The Lead Talent Acquisition Specialist leads the full cycle recruiting efforts for open positions at EquiTrust, including full-time and temporary positions. The Lead Talent Acquisition Specialist is expected to partner with hiring managers to identify key characteristics, experience, and qualities that are required from a position and to identify qualified candidates for the position. The Lead Talent Acquisition Specialist partners collaboratively across the Human Resources and Talent Acquisition team to design programs, systems, and processes that increase employee retention, and engagement and foster an inclusive and collaborative work environment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Proactively builds strong relationships with hiring managers and candidates.
• Full cycle recruiting for full-time, temporary, and consultant resources including sourcing, candidate screening, presenting candidates to hiring managers, scheduling interviews, conducting qualification interviews, drafting offer letters, presenting offers to candidates, and successfully onboarding new hires.
• Creates recruiting plans and strategies that include market outreach, target organizations, and candidates, etc.
• Consults with hiring managers to understand business needs and define candidate qualifications to determine sourcing needs, as well as consult on hiring decisions and compensation packages.
• Partners with Total Rewards to determine appropriate compensation offers and negotiates offers with candidates independently.
• Understands market positioning and branding to develop a compelling sales pitch to generate candidate interest.
• Partners with hiring managers to formulate job postings, setting expectations for the hiring timeline and onboarding of new hires.
• Works to meet the individual needs of hiring managers to ensure a seamless recruiting process for each and every position.
• Leverages various job posting boards and sites effectively to target specific candidate profiles and to identify a diverse candidate pool.
• Phone screens every candidate prior to submitting to the hiring manager with the goal of identifying candidates that will thrive in and drive EquiTrust’s Values of Integrity, Leadership, Accountability, Teamwork, and Passion.
• Partners with outside recruiting firms, when required, to complete various searches. Proactively works to maintain good relationships with outside recruiting firms and to ensure a pipeline of strategic partnerships for talent acquisition needs. 
• Prepares offer letters and assists in the onboarding and off-boarding process.
• Partners with other members of the Human Resources and Talent Acquisition team to create, roll-out and administer Human Resources and Talent Acquisition projects and initiatives.
• Mentors and trains junior staff members and participates in department planning.
• Evaluates talent acquisition processes and recommends practical and logical solutions and improvements.
• Assists in leading vendor relationships and identifying vendor partnerships when needed.
• May represent the Talent Acquisition Team at recruitment or other company-sponsored events.
• Supports Human Resources team and/or other departments on an as needed basis.
• Willingly takes on additional responsibilities as requested in order to accomplish department and Company objectives.

Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to quickly develop rapport with candidates and business partners.
• Advanced communication skills.
• Advanced consultative, strategic, and collaborative recruiting skills.
• Advanced Corporate Business recruiting skills, including Information Technology. 
• Ability to quickly assess a candidate’s skill set and provide relevant and value-add candidate profiles to hiring managers.
• Ability to quickly pivot and reprioritize workflow based on hiring needs.
• Ability to independently manage a full recruiting and requisition desk while successfully partnering with the hiring manager to place top talent in roles.
• Ability to partner autonomously with hiring managers with little oversight or intervention from managers.
• Ability to lead project initiatives. 
• Advanced working knowledge of MS Office, including Excel and Word.
• Ability to navigate an ATS and configure an ATS to meet business needs and requirements.

Training or Work Experience:

• Minimum 7 years of progressive experience in talent acquisition leading full cycle recruiting for permanent and temporary positions required.
• Minimum 5 years of experience with direct sourcing experience required.
• Minimum 2 years of experience sourcing utilizing LinkedIn, Indeed or other search platforms required.
• Prior experience with different sourcing tools, techniques and methodologies required.
• Life insurance and/or annuity industry experience highly preferred.
• Prior experience with LinkedIn Recruiter, UKG Recruiter and/or Indeed preferred.
• PHR or SHRM-CP preferred.

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree required. 

Working Conditions:

• On-Site Location: West Des Moines, Iowa 
• Business Travel: Infrequent travel (less than 5% of the time).

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EquiTrust is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in the U.S. Federal E-Verify program. Applicants have rights under federal and state employment laws. To learn more, visit https://www.equitrust.com/careers/opportunities/federal-and-state-employment-laws/.