Talent Acquisition Specialist

Maine; Augusta (ME); Hybrid; USD 59,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of the Secretary of State in Maine is seeking a Talent Acquisition Specialist to enhance public service recruitment. In this role, you will manage full-cycle recruitment, engage with hiring managers, and contribute to workforce goals. A passion for public service and expertise in HR practices will make you a key player in shaping Maine's government workforce.

Benefits

Flexible Work Schedule

Health and Dental Insurance

Retirement Contributions

Paid Holidays and Vacation Time

Qualifications

• Experience managing full-cycle recruitment in government settings.
• Knowledge of pre-employment screening and compliance protocols.
• Strong writing and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead full-cycle recruitment and develop strategic talent pipelines.
• Consult with hiring managers to align recruitment with workforce needs.
• Coordinate background checks and maintain recruitment documentation.

Skills

Recruitment Expertise

Communication

Negotiation

Operational Efficiency

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Workday

Job description

Location: Augusta,Maine,United States

Talent Acquisition Specialist

Office of Human Resources | The Department of the Secretary of State

Location: Augusta, Maine (Hybrid eligible after probation)

Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM

Classification: Public Service Coordinator I (CA25)

Salary Range: $59,737.60 – $84,323.20 annually

Application Deadline: June 23, 2025

Lead the Way in Public Service Recruitment

At the Maine Department of the Secretary of State, we believe that public service should be driven by purpose, powered by professionalism, and deeply rooted in people. Our Office of Human Resources isn't just about managing personnel; it's about shaping the future of Maine's government workforce. As we grow and modernize our systems and practices, we seek an HR Generalist to serve as our Talent Acquisition Specialist, ready to lead, build, and elevate how we recruit and retain great people across the Department of the Secretary of State.

This is more than a job ; it's a call to someone who sees recruitment as a process and a craft. Someone who thrives on the challenge of finding the right person for the proper role and believes in creating welcoming, equitable, and strategically sound experiences from first contact to first day.

What You'll Be Doing

As the Talent Acquisition Specialist, you will serve as a strategic partner to hiring managers across all divisions of the Department, including the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Corporations, Elections & Commissions, Maine State Archives, and the Office of the Secretary. With over 450 employees and dozens of job classifications, your work will have a wide-reaching impact and shape how citizens experience public service in Maine.

This position requires a blend of strategic thinking, operational efficiency, system knowledge, and people-centered communication.

You will:

• Lead full-cycle recruitment for all divisions, including processing functional job analysis, drafting and posting job announcements, screening candidates, consulting on hiring decisions, preparing offer letters & rejection letters, advising on compensation within established ranges, and managing all post-selection communication.
• Serve as a consultative resource to hiring managers, guiding them through civil service processes and ensuring hiring decisions align with both workforce needs and applicable rules, contracts, and policies.
• Coordinate and track background checks and fingerprinting in compliance with state requirements and employment standards.
• Represent the Department at outreach events , job fairs, and university partnerships while developing strategic pipelines with community organizations, veterans' programs, and workforce boards.
• Support classification and position management efforts by conducting functional job analysis, reviewing functions against classification standards, and partnering with HR leadership.
• Maintain recruitment documentation and compliance files , including structured interview guides, hiring memos, salary justifications, and onboarding templates.
• Manage learning compliance and track employee development through the Department's Learning Management System (LMS), coordinating onboarding, annual training, and supervisor development programming.
• Train staff on HR systems , including Workday and the Learning Management System (LMS), and provide ongoing technical assistance and resource development.
• Collaborate with the Director of Organizational Development on HR special projects to advance workforce engagement, inclusion, and internal process innovation.
• Provide cross-functional support in payroll and workers' compensation administration, ensuring continuity of HR services during high-volume periods or staff absences.

This role requires high levels of independence, judgment, and discretion. You will act as a subject matter expert in recruitment and talent operations, contributing to a stronger, more strategic HR function across the Department.

What Sets This Role Apart

This isn't just a behind-the-scenes HR role. It's a highly visible, mission-critical position that affects every new employee's journey into public service. From frontline BMV clerks to records retention specialists and administrative staff, the individuals you help bring into the organization will go on to serve thousands of Mainers every day. You will be part of a close-knit HR team that values collaboration, transparency, and continuous growth.

After successfully completing your probationary period, this position may offer hybrid flexibility, allowing you to work remotely part of the week, depending on operational needs and supervisory approval.

The Right Fit for This Role

We're looking for more than just a recruiter; we're seeking a mission-driven professional who views every hire as a meaningful connection between the State of Maine and the people we serve. The ideal candidate brings curiosity, proactivity, and purpose to their work, thriving in a fast-paced, compliance-driven environment while keeping people at the center of every process.

