendations based on recruitment data, candidate feedback, and market conditions to support workforce stability and long-term talent acquisition goals.
• Collaborate with Talent Acquisition leadership in the administration of recruitment-related vendor partnerships, advertising expenditures, and talent attraction initiatives.
• Monitor recruitment-related spending, assist with invoice reconciliation and budget tracking, and provide supporting documentation and analysis to inform purchasing decisions and ensure fiscal accountability.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Competencies

• Demonstrates values-based leadership by modeling CADRE values, building trust through self-awareness and emotional intelligence, seeking feedback, and navigating conflict productively.
• Ensures operational effectiveness by managing priorities, time, and resources responsibly, adhering to policies, delivering measurable results, and meeting performance expectations.
• Aligns individual work with team and departmental goals by contributing to shared priorities, seeking clarity, and adapting to change in support of the 2030 Strategic Plan.
• Practices collaboration by communicating clearly, checking for understanding, building strong relationships, and engaging diverse perspectives to achieve shared outcomes.
• Advances equity and belonging with awareness of culture and potential biases, listens openly to diverse perspectives, and contributes to respectful and inclusive work relationships.
• Innovates by developing professional skills, staying informed on relevant trends, and identifying opportunities to improve processes and outcomes.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience (two years of experience equals one year of education).
• Demonstrated experience managing full-cycle recruitment activities, including sourcing, screening, interviewing, and supporting hiring decisions.
• Experience consulting with hiring managers, committees, or organizational leaders regarding recruitment, selection, and hiring practices.
• Knowledge of employment laws, regulations, and best practices related to recruitment, hiring, and equitable selection processes.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, build effective working relationships, and provide high-quality customer service in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience utilizing recruitment technologies, sourcing tools, and professional networking platforms to attract and engage candidates.

Successful applicants will ensure their resumes clearly demonstrate how their work experience meets all required qualifications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in higher education, including supporting faculty, staff, or academic recruitment and selection processes.
• Experience supporting faculty, executive-level, leadership, or other specialized recruitment efforts.
• Experience utilizing applicant tracking systems (ATS), such as Workday Recruiting or similar talent acquisition technologies, to support recruitment and candidate management activities.
• Experience creating recruitment marketing materials and utilizing design, communication, or creative software (e.g., Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar tools) to support employer branding and talent attraction initiatives.
• Experience developing and implementing recruitment strategies that support broad outreach, equitable hiring practices, and inclusive candidate engagement.
• Experience providing guidance, training, or consultation related to equitable hiring, inclusive recruitment practices, or reducing barriers within hiring processes.

Skills

• Advanced knowledge of full-cycle recruitment, sourcing, and talent acquisition practices.
• Strong consultation, relationship-building, and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to establish credibility and influence hiring outcomes.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to effectively facilitate training and present information to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to promote equitable and inclusive hiring practices while fostering broad candidate outreach and engagement.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple searches, priorities, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to interpret recruitment data, identify trends, and make recommendations for continuous improvement.
• Proficiency in applicant tracking systems, recruitment technologies, Microsoft Office applications, and digital tools used to support talent attraction, employer branding, and recruitment marketing efforts.

Schedule

• Exemption Status: Exempt
• Working Days: Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
• Evening or weekend work: Rarely
• Work arrangements: 3 days in office, 2 days remote
• Travel: Occasionally, for recruitment fairs and networking events

Pay

The anticipated hiring range for this position is $60,000–$75,000 annually. This position is paid monthly and is eligible for MSU Denver benefits.

Benefits

The University’s benefits package is comprehensive and includes:

• Medical, vision, and dental coverage
• Free RTD pass
• Tuition reimbursement
• Life and supplemental insurance plans
• Retirement plans
• Access to a long-term disability (LTD) plan

Visit MSU Denver’s benefits website for more details.