Associate Recruiter, Retail

Theory; New York (NY); On-site; USD 88,000 - 92,000; Full time

Job summary

Theory is hiring an Associate Recruiter, Retail in New York. You will support full life-cycle recruitment across Theory’s U.S. retail stores, partnering with leadership and HR to attract, assess, and hire top retail talent. The role is based in NYC with up to 50% travel to stores and regular travel to the NYC office.

You will own recruiting operations, onboarding, and KPI tracking, while championing diversity and a candidate-centered process aligned with Theory’s brand and service expectations.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of recruitment or talent acquisition experience, preferably supporting multi-unit retail, luxury fashion, hospitality, or another high-touch customer experience environment.
• Retail recruitment experience required; field recruitment, or high-volume store hiring experience preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Communications, Fashion Merchandising, or a related field preferred.
• Strong understanding of full life cycle recruiting, including sourcing, screening, interview coordination, candidate evaluation, offer support, and onboarding administration.
• Experience using applicant tracking systems and HR platforms; Workday experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage full life-cycle recruitment for retail store roles across Theory’s U.S. business, including sales, support, Key Holder, Assistant Store Manager, Store Manager, and other store positions.
• Partner with Store Managers, Area Managers, VP of Retail, HR Business Partners, and Talent Acquisition leadership to understand staffing needs, urgency, market dynamics, and approved hiring plans.
• Source, screen, assess, and recommend qualified candidates while ensuring the interview process is timely, structured, and aligned to the appropriate interview sequence by role level.
• Coordinate interview scheduling and candidate communication, partnering with hiring managers to maintain strong response times and an elevated candidate experience.
• Post internal and external job openings, maintain accurate requisition information, and ensure postings meet company standards, wage transparency requirements, and EEO compliance.
• Own, track, and maintain talent acquisition KPIs, including open requisitions, time-to-fill, candidate pipeline health, interview activity, offer acceptance, and hiring status updates, using data to improve recruiting efficiency, and support business decision-making.

Skills

Full life cycle recruiting

Stakeholder management

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Workday

MS Excel

Job description

At Theory, we design clothes for people who move through the world with purpose. Founded in New York in 1997, Theory was built on the belief that exceptional fit, fabric, and style can change the way we dress and live. Today, our effortless, timeless, and versatile designs are brought to life through exceptional materials and striking fits, inspiring everyday confidence so our customers can make their mark.

Rooted in the energy and refinement of New York City, Theory creates a modern wardrobe that balances function, sophistication, and ease. From our atelier in the Meatpacking District, we prioritize thoughtful design, innovation, and craftsmanship—partnering with world-renowned mills to develop signature materials and products that support real life.

As part of Fast Retailing, Theory continues to grow with a global mindset and a shared commitment to creativity, collaboration, community, and conscious design. Together, we harness the power of clothes to change the world, creating products and experiences that help people feel confident, connected, and ready for what comes next.

The Role

The Associate Recruiter, Retail is responsible for supporting full life-cycle recruitment across Theory’s U.S. retail stores, partnering closely with store leadership, field leaders, HR Business Partners, and the Talent Acquisition team to identify, attract, select, assess and hire top retail talent. This role helps ensure a consistent, efficient, and candidate-centered hiring process that reflects Theory’s brand, culture, and service expectations. The Associate Recruiter also supports recruitment operations, hiring events, onboarding administration, and other talent acquisition needs, as business priorities require.

The role will be based in our NYC headquarters with up to 50% expected travel to stores, virtual responsibilities; as well as regular travel to the NYC office.

