Talent Acquisition Specialist

About the Role

This position leads the full-cycle recruiting process for both hourly and salary manufacturing positions at our Long Prairie, MN facility. You will partner directly with plant leadership to assess hiring needs and execute strategies to maintain optimal staffing levels while aligning with the company’s core values and culture.

Responsibilities

• Partner with hiring managers and operational leadership to understand hiring needs and develop comprehensive recruiting strategies that support growth goals.
• Lead all activities in the recruitment life cycle, including sourcing, screening, interviewing, offer management, pre-employment screening, and onboarding.
• Drive recruiting process best practices and optimize processes to improve efficiency and candidate experience.
• Coordinate and attend off-site and onsite job fairs; utilize social media, local colleges, trade schools, and publications to attract talent.
• Collaborate with the VP of HR to develop and align national search and marketing strategies, building an effective company brand and candidate experience.
• Consistently achieve hiring goals by setting clear expectations, tracking progress, and leveraging data-driven insights.
• Lead data and reporting efforts, establishing and tracking key recruiting metrics to measure success and identify areas for improvement.
• Deliver an exceptional candidate experience from initial contact through onboarding and new hire orientation.
• Partner with HR to coordinate new hire benefits, including housing/lodging as needed.
• Serve as a company advocate, building relationships with agencies (community services, colleges, high schools, employment agencies) to identify talent and promote opportunities.
• Develop and maintain a 90-Day Recruiting Plan detailing events, targets, hiring campaigns, and KPIs, approved by the VP of HR and VP of Operations.
• Utilize the iCIMS applicant tracking system to manage job postings and candidate data throughout the recruitment process.
• Stay updated on industry trends and best practices in recruiting, implementing innovative solutions to improve outcomes.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in full-cycle recruiting of hourly (non-exempt) manufacturing employees.
• Associate degree or bachelor’s degree in human resources or a related field (preferred).
• Ability to communicate effectively in English; proficiency in Spanish and/or Haitian-Creole (speaking, reading, and writing) is a plus.
• Prior experience in high-volume recruiting in beef, protein, or food manufacturing.
• Current knowledge of employment laws and regulations.
• Previous experience using the iCIMS applicant tracking system.
• Strong work ethic and sense of personal responsibility for outcomes.

Skills

• Self-starter with the ability to multitask, prioritize, and integrate into a fast-paced, dynamic HR team with minimal direction.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Proficient with Microsoft Suite products (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Effective negotiating skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment while exercising mature judgment.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion.
• Flexibility to work extended hours, travel to other company locations, and attend recruiting events (overnight travel expected).
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage shifting priorities in a cross-functional environment.