Director, Talent Acquisition

Director, Talent Acquisition

Reporting to the Senior Director, Talent Acquisition, Management & Development, the Director, Talent Acquisition serves as a strategic business partner responsible for developing and executing enterprise-wide talent acquisition and workforce planning strategies that enable Year Up United to attract, engage, and hire exceptional and diverse talent.

This leader partners closely with senior executives, functional leaders, HR, Finance, Marketing, and external talent partners to align workforce and talent acquisition strategies with organizational priorities. The role will oversee and enhance talent acquisition solutions, including strategies for full time and contingent hiring, builds scalable recruiting programs, leverages data and market intelligence to inform decision-making, and continuously enhances the candidate and hiring manager experience.

As a member of the Talent leadership team, the Director drives innovation and operational excellence across recruiting processes, evaluates emerging technologies and AI-enabled talent acquisition practices, and develops strategies to optimize efficiency, effectiveness, and scalability while maintaining an equitable and human-centered hiring approach.

In keeping with Year Up United's mission and values, this role will provide direct service to students in accordance with the expectations for all staff (e.g. joint coaching, mentoring, tutoring, etc.)

This is a hybrid role requiring regular in-person engagement. Applicants must live within a reasonable commutable distance to a Year Up United location.

Key Responsibilities:

Talent Acquisition Strategy & Execution

• Develop and execute a comprehensive talent acquisition strategy aligned with organizational growth and impact goals and workforce needs.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on talent market trends, workforce planning, talent availability, organizational design, and hiring strategy.
• Lead the design and continuous improvement of enterprise recruiting programs, processes, tools, and operating models.
• Partner with business leaders to anticipate future talent needs and develop proactive workforce strategies.
• Establish and monitor talent acquisition goals, functional and organizational goals, and performance metrics to drive accountability and results.
• Lead and develop scalable approaches for both permanent and contingent workforce planning.
• Champion equitable hiring practices and strategies that support diverse and inclusive talent pipelines.
• Direct the recruitment process for senior leadership positions and have the ability to personally manage a requisition portfolio.

Executive Partnership & Workforce Planning

• In partnership with Employee Success Team, consult with senior leaders to determine optimal workforce solutions, including permanent hiring, contingent labor, consultants, project-based resources, and internal mobility opportunities.
• Partner with Finance, HR, Procurement, and business leaders to align hiring strategies and processes with budget, organizational priorities, and workforce plans.
• Provide recommendations based on labor market intelligence, compensation trends, talent availability, and competitive hiring practices.
• Support talent review discussions related to workforce gaps, succession planning, and strategic hiring initiatives.

Talent Acquisition Operations & Innovation

• Establish and optimize recruiting operations, processes, governance, and service delivery models.
• Leverage recruiting data and talent analytics to identify trends, improve effectiveness, and inform strategic decision-making.
• Evaluate, pilot, and implement AI-enabled recruiting technologies and automation solutions that enhance talent sourcing, screening, candidate engagement, and operational efficiency while ensuring ethical and equitable use.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that simplify workflows, reduce time-to-fill, improve quality of hire, and elevate the candidate experience.
• Partner with People Operations and HRIS and technology teams to maximize utilization of Workday, ATS platforms, reporting tools, and emerging talent technologies.

Employer Brand & Talent Attraction

• Partner with Marketing and Communications leaders to strengthen Year Up United's employer brand and talent value proposition.
• Develop innovative sourcing strategies that attract diverse, mission-aligned talent across multiple functions and geographies.
• Cultivate strategic relationships with external talent communities, search firms, staffing partners, educational institutions, and professional organizations.
• Ensure consistent messaging and candidate experiences across all recruiting channels.

Team Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop Talent Acquisition team members, fostering a high-performance and customer-focused culture.
• Establish clear goals, performance expectations, and development opportunities for recruiters and talent partners.
• Create knowledge-sharing practices, hiring manager education programs, and recruiter capability-building initiatives.
• Serve as a key leader within the broader HR and Talent function.

Regional / National Support

• Serve as the organizational subject matter expert on talent acquisition strategy, workforce planning, recruiting operations, and contingent workforce management.
• Influence cross-functional initiatives that support organizational growth, efficiency, and talent outcomes.
• Ensure compliance with employment laws, hiring policies, and organizational standards.
• Establish governance and best practices across all recruiting activities and external vendor partnerships.

Site Team / Learning Community Member

• Serve as a coach or mentor for a small number of current students
• Participate in or facilitate weekly group sessions with students
• Attend staff meetings and trainings

Qualifications:

• 7 + years of progressive talent acquisition experience, 5+ years of leadership and management responsibility.
• Demonstrated success developing and executing talent acquisition strategies across multiple business functions and geographies.
• Experience leading recruiting teams and influencing senior leaders and executives.
• Strong workforce planning, talent analytics, and recruiting operations experience.
• Experience managing both permanent and contingent workforce hiring strategies.
• Experience building and enhancing employer branding and talent attraction initiatives.
• Strong business acumen and ability to align talent strategies with organizational objectives.
• Experience leveraging data, technology, and automation to improve recruiting outcomes.
• Exceptional communication, stakeholder management, and executive influencing skills.
• Familiarity with applicant tracking systems required; Workday preferred
• Experience evaluating, implementing, and optimizing AI-powered recruiting technologies and talent intelligence platforms preferred
• Passion for working with young adults and commitment to the mission and values of Year Up United
• Understanding of the Opportunity Divide and its drivers. We define the Opportunity Divide as the gap between companies seeking skilled talent, and young adults who lack access to the skills, experiences, and support to break through barriers and achieve their full potential in their careers.

Salary Range: $120,000 - $140,000

Working At Year Up United:

Starting January 5, 2026, employees are expected to work on-site at least two days per week (Monday through Thursday dependent on job requirements). To be eligible for employment, candidates must live and work in a state (or an approved proximate state*) where Year Up United operates. For a list of eligible locations, please visit:

*Approved proximate states where Year Up United operates are: Connecticut, Indiana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, South Carolina and Virginia.

Compensation & Benefits:

• Year Up United has established salary ranges for each of our sites, which allows us to pay employees competitively, equitably and consistently in different geographic markets. For roles in which the location is listed as flexible, the range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations. Salary offers take into account a candidate's skills, experience, and location. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your location during the hiring process.
• Benefits: Comprehensive healthcare options and dental coverage; 401(k) match for eligible participants.
• Vacation: Earn three weeks paid vacation in first year of employment; four weeks after initial year.

** This is an exempt role (paid on a salaried basis).

Organization Description:

Year Up United is a national 501(c)3 workforce development organization committed to ensuring equitable access to economic opportunity, education, and justice for all young adultsno matter their background, income, or zip code. Employers face a growing need for talent while millions of talented young adults lack access to meaningful careers. These inequities only further perpetuate the opportunity gap that exists in our countrya gap that Year Up United is determined and positioned to close through three interconnected strategies: providing