Sr. Talent Acquisition Partner

Playfly Sports; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Playfly Sports in Chicago, IL is seeking a Sr. Talent Acquisition Partner to lead full-cycle recruiting for a key business vertical.

You will own sourcing strategy, develop pipelines, advise leadership on market conditions, compensation, and hiring decisions, and partner with HR to drive outcomes. As a senior member of the TA team, you will elevate practices, contribute to employer branding, use data analytics to optimize hiring, and build relationships with external networks to expand Playfly's

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive Talent Acquisition or recruiting experience with complex full-cycle searches.
• Strategic thinker who uses data to shape recruiting strategy.
• Experience partnering with hiring managers and senior leaders.
• Ability to own searches, manage competing priorities, and build pipelines.

Responsibilities

• Own full-cycle recruiting for an assigned vertical, from intake to close.
• Develop proactive talent pipelines using Boolean search, LinkedIn, referrals, and networking.
• Advise hiring managers on search strategy, candidate profiles, and market conditions.
• Lead talent reviews with stakeholders to assess pipelines and priorities.
• Deliver regular pipeline updates and market intelligence to leaders.

Skills

Full-cycle recruiting

Sourcing & talent mapping

Consultative partner

Data-driven hiring

ATS/CRM proficiency

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional collaboration

Sports/media industry interest

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

ATS

CRM systems

Sourcing platforms

Job description

SR. TALENT ACQUISITION PARTNER

Chicago, IL

Hybrid Schedule

THE RUNDOWN

Playfly Sports is looking for a Sr. Talent Acquisition Partner to join our team in Chicago, IL.

The Senior Talent Acquisition Partner at Playfly Sports serves as a strategic recruiting partner to an assigned business vertical, owning talent acquisition strategy and execution while helping build proactive talent pipelines that support both immediate and future hiring needs.

This role goes beyond traditional requisition management. The Senior Talent Acquisition Partner is expected to develop a deep understanding of their assigned business, talent market, and workforce needs; advise hiring leaders on recruiting strategy; proactively identify and engage talent; and use data to continuously improve sourcing and hiring outcomes.

As a senior member of the Talent Acquisition team, this individual will also help elevate recruiting practices across Playfly by contributing to sourcing strategy, employer branding, talent intelligence, process improvement, and collaboration with HR Centers of Excellence and business partners across the organization.

WHAT YOU’LL ACCOMPLISH

• Serve as the primary Talent Acquisition partner for an assigned Playfly business vertical.
• Develop a deep understanding of the vertical's business priorities, workforce needs, talent landscape, and organizational structure.
• Own full-cycle recruiting from intake and sourcing strategy through assessment, interview management, offer, and close.
• Advise hiring managers on search strategy, candidate profiles, market conditions, compensation considerations, and hiring decisions.
• Lead recurring talent reviews with hiring managers, HR partners, and internal stakeholders to assess pipelines, hiring priorities, talent gaps, and upcoming needs.
• Build proactive talent pipelines through Boolean search, LinkedIn, referrals, networking, talent mapping, ATS/CRM tools, and other sourcing channels.
• Own prospecting performance and measure sourcing effectiveness through outreach, response, conversation, qualification, and interview conversion rates.
• Develop and continuously refine Boolean searches, sourcing strategies, talent maps, and candidate engagement approaches.
• Use recruiting data and funnel analytics to identify gaps, adjust strategy, and improve hiring outcomes.
• Deliver regular pipeline updates, market intelligence, and recommendations to business and HR leaders.
• Conduct thoughtful candidate assessments focused on capabilities, experience, motivation, and organizational alignment.
• Create a consistent, high-quality candidate experience throughout the hiring process.
• Help own Playfly's talent-facing online presence, including recruitment marketing, social content, employee storytelling, and careers messaging.
• Partner with Playfly Creates and other internal teams on employer branding, recruitment campaigns, and talent-focused content.
• Build and maintain relationships with relevant professional associations, affinity groups, community organizations, and external talent networks.
• Identify opportunities to expand Playfly's reach into new talent communities and strengthen long-term candidate pipelines.
• Own and execute quarterly talent activations, including networking events, industry engagement, talent communities, sourcing campaigns, and other targeted recruiting initiatives.
• Partner across HR, including HR Business Partners, People Operations, Total Rewards, Learning & Development, Early Careers, and other Centers of Excellence.
• Contribute to TA process improvements, recruiting technology, reporting, hiring manager enablement, and sourcing best practices.
• Represent Playfly at industry events, career events, networking opportunities, and other talent-focused programs as needed.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
• 5+ years of progressive Talent Acquisition or recruiting experience, including complex full-cycle searches.
• Strong proactive sourcing skills, including Boolean search, talent mapping, passive candidate engagement, and pipeline development.
• Demonstrated ability to use recruiting metrics and conversion data to evaluate and improve sourcing strategy.
• Experience serving as a consultative partner to hiring managers and senior leaders.
• Ability to independently own searches, relationships, projects, and competing priorities.
• Strong candidate assessment, market intelligence, and talent advisory capabilities.
• Excellent written, verbal, relationship-building, and presentation skills.
• Ability to translate business needs into actionable recruiting and talent strategies.
• Experience partnering across HR, business functions, and cross-functional teams.
• Familiarity with ATS, CRM, sourcing platforms, recruiting technology, and talent analytics.
• Proactive, curious, and solutions-oriented approach with strong judgment and accountability.
• Interest in sports, media, entertainment, or marketing and the ability to quickly understand Playfly's businesses and talent landscape.

TRAVEL, LIFTING, PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to lift up to 30 lbs.
• This role takes place in an office setting and is a sedentary role

COMPENSATION

Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, depth of experience, certifications, and specific work location. This may be different in other locations due to differences in the cost of labor.

The base pay range for this role is

$75,000—$85,000 USD

WHAT WE DO

Playfly Sports is the full-service, leading sports marketing and media company that enables brands to engage with sports fans on a local, regional, and national level through scaled linear, digital, and experiential assets. Playfly Sports drives outcome-based solutions into 90-million households via more than 7,800 live U.S. broadcasts of MLB, NBA, and NHL games; and influences sports fans of all ages through the management of college and high school multimedia rights, uniform branding, and high-profile sports sponsorship platforms. Playfly Sports has the unique ability to partner, innovate, and advance the aspirations of athletes, brands, academic institutions, and sports fans across the U.S. Playfly Sports is Powered by Partnership. Visit Playfly Sports online at playfly.com

WHAT WE STAND FOR

At Playfly, we know that a diverse, equitable, and inclusive company is a more innovative and successful one, but more importantly, we believe it’s just the right thing to do. Through conversations, company initiatives, community events and partnerships, policy changes, data analysis, workshops, and support groups, we are dedicated to creating a workplace where everyone can thrive. We are here for the long haul and to do the meaningful work that creates true institutional change within our workplace, with our partners, and in the communities we serve.

EEOC & DIVERSITY STATEMENT

Playfly Sports affirms that inequality is detrimental to our associates, our clients, and the communities we serve. Our goal is to impact lasting change through our actions. Together, we unite for equality and equity. Playfly Sports is committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of any protected characteristic, including race, color, genetic information, creed, national origin, religion, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, lawful alien status, ancestry, age, marital status, or protected veteran status and will not discriminate against anyone on the basis of a disability. We support an inclusive workplace where associates excel based on personal merit, qualifications, experience, ability, and job performance.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Playfly Sports is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals, and as part of this commitment, Playfly Sports will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact [[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail]).

We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa for this role at this time

Equal Opportunity Employer
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