Preference will be given to candidates who:

• Understand the Bigger Picture : You view recruitment as a strategic function, not just a transactional one. You're invested in supporting long-term workforce goals and know how to align the right talent with the mission of public service.
• Bring Recruitment Expertise : You have experience in civil service hiring or high-volume, regulated recruitment settings, with a solid understanding of processes, policies, and people dynamics.
• Communicate with Clarity and Compassion : Whether speaking with a job applicant or a senior leader, you tailor your communication to build trust, ensure understanding, and move the process forward with care.
• Manage Complexity with Ease : You're comfortable juggling multiple priorities, timelines, and platforms without missing a beat. Detail-oriented but never stuck in the weeds, you keep the big picture in focus.
• Deliver Excellent Service : You approach your work with a customer service mindset, providing responsive and respectful support to hiring managers, applicants, and colleagues alike.
• Are Driven by Purpose : You believe in the value of public service and bring integrity, enthusiasm, and heart to your role, not just in what you do, but how you do it.

Minimum Qualifications

Candidates should have a combination of education, training, and experience that demonstrates:

• Direct experience managing full-cycle recruitment in a government, unionized, or high-volume hiring environment.
• Familiarity with pre-employment screening, background check coordination, and compliance protocols.
• Proficiency with Workday or comparable human resource management systems.
• Experience supporting the rollout, adoption, or transition to a new Human Resource Management System (HRMS), including staff training and troubleshooting.
• Knowledge of functional job analysis, classification, and compensation practices, and civil service frameworks.
• Experience managing or supporting training initiatives, including tracking compliance and participation through a Learning Management System or coordinating and documenting training manually across teams or departments.
• Strong technical writing and verbal communication skills, particularly in developing job postings, procedural memos, and candidate communications.
• The ability to train others and deliver systems support across departments with clarity and patience.
• Experience working with, interpreting, and explaining multiple collective bargaining agreements or civil service rules to leaders, hiring managers, or employees to ensure compliance and informed decision-making.
• A demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment and hiring practices.

How to Apply

We encourage you to apply if you're ready to be part of a team that values integrity, collaboration, and mission-driven service, and if you're excited to lead recruitment efforts that reflect these values. This is your opportunity to do meaningful work in a role where your expertise truly matters. Join us, and help shape the future of Maine's workforce one great hire at a time.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. Please note that this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or STEM OPT extensions. Successful candidates will be required to complete an I-9 form upon hire.

Why Join Our Team?

No matter where you work across the Maine state government, you'll be part of a workforce that embodies our state motto—"Dirigo," or "I lead"—providing essential services to Mainers every day. We believe in supporting our workforce's health and well-being with a valuable total compensation package, including:

• Work-Life Fit: Take time for yourself with 13 paid holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees are entitled to personal leave.
• Health Insurance Coverage: The State of Maine pays 85%-95% of employee-only premiums ($11,196.96 - $12,514.32 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find premium costs for you and your family, including the percentage of dependent coverage paid by the State.
• Dental Insurance: The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums (an annual value of $387.62).
• Retirement Plan: The State contributes the equivalent of 18.09% of the employee's pay towards the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS).

Contact information:

Questions about this position should be directed to Matthew Dudley at [e-mail]

Application Instructions:

Interested applicants need to apply online by selecting the "Apply for this opening" button along with uploading a cover letter, current resume, and copies of any transcripts or certifications you wish to have considered while evaluating your application.In order for us to properly determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for any posting, you must be sure your resume includes month and year for any experience listed along with the duties and responsibilities associated with each particular time period. Any experience that was not full-time employment should be identified as such.

If you require a paper application, please download and print one HERE or contact our office at207-441-4512 . Paper applications for this posting should be submitted along with cover letter and resumebefore the closing dateto Secretary of State Office of Human Resources, 29 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04330 or faxed to 207-624-9313. Be sure title of the job you are applying for is included. Applications cannot be accepted after the posting closing date.

State employees are eligible for an extensive and highly competitive benefits package, covering many aspects of wellness. Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness.

Note: Benefits may vary somewhat according to specific collective bargaining agreements and are prorated for anything less than full-time.

There's a job, and then there’s purposeful, transformative work. Our aim is to create a workplace where you can learn, grow, and continuously refine your skills. Applicants demonstrate job requirements in different ways, and we appreciate that many skills and backgrounds can make people successful in this role.

As an Equal Opportunity employer, Maine State Government embraces a culture of respect and awareness. We are committed to creating a strong sense of belonging for all team members, and our process ensures an inclusive environment to applicants of all backgrounds including diverse race, color, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, familial status or genetics.

If you’re looking for a great next step and want to feel good about what you do, we’d love to hear from you. Please note that reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.

Thinking about applying?

Research shows that people from historically excluded communities tend to apply to jobs only when they check every box in the posting. If you’re currently reading this and hesitating to apply for that reason, we encourage you to go for it! Let us know how your lived experience and passion set you apart.

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