Talent Acquisition Lead

PEPL; Smyrna (GA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

PEPL is seeking a Talent Acquisition & Early Career Programs Manager to build pipelines across our client's commercial construction operations. You will own the full candidate journey while architecting structured programs that develop the next generation of construction professionals along the Intern → Project Engineer → Project Manager pathway.

You are relationship-driven, process-minded, and capable of partnering with operations leadership to align hiring with business needs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, business, or related field required.
• 4+ years in talent acquisition, preferably in construction/engineering.
• Experience managing university or early-career programs preferred.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with measurable outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end recruiting from sourcing to onboarding.
• Partner with operations leadership to align hiring with business needs.
• Develop proactive talent pipelines for high-demand roles in project management and field operations.
• Lead university partnership strategy and manage structured internship programs.

Skills

Relationship building

Proactive mindset

Process orientation

Discretion & integrity

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources or Business

Tools

ATS

LinkedIn Recruiter

MS Office

Job description

We are seeking a Talent Acquisition & Early Career Programs Manager to build and sustain strong talent pipelines across our client's commercial construction operations. This role goes beyond traditional recruiting, you will own the full candidate journey while also architecting structured programs that develop the next generation of construction professionals along the Intern → Project Engineer → Project Manager pathway.

We need a relationship-driven, process-minded professional who understands that great hiring is the foundation of a great company.

Cultural Alignment & Relational Skills

• Relationship Builder: You understand that recruiting is about people first. You build trust with candidates, university partners, hiring managers, and the broader team.
• Proactive & Self-Starting: You don't wait for requisitions to land in your lap. You anticipate hiring needs, build pipelines ahead of demand, and bring solutions rather than problems.
• Can-Do Attitude: We thrive on positivity and teamwork. You energize the people around you and make candidates feel genuinely welcomed into the company's culture.
• Discretion & Integrity: Handling sensitive candidate and compensation information requires the highest level of confidentiality and professional ethics.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end recruiting process from sourcing and screening through offer acceptance and onboarding handoff
• Partner closely with operations leadership to align hiring strategy with business needs
• Develop and maintain a proactive talent pipeline for high-demand roles across project management and field operations

Early Career & University Programs:

• Lead and grow the university partnership strategy, establishing the company as an employer of choice on targeted campuses
• Design and manage a structured internship program with defined development milestones and meaningful project exposure
• Build clear progression pathways from Intern → Project Engineer → Project Manager, ensuring early-career talent has a roadmap for long-term growth

Talent Development & Behavioral Insights:

• Apply behavioral assessment tools (Culture Index) to hiring, onboarding, and development conversations to support stronger team alignment
• Collaborate with Operations leadership to integrate talent strategy with broader workforce development initiatives
• Provide mentorship and structured touchpoints for interns and early-career employees throughout their journey with the organization
• Own the scheduling of training programs across the organization

Qualifications

Requirements & Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field
• Experience: 4+ years of talent acquisition experience, preferably within construction, engineering, or a related industry; demonstrated experience managing university or early-career programs strongly preferred
• Technical Proficiency: Proficiency in applicant tracking systems (ATS), LinkedIn Recruiter, and MS Office; familiarity with construction industry roles and career paths is a significant plus
• Skills: Strong interpersonal and communication skills; ability to pair relationship-building with disciplined process management and measurable outcomes