Owner-Operator Senior Recruiter

Rrts; Downers Grove (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Roadrunner is seeking a results-oriented recruiter in Downers Grove, IL to own the full hiring lifecycle like a sales process. You will manage high-volume activity, qualify candidates, and move drivers through a fast, structured pipeline while maintaining tight data discipline in the ATS/CRM.

You will drive outbound and inbound communications, hit aggressive targets, and coordinate closely with Safety, Orientation, and Fleet teams to ensure quick, effective onboarding and reduce early turnover.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of high-volume recruiting, sales, or business development (driver recruiting preferred).
• Proven ability to hit aggressive targets in a fast-paced, metrics-driven environment.
• Strong phone presence and ability to build rapport quickly with high call volume.
• Natural closer mentality—comfortable creating urgency and driving decisions.
• Understand how drivers think, what they care about, and how to earn their trust.
• Exceptional organizational discipline and follow-through under pressure.
• Comfort operating within defined processes while identifying improvement opportunities.
• Proficiency with ATS/CRM systems and data hygiene.
• Familiarity with Tenstreet, Clearinghouse, MVR, PSP and driver qualification readings.
• Resilience and composure in a high-pressure, results-oriented setting.

Responsibilities

• Own the full hiring lifecycle like a sales process.
• Drive high-volume, high-intensity outbound and inbound recruiting communications.
• Maintain an accurate ATS/CRM and monitor key metrics weekly.
• Coordinate clean handoffs and support retention with Safety, Orientation, and Fleet teams.
• Model high-performance recruiting and share market feedback, gaps, and winning approaches.

Skills

High-volume recruiting

Target achievement

Phone presence

Closing mentality

Understanding drivers

Organization under pressure

Process adherence

ATS/CRM proficiency

Tenstreet/Clearinghouse familiarity

Resilience under pressure

Job description

This role exists because Roadrunner's growth depends on a steady pipeline of the right owner-operators-drivers who understand the business, can handle the work, and will stay. Standard recruiting is not enough. We need someone with the maturity, experience, and judgment to work at high volume while truly understanding how drivers think, what motivates them, and what causes them to say yes or walk away.

What you’ll do

1. Own the full hiring lifecycle like a sales process

• Take candidates from first contact through orientation with speed, discipline, and professionalism.
• Run a structured, high-conversion process-qualify hard, set clear expectations, and move qualified drivers forward without delay.
• Prioritize activity based on business demand and pipeline health.
• Treat every conversation as a sales opportunity: position the value of partnering with Roadrunner and close with confidence.

2. Drive high-volume, high-intensity communication

• Manage significant inbound volume while executing aggressive outbound activity to generate and convert leads.
• Maintain a relentless, professional follow-up cadence that keeps momentum high.
• Serve as the primary point of contact-clear, direct, and persuasive.
• Handle objections with skill and turn interest into committed applicants.

3. Operate with precision in a metrics-driven environment

• Keep the ATS/CRM accurate and up to date in real time-data discipline is non-negotiable.
• Live in the numbers: conversion rates, time-to-hire, pipeline stages, and weekly/monthly targets.
• Spot bottlenecks early and adjust activity to stay on track.
• Deliver visibility and insights that help the broader team perform.

4. Coordinate clean handoffs and support retention

• Drive document collection and onboarding readiness with urgency.
• Partner tightly with Safety, Orientation, and Fleet teams to eliminate friction.
• Stay engaged through early tenure to reinforce expectations and reduce early turnover.
• Help set drivers up for success so they stay and perform.

5. Raise the bar for the recruiting function

• Model what high-performance recruiting looks like in a results-oriented culture.
• Share market feedback, process gaps, and winning approaches.
• Contribute to a team that moves fast, owns outcomes, and continuously improves.

What you bring

• 4+ years of high-volume recruiting, sales, or business development experience (transportation or driver recruiting preferred).
• Proven ability to hit aggressive targets in a fast-paced, metrics-driven environment.
• Strong phone presence and the ability to build rapport quickly while managing high call volume.
• Natural closer mentality - comfortable creating urgency, handling objections, and driving decisions.
• Real understanding of how drivers think, what they care about, and how to earn their trust.
• Exceptional organizational discipline and follow-through under pressure.
• Comfort operating within defined processes while identifying ways to improve them.
• Proficiency with ATS/CRM systems and strong data hygiene.
• Proficiency with Tenstreet, Clearinghouse, MVR, PSP, and the ability to read the consumer reports and determine if the driver is qualified.
• Resilience and composure in a high-pressure, results-oriented setting.

How you operate

• You make the required number of calls and follow up daily with qualified applicants
• You update Tenstreet in real time after every conversation so the pipeline is always accurate.
• You know your numbers weekly (leads worked, conversations held, applications submitted, orientations scheduled) and adjust when you’re behind.
• Ability to quickly pre-qualify candidates early in the calls instead of spending time on people who will not qualify.
• You clearly explain pay, routes, expectations, and next steps so drivers know exactly what they’re signing up for.
• You push for a decision and close the next step on every call when possible.
• You escalated problems quickly instead of letting them sit.
• You stay professional and steady when the phones are busy and targets are tight.
• You treat every driver conversation as a sales conversation with a clear goal.

Compensation & Setup

• Pay: Base salary: $65,000-$75,000, plus performance-based commission. Target total compensation is approximately $80,000-$95,000 annually, with higher earning potential for exceptional performance.
• Location: Onsite - Downers Grove, IL
• Benefits: Full benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), and PTO

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands

• Moderate physical activity performing non-strenuous daily activities of an administrative nature.
• While performing the duties of the job, the employee is regularly required to sit, reach/handle items, work with the fingers, and talk and hear others in conversations via the phone or in person.
• The employee is occasionally required to walk and stand for long periods of time.

Work Environment

• The noise level is moderate based on general conversation tones, ringing phones and laser printer operation.
• Work in well-lighted, heated and/or air-conditioned indoor office setting with adequate ventilation, occasional outside events in non environmentally controlled conditions.

* The above statements reflect the general details necessary to describe the principal functions of the position and are not intended to be all inclusive. The position and any of the requirements listed above are subject to change at any time according to the changing needs of the company.

* Roadrunner is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind.

* We will not accept unsolicited candidates from external recruiters or recruiting agencies. Thank you!

#LI-OnsiteDowners Grove, IL

About Roadrunner

Roadrunner is for ambitious, smart people who excel at execution over talking about it, and who would rather invent the next standard in freight than accept the status quo.

We are looking for the Best of the Best. Action driven leaders who want to be part of real change and help design the future of LTL in the U.S. This is a place where high performers can grow, influence outcomes, and make an impact while working directly with executives and smart people from across industries.

We bring a winner mindset. We take ownership, raise the bar, and measure ourselves by results. We Run Safe. We Run Smart. We Run Together. These principles create an environment of high standards, clear ownership, and direct collaboration. We trust data over intuition, move with urgency, and hold each other accountable because winning requires it.

Roadrunner exists to prove that LTL can be better than the industry has settled for. To be the best means we need to think bigger, look outside the box, and question every assumption: too many handoffs, limited visibility, and the quiet belief that "this is just how it works." We rejected that story. We built a proprietary Smart Network™ for direct, long haul, metro to metro service that delivers fewer touches, faster transit, real time visibility, and genuine accountability. We are the most tech forward company in LTL, and we are not finished widening the gap.

The foundation is already strong. Recognized as one of Built In Chicago's Best Large Places to Work. Earning top marks for improvement, quality, and service. The real opportunity is still ahead: helping invent what comes next.

If you want to be evaluated among the Best of the Best and help set the new standard in LTL, we should talk.