Responsibilities

• Manage full life-cycle recruitment for retail store roles across Theory’s U.S. business, including sales, support, Key Holder, Assistant Store Manager, Store Manager, and other store positions.
• Partner with Store Managers, Area Managers, VP of Retail, HR Business Partners, and Talent Acquisition leadership to understand staffing needs, urgency, market dynamics, and approved hiring plans.
• Source, screen, assess, and recommend qualified candidates while ensuring the interview process is timely, structured, and aligned to the appropriate interview sequence by role level.
• Coordinate interview scheduling and candidate communication, partnering with hiring managers to maintain strong response times and an elevated candidate experience.
• Post internal and external job openings, maintain accurate requisition information, and ensure postings meet company standards, wage transparency requirements, and EEO compliance.
• Own, track, and maintain talent acquisition KPIs, including open requisitions, time-to-fill, candidate pipeline health, interview activity, offer acceptance, and hiring status updates, using data to improve recruiting efficiency, and support business decision-making.
• Provide weekly candidate updates, screening recaps, and hiring status summaries to hiring managers and business partners to support clear decision-making and recruiting accountability.
• Guide store leadership through the recruitment process, including interview expectations, feedback timelines, candidate evaluation, and next steps.
• Champion diversity, inclusion, and culture throughout the hiring process by supporting inclusive job descriptions, consistent interview practices, and a respectful candidate experience.
• Support offer process administration, including compensation review partnership, offer letter drafting, background check initiation, and Workday onboarding steps as needed.
• Maintain accurate and organized recruitment records, applicant files, and hiring documentation in accordance with company standards and compliance requirements.
• Partner closely with the Talent Acquisition team to track recruiting metrics, identify process opportunities, and contribute to overall retail recruitment strategy.
• Conduct regular competitor and market analysis to identify recruiting best practices, strengthen sourcing strategies, and continuously improve the retail hiring process.
• Support recruitment events, career fairs, graduate program recruitment (Theory Management Candidate), market visits, and in-field sourcing activities to build brand awareness and strengthen the retail talent pipeline.
• Partner with retail leadership and L&D, as needed, to support recruiting efforts connected to talent pipeline programs, including management development and university partnership initiatives.
• Assist the Talent Acquisition and HR teams with recruitment-related presentation materials, hiring event preparation, internal training support, and ad hoc talent projects.

Skills & Qualifications

• 3+ years of recruitment or talent acquisition experience, preferably supporting multi-unit retail, luxury fashion, hospitality, or another high-touch customer experience environment.
• Retail recruitment experience required; field recruitment, or high-volume store hiring experience preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Communications, Fashion Merchandising, or a related field preferred.
• Strong understanding of full life cycle recruiting, including sourcing, screening, interview coordination, candidate evaluation, offer support, and onboarding administration.
• Ability to build trusted partnerships with Store Managers, field leaders, HR Business Partners, and cross-functional teams while balancing business needs and candidate experience.
• Excellent communication and follow-up skills, with the ability to represent the Theory brand professionally with candidates and internal partners.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with strong follow-through and the ability to manage multiple requisitions, deadlines, and competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience using applicant tracking systems and HR platforms; Workday experience preferred.
• Working knowledge of recruiting compliance, EEO guidelines, hiring documentation, and wage transparency requirements preferred.
• Comfortable using recruiting metrics, candidate pipelines, and hiring updates to support business decisions and identify process opportunities.
• Self-motivated, solution-oriented, and able to work independently while contributing to a collaborative Talent Acquisition and HR team environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, and Excel; ability to prepare clear recruitment updates, trackers, and presentation materials.
• Flexible and adaptable to changing business priorities, seasonal hiring needs, and evolving recruitment processes.
• Ability to travel for recruitment events, career fairs, market visits, or in-field recruitment needs as required.

Salary: $88,000-92,000 per year*

*The offered salary or salary range is based on several factors, including, but not limited to, overall experience, relevant experience, education level, certifications, applicable skills and expertise, and location of the position.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Theory LLC does not discriminate against applicants or employees because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, veteran status, disability, age, citizenship, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or because of any other status or condition protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Ensure your Theory job offer is legitimate and don’t fall victim to fraud. Theory never seeks payment from job applicants. Feel free to ask your recruiter for a phone call or other type of communication for an interview and ensure your communication is coming from a Theory or sister company email address. For added security, where possible, apply through our direct job posting.