Specialist, Talent Acquisition and Retention

UNKNOWN; Ottawa; Hybrid; CAD 81,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and wellness benefits

Flexible work options

Pension plan

Job summary

Defence Construction Canada (DCC) is seeking a Specialist, Talent Acquisition and Retention (12-Month Term) to coordinate recruitment processes across Canada. You will manage high volumes of applications, shortlisting, resume screening and pre-screen interviews to support timely hiring decisions.

The role requires bilingual English/French and reports to the HR Office in Ottawa two days a week in a hybrid work arrangement. A competitive salary and strong benefits package are offered.

Qualifications

• Minimum: college diploma in human resources management with four years’ relevant experience.
• Preferred: university degree in human resources management and/or CHRP or RRP designation.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate recruitment across multiple regions in Canada.
• Shortlist candidates and screen resumes.
• Conduct pre-screen interviews to support timely hiring decisions.
• Provide data-driven insights and reporting on talent acquisition and retention activities.
• Develop and maintain talent acquisition initiatives and community partnerships.

Skills

Talent acquisition

Candidate screening

Resume screening

Pre-screen interviews

Taleo

HRIS

Project management

Data analysis

Education

College diploma in HR management

University degree in HR (preferred)

CHRP/RRP designation (preferred)

Tools

Taleo

HRIS

Excel

Job description

Who Can Apply?

Internal (DCC Employees) and External (General Public)

Salary Range

$80,886 - $105,152

Employment status

Term

Flexible work option

Hybrid (2 days/week)

Term Length

12 months

Security Level

Reliability

Language Requirement

Bilingual Mandatory

Closing Date

24/09/2026

Country

Canada

**This is a hybrid position. The incumbent must report to our HR Office in Ottawa 2 days a week.**

** This position has been designated bilingual, where English and French are essential. **

** While priority will be given to qualified candidates who meet this bilingual linguistic profile, we welcome applications from candidates who may not meet this bilingual requirement. **

The Specialist, Talent Acquisition and Retention (12-Month Term) supports DCC's talent acquisition activities by coordinating and executing key recruitment processes across multiple regions in Canada. The primary focus of this role is to manage high volumes of candidate applications by conducting candidate shortlisting, resume screening, and pre-screen interviews to support timely and effective hiring decisions.

Working closely with Talent Acquisition team members and hiring managers, the incumbent helps ensure a positive candidate experience throughout the recruitment process while maintaining efficient and consistent hiring practices. The Specialist provides administrative and operational recruitment support, including candidate communications, interview coordination, talent pipeline management, and recruitment reporting.

In addition, the incumbent supports talent acquisition initiatives and contributes to process improvements that enhance the effectiveness, quality, and efficiency of DCC's recruitment programs and services.

KEY AND PERIODIC ACTIVITIES

The duties and responsibilities listed below are representative but not all-inclusive:

Primary

• Collaborate with DCC’s regions, departments and other Human Resources team members to innovate and address workforce planning challenges
• Partner with hiring managers to define position requirements and establish recruiting strategy
• Research regional talent market and recommend creative sourcing strategies to attract and retain talented candidates from diverse backgrounds, cultures and experiences
• Implement effective techniques for identifying new talent (e.g. direct sourcing, social media, referrals, networking)
• Build candidate networks and pipelines for proactive recruitment
• Provide data-driven insights and reporting on talent acquisition and retention activities to support the regions and departments in developing and maintaining effective workforce planning strategies
• Develop and maintain talent acquisition and retention initiatives, including supporting the development of DCC’s Employee Value Proposition
• Develop community partnerships with universities, colleges and employment equity groups
• Develop and coordinate meet-and-greet sessions for new employees
• Administer and maintain the recruitment advertising options database
• Promote and administer the Employee Referral Program
• Develop, maintain and help safeguard the security of DCC’s applicant tracking system (Taleo) and the recruitment module in the Human Resources Information System
• Develop and maintain effective relationships within DCC, and with industry, the Client-Partners and/or stakeholders

