Talent Acquisition Specialist

UNKNOWN; Kansas City (MO); On-site; USD 30,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

Challenge Manufacturing is seeking an Hourly Talent Acquisition Specialist to lead full-cycle recruiting for multiple roles at our Kansas City, MO plant or Spartanburg, SC. This 1st shift position focuses on strong sourcing, rapid interview coordination, and building talent pipelines to meet urgent needs.

You will partner with department leaders, assess candidate fit for the company’s future goals, and maintain organized recruitment processes in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, or related field.
• Minimum of 3 years as a full-cycle recruiter.
• Manufacturing recruiting experience preferred.
• Strong verbal and written communication; problem-solving mindset.

Responsibilities

• Manage full-cycle recruiting for multiple positions.
• Source qualified candidates through online channels.
• Partner with leaders to identify hiring needs and plan talent strategy.
• Coordinate interviews and assess candidates against criteria.
• Conduct reference or background checks on applicants.
• Maintain recruitment records and organized processes.

Skills

Full-cycle recruiting

Sourcing

Interview coordination

Stakeholder collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field

Job description

Who We Are: Challenge Manufacturing’s mission is to manufacture with operational excellence by empowering our employee-owners. As a leading tier 1 supplier of complex metal assemblies for the global automotive industry, we drive innovative solutions for future mobility. We believe the best ideas come from individual unique perspectives. These ideas combined with the teamwork of industry leaders allow us to accomplish any challenge. Our team members take pride in the work we do and embody our core values of safety, ownership, and teamwork every day; they are the true driving force in our operations.

Challenge is proud to be one of the largest employee-owned automotive companies in North America. One of the many benefits of joining the Challenge team is the ESOP program. This program allows Challenge to give shares of the Company to all employee-owners annually. These shares are an additional retirement benefit that will continue to grow during your time at Challenge. Being part of an ESOP means our employee-owners share in Challenge’s success!

Challenge is #QualityDriven and #PeoplePowered!

Who We Want

The Hourly Talent Acquisition Specialist is responsible for the full-cycle recruiting process including sourcing, screening, interview coordination, and setting up new hires for success. The Talent Acquisition Specialist will build and nurture relationships with hiring managers and prospective talent to fill open roles successfully and urgently with top talent.

What You’ll Do

• Manage the full cycle recruiting process for multiple positions
• Identify and source qualified candidates through online channels
• Partner with leaders to help identify hiring needs and provide expertise in hiring and talent planning
• Work with hiring managers and interview teams to ensure job requirements and expectations are clearly understood and candidates are assessed against appropriate criteria
• Assess candidates to ensure they fit the company's future goals
• Maintain a variety of recruiting sources that provide appropriate candidate flow
• Develop and implement effective recruitment strategies that take a longer-term approach
• Conduct reference or background checks on job applicants
• Interpret and explain human resources policies, procedures laws, standards, or regulations as needed
• Build and maintain relationships with hiring managers
• Keep records of recruitment materials and champion organized processes
• Analyze the organization’s development to anticipate future hiring needs
• Help the company retain top talent with strong communication and process organization

When and Where

This will be a 1st Shift / 830AM-5PM M-F position located at our Plant in Kansas City, MO or Spartanburg, SC.

Occasionally, this may require you to arrive early, stay late, or work on weekends, outside of our regular hours, to ensure we successfully meet customer needs, deadlines, or urgent requests.

What You Need to Have

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience as a full-cycle recruiter.
• Prior experience recruiting within the manufacturing industry is preferred.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with excellent active listening abilities.
• Conceptual thinker with a creative and innovative approach to problem-solving.
• Demonstrated ability to make sound decisions and utilize resources effectively.
• Flexible and adaptable in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Self-motivated and capable of working independently with minimal supervision.
• Proven leadership potential with a desire for ongoing personal and professional development.
• Passionate about building meaningful relationships and understanding the "why" behind a candidate’s experience.
• Team-oriented with a collaborative mindset to meet hiring goals and support organizational success.
• Enjoys working closely with cross-functional teams and contributing to collective achievements.
• Comfortable navigating the ups and downs of the recruitment process with a positive attitude.
• Holds high standards of performance and accountability for actions, outcomes, and continuous improvement.
• Delivers work that is thorough, accurate, and dependable; maintains honesty and integrity in all interactions.
• Effectively resolves conflict by actively listening, staying solution-focused, and following through on resolution steps.
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• Maintains strong, constructive working relationships and values feedback to enhance performance and collaboration.
• Demonstrates a strong sense of urgency to support the needs of the business.
• Maintains consistent attendance, manages time effectively, and ensures adequate coverage during absences.
• Uses work time productively, including timely breaks and lunches.