Talent Acquisition Specialist - Chicago, IL

Brief Description Talent Acquisition Specialist Location: Chicago, IL (Hybrid: 3 Days In-Office / 2 Days Remote) About The Job The Talent Acquisition Specialist is responsible for delivering high-quality, end-to-end recruitment services that meet hiring manager expectations and business objectives while adhering to agreed service levels. This role develops and executes innovative sourcing strategies to attract, engage, and hire top talent in a cost-effective manner. The TA Specialist serves as a trusted advisor to the hiring managers, providing market insights, recruitment expertise, and guidance on best practices throughout the hiring process. The role also supports workforce planning initiatives, recruitment analytics, talent pipeline development, and employer branding efforts. This position requires a highly responsive, consultative, and customer-focused recruiting professional who can manage multiple requisitions simultaneously, influence stakeholders, and deliver exceptional candidate experiences. What will you do? Recruitment Delivery & Operational ExcellenceManage full-cycle recruitment activities for assigned requisitions from intake through offer acceptance.Conduct detailed vacancy consultations with hiring managers to define job requirements, candidate profiles, timelines, and recruiting strategies.Develop and execute sourcing strategies utilizing direct sourcing, Boolean search techniques, networking, social media, referrals, talent communities, and external job boards.Build and maintain pipelines of qualified candidates for current and future hiring needs.Screen, assess, and interview candidates to evaluate qualifications, technical capabilities, cultural alignment, and organizational fit.Present qualified candidate shortlists with supporting assessments and recommendations.Facilitate interview scheduling, feedback collection, candidate debriefs, and selection processes.Negotiate compensation offers and manage offer acceptance processes while ensuring alignment with internal compensation guidelines.Ensure requisitions move through established approval workflows and recruitment governance processes.Maintain accurate candidate and requisition data within the Applicant Tracking System (ATS).Monitor recruiting metrics, service levels, and operational performance to ensure delivery objectives are achieved.Produce recruitment reports, pipeline analytics, hiring forecasts, and market intelligence updates.Identify process improvements and recommend solutions that enhance recruiting efficiency, candidate experience, and hiring outcomes. Business Partnership & Stakeholder ManagementBuild strong relationships with hiring managers, business leaders, HR partners, and key stakeholders.Serve as a recruitment advisor by providing market intelligence, talent availability insights, compensation benchmarking, and hiring recommendations.Deliver exceptional candidate experience through proactive and transparent communication.Partner with business leaders to understand workforce planning needs, volume hiring requirements, and future talent demands.Support diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives through inclusive sourcing and hiring practices.Promote and communicate the organization's Employee Value Proposition (EVP) and employer brand. Team Collaboration & Leadership SupportPartner with Recruitment Managers and Sourcers to ensure effective recruitment delivery.Provide coaching, guidance, and best-practice support to recruiting team members as needed.Assist in prioritization of recruitment workload and escalations.Support strategic talent acquisition projects and continuous improvement initiatives.Act as a backup for the Recruitment Manager when required. Market Intelligence & Technical ExpertiseStay current on labor market trends, recruitment technologies, sourcing methodologies, and employment legislation.Leverage data analytics and ATS reporting to drive recruiting decisions and hiring outcomes.Conduct competitor talent mapping and workforce intelligence research.Utilize sourcing tools and technologies effectively to identify passive and active talent.Support recruitment projects, hiring campaigns, and talent attraction initiatives. Requirements What will you bring? 3-5 years of full-cycle recruiting experience.Experience recruiting technical talent including: Desktop Support EngineersNetwork EngineersService Desk ProfessionalsInfrastructure EngineersField Services TechniciansExperience managing 25-40 concurrent requisitions.Experience supporting hiring across multiple U.S. states.Experience within MSP, ITO, Managed Services, Technology Services, or similar environments preferred.Exposure to international recruiting is preferred. Education Bachelor's degree preferred or equivalent combination of education and recruiting experience. Knowledge & Skills Strong knowledge of sourcing strategies and candidate attraction methodologies.Proficiency with ATS platforms and recruitment analytics reporting.Understanding of employment laws and compliance requirements across multiple states.Strong stakeholder management and consultative recruiting skills.Experience with compensation benchmarking and offer negotiations.Excellent communication, influencing, and relationship-building abilities.Strong organizational skills and ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment. Success Metrics Time-to-fillQuality of hireHiring manager satisfactionCandidate experience scoresDirect sourcing percentageOffer acceptance rateDiversity hiring outcomesATS data integrity Technology Requirements Workday, SuccessFactors, Greenhouse, iCIMS, Taleo, or similar ATS experienceLinkedIn Recruiter proficiencyAdvanced Boolean sourcing capabilitiesCRM/Talent Pipeline Management experience Compliance Knowledge OFCCPEEOMulti-state employment regulationsRecruitment process audit readiness