Other

• Support the onboarding of new employees
• Other duties as assigned

SKILLS

General and Specific Knowledge

• Best practices, methods, trends and legislation in human resources management, with a focus on talent acquisition
• In-depth knowledge of applicant tracking systems, preferably Taleo, or other human resources information management systems
• Project management principles

Formal Education and/or Certification(s) and Experience

• Minimum: college diploma in human resources management with four years’ relevant experience, or the equivalent
• Preferred: university degree in human resources management and/or Certified Human Resources Professional or Registered Recruitment Professional designation

Abilities

• Use applicable computer software and operating systems, including Excel and the Human Resources Information System
• Research and write reports and presentations
• Apply project management techniques

DEVELOPMENT AND LEADERSHIP

• Provide functional advice and guidance to employees

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Typical office environment with occasional travel

Check out your benefits

Working with us offers excellent opportunities for growth and advancement—and entitles you to one of the job market’s best benefits packages valued at between 25 and 30% of your salary.

Your package includes

Health and Wellness
$400 wellness allowance to help cover expenses such as a gym membership
$2,500 for mental health services on top of regular $2,500 paramedical coverage
Telus Virtual Health Care
Home and Family
Life, accidental-death, and short-term disability insurance
Enhanced inConfidence employee and family assistance program
Flexible workplace options, including $400 allowance every two years, to support working from home
Leave and Retirement
Public-service pension
Comprehensive vacation and other paid-leave plans, along with enhanced travel benefits coverage

To begin a career with Defence Construction Canada (DCC), you must be a Canadian Citizen or a permanent resident of Canada. As a condition of employment with DCC, a minimum reliability security status clearance is required and some roles may require secret security status clearance.
DCC is responsible for the Personnel Security Clearance process. Typically to be eligible for a "Reliability" clearance, you must have five years of verifiable background information and to be eligible for a "Secret" clearance, you must have 10 years of verifiable background information. The process usually involves reference inquiries, verification of qualifications, criminal records checks, and credit checks (as required) and may require fingerprints. For more information about obtaining a security clearance, please review the Standard on Security Screening.
The appropriate security clearance is a condition of employment and it is the candidate’s or employee’s responsibility to ensure, they are able to obtain and maintain their required security level clearance to begin or continue their employment with DCC. Failure to obtain or maintain, the appropriate level of security clearance means either the candidate or employee will not receive a job offer, the conditional offer will be rendered null and void or their employment will be terminated with cause. A thorough security clearance process will be applied to all candidates or employees considered for an appointment; this process includes inquiries, verifications and assessments regarding matters such as, but not limited to:
criminal record checks
reference checks
previous employment
open source checks
credit/financial status
DCC's Code of Business Conduct (Code) is a condition of employment. It serves to enhance public confidence in the integrity of DCC Employees and provides clarity to Employees on a number of issues, including real or perceived conflicts of interest. Before applying to this (or any) position at DCC, candidates shall familiarize themselves with the Code, because new employees are required to certify that they have read, understood, and agreed to observe the Code upon commencing work at DCC.
Employees are further required to review their obligations under the Code and notify the President's Office of any changes in their circumstances at the earliest possible opportunity, and to complete the Annual Update once a year.
Be part of a diverse and inclusive workplace!
Roles at DCC will require security at various levels including Reliability, Secret, Top Secret and for Canadian Eyes Only (proof of Citizenship required). While we welcome applications to our roles who are not Canadian citizens who are eligible to work in Canada and have at least 5 years of verifiable background information, selection will depend on the specific role’s requirements.
At DCC, we are committed to ensuring everyone has a voice and can be their authentic selves in our workplace. We actively encourage applications from all, including but not limited to, women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, visible minorities and members of the LGBTQ2+ community.
DCC’s goal is to provide barrier-free access to employment opportunities and workspaces for employees and candidates. If you require an accommodation for the recruitment/interview process (including alternate formats of materials, accessible meeting rooms or other accommodations), please let us know and we will work with you to meet your needs. Should you require accommodation, please email [e-mail].