Talent Acquisition Specialist

Pay Grade 29E

Context of the Job:

Under general direction of the Director, Talent Acquisition & HR Hub, the Talent Acquisition Specialist provides strategic guidance and leadership on campus-wide recruitment efforts. The Talent Acquisition Specialist assists in the development of recruitment strategies and plans and plays a critical role in ensuring academic and administrative units can select candidates that best meet their needs. The ideal candidate is great at networking and building relationships with candidates and hiring managers.

Major Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute strategic recruitment initiatives designed to attract and retain the most qualified employees.
• Create network of industry contacts, professional organizations, association memberships, trade groups and employees to advance recruitment objectives.
• Design and develop marketing information to assist in recruitment initiatives.
• Perform advanced social media and Boolean sourcing.
• Support continuous improvement by identifying opportunities where AI can enhance efficiency, candidate experience, or process quality, and share insights with the Talent Acquisition team.
• Build strong, collaborative relationships with hiring managers by staying closely connected to their evolving team needs, priorities, and goals. Partner with them to shape thoughtful recruitment strategies and develop qualified candidate pools that support both immediate and long‑term success.
• Stay connected with new hires after offer acceptance, ensuring they feel welcomed, supported, and prepared throughout the onboarding process, and helping to create a smooth, positive transition into the UD community.
• Partner closely with UD’s HR Centers of Excellence to ensure a smooth, consistent, and well‑coordinated hiring process that supports equitable practices and delivers a seamless experience for candidates and hiring managers.
• Serve as a positive and enthusiastic brand ambassador for the University of Delaware by sharing our mission, values, and culture with candidates and community partners, helping attract high‑quality talent who are excited to contribute to UD’s success.
• Research and recommend new sources for active and passive candidate recruiting.
• Build networks to find qualified passive candidates.
• Perform searches for qualified candidates according to relevant job criteria, using computer databases, networking, internet recruiting resources, and employee referrals.
• Maintain current knowledge of relevant guidelines and laws related to employment.
• Perform administrative duties and recordkeeping related to recruitment process.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field with 0-2 years of experience directly related to the position responsibilities, or equivalent experience.
• Higher education experience preferred.
• Ability to use creative sourcing techniques including but not limited to the use of social media, employee referrals, Boolean searches, x-ray, and networking to identify top talent for the organization.
• Knowledge of behavioral assessment surveys used to identify optimal job performance.
• Knowledge of predictive validity and other validation criteria associated with the recruitment process.
• Ability to design and develop recruitment plans. Full life cycle recruitment experience across multiple lines of business preferred.
• Ability to analyze job requirements and establish appropriate applicant selection criteria and matrices.
• Ability to create, compose, and edit written materials.
• Ability to use advanced techniques in spreadsheet, database, and/or presentation software.
• General knowledge of various employment laws and practices.
• Knowledge of federal, state and university employment related laws, guidelines, and procedures.
• Effective presentation skills to both internal and external groups and events.
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team.
• Ability to maintain the highly confidential nature of human resources work.
• Ability to communicate and interact well with people of all ages and backgrounds.