"Talent Acquisition Specialist"

Job Description

The Talent Acquisition Specialist plays a key role in supporting Kansas City University's recruitment efforts, with a primary focus on hiring for operational and support staff, student employees, contingent workers, and contract positions. This position manages the full-cycle recruitment process--sourcing qualified candidates, coordinating hiring activities, and ensuring a positive and inclusive candidate experience. The Specialist works closely with hiring managers to understand departmental staffing needs and deliver top-quality hires aligned with KCU's values. In addition, the role ensures compliance with university policies and employment regulations, while collaborating with internal departments, and external partners to advance the university's mission and effectiveness.

Key Responsibilities

Recruitment Coordination

Full-Cycle Recruitment

• Manage end-to-end hiring processes for support staff roles, from job requisition to onboarding.
• Collaborate with hiring managers to understand job requirements, timelines, and staffing needs.

Sourcing & Talent Pipeline Development

• Proactively source candidates through job boards, social media, career fairs, and community partnerships.
• Build and maintain a talent pipeline for frequently recruited positions.
• Travel expected approximately 25% of the time to clinical and academic conferences.

Job Posting & Advertising

• Draft and post job openings across internal systems and external platforms in line with branding and compliance standards.
• Monitor ad performance and recommend improvements to attract diverse, qualified candidates.

Candidate Screening & Interview Coordination

• Review resumes and applications, conduct phone screens, and assess qualifications.
• Coordinate interviews, gather feedback, and guide hiring teams through decision-making.

Offer & Pre-Employment Processing

• Extend job offers, initiate background checks, and ensure timely completion of pre-employment requirements (I-9s, references, etc.).
• Work with HR operations to facilitate onboarding and first-day readiness.

Student Hiring

• Coordinate the end-to-end hiring process for student workers.
• Serve as a liaison between student supervisors, career services, and HR to ensure hiring practices align with university policy and federal guidelines.
• Verify enrollment status and work eligibility for student employees.

Contingent & Contract Worker Management

• Support the recruitment and processing of temporary, part-time, adjunct, and contract employees.
• Partner with departments to ensure contingent labor requests align with budget and staffing policies.
• Manage contracts, extensions, and offboarding procedures in collaboration with procurement or legal when applicable.

Process & Compliance Support

• Maintain accurate records in accordance with university, state, and federal employment regulations.
• Assist with audits, EEO reporting, and HR metrics tracking as needed.
• Continuously seek improvements to the hiring process, candidate experience, and stakeholder communication.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
• 3+ years of administrative or recruitment experience, preferably in a higher education or public sector setting.
• Familiarity with student employment regulations and contingent workforce models.

Skills & Abilities

• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Equal Opportunity Employer

KCU is committed to promoting an equal employment opportunity workplace. Equal opportunity is and shall be provided for all employees and applicants for employment on the basis of their demonstrated ability and competence without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, genetic information (GINA), physical or mental disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, familial status, ancestry, military and/or veteran status, and/or any other status protected by applicable Federal, state or local law.

Annual Security Report

KCU is committed to providing a safe campus for students, faculty, and staff. Our annual campus security report lists campus crimes and statistics for the campus and public areas around campus for the last three years, in accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act.

About Kansas City University

For nearly 100 years, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences has been committed to a primary purpose – the education and training of caring, compassionate osteopathic physicians. Today, that purpose has grown to include training students in bioethics and biomedical sciences. At KCU, we: - Provide the second-largest number of physicians in Missouri and Kansas - Alleviate physician workforce shortages nationally, with 58 percent of our more than 7,100 practicing alumni in primary care specialties - Deliver much-needed medical care in underserved areas, with 19 percent of alumni practicing in rural care nationwide. Learn more at www.kcumb.edu.