Talent & People Experience Specialist

Direct Agents; New York (NY); On-site; USD 48,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

New MacBook Pro

AI tools access

Acceleration Hub on 5th Avenue

Dog-friendly office

Team events

Job summary

Direct Agents is seeking a Talent & People Experience Specialist to own full-cycle talent acquisition and support People & Culture initiatives. You will source, screen, and shepherd candidates, balancing recruiting with broader people ops responsibilities in a fast-growing setting.

You’ll partner with hiring managers, manage the candidate experience end-to-end, maintain ATS records, and contribute insights to optimize hiring strategies while also supporting HR functions with

Qualifications

• 2+ years of recruiting experience in digital marketing and/or tech environments.
• Strong relationship-building and communication skills across departments and levels.
• Proactive, deadline-driven with a focus on follow-up and problem solving.

Responsibilities

• Lead full-cycle talent acquisition: sourcing, screening, and guiding candidates through hiring process.
• Coordinate interviews and manage candidate experience end-to-end.
• Maintain ATS records and post jobs across platforms.

Skills

Recruiting

Candidate screening

Relationship building

Communication

HR operations

Job description

Talent & People Experience Specialist

The Talent & People Experience Specialist owns full-cycle talent acquisition for Direct Agents: sourcing, screening, and shepherding candidates through a seamless hiring experience, while also serving as a flexible extension of the People & Culture team. This person is equal parts recruiter and operator: comfortable owning a pipeline one moment and jumping into broader people ops support the next, with a positive and solutions oriented demeanor.

Schedule & Compensation

Schedule: 4 days per week, Monday - Thursday, 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM

Compensation: $35-45/hr depending on experience

Key Responsibilities

Talent Acquisition

• Sourcing & Screening | Source and engage passive candidates, build strong pipelines, and evaluate applicants for skills, experience, and cultural add.
• Interview & Candidate Experience | Coordinate interviews and manage every candidate touchpoint end-to-end, delivering a seamless, high-quality experience for candidates and hiring managers alike.
• ATS & Job Posting Management | Maintain accurate ATS records and manage job postings across all platforms for all stakeholders.
• Stakeholder Partnership | Partner with hiring managers and leadership to stay aligned on evolving hiring needs and priorities.
• Reporting & Insights | Track recruitment data, deliver regular updates on candidate and role status, and use insights to continuously refine sourcing and hiring strategies.

People Experience

• As part of the People & Culture team, help provide best-in-class HR support to team members across Direct Agents.
• Support the SVP of HR across a diverse set of company-wide HR functions and initiatives.
• Ensure all HR information is handled with a high degree of confidentiality and integrity.

What We're Looking For

• 2+ years of recruiting experience within a digital marketing and/or tech environment
• Positive, relationship-oriented team player who collaborates effectively across all departments and levels
• Deadline-driven and proactive, with strong follow-up instincts, a sense of urgency, and the ability to identify and resolve obstacles quickly
• Thrives in high-growth, fast-changing environments
• Exceptional organizational and prioritization skills with keen attention to detail
• Knows when to be resourceful and when it's time to
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills across multiple platforms (Zoom, email, Slack)
• Self-motivated with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities

Who We Are

Direct Agents is not a traditional agency. We are an elite team of builders and operators, growth strategists, media architects, and creative thinkers, who partner with ambitious brands to drive measurable revenue growth. Backed by Kanopy AI, our proprietary intelligence platform, and exclusive partnerships with tech and media platforms, we deliver the kind of unfair advantage that helps clients dominate, not just compete.

We operate at the intersection of technology, media, and strategy, where AI meets human expertise to produce outcomes that neither can achieve alone. Our client roster includes brands like Tennis Channel, Marvel, NYSE, Morgan Stanley, Prologis, and DistroKid.

What Sets Us Apart

Direct Agents isn't for everyone, and that's by design. We're building something different.

• Proprietary AI That Actually Works: Kanopy AI is our custom-built intelligence platform, real-time campaign optimization, media mix modeling, natural language analytics, and algorithm enrichment that gives our clients (and our team) a genuine edge. This isn't a buzzword; it's operational.
• Exclusive Platform Access: Direct partnerships across Google AI Search, Meta, TikTok, Amazon, Freewheel, Teads, Stackadapt, and best-in-class tech and media partners.
• An Elite, Not Bloated, Team: 100+ operators who move fast, think deeply, and ship work that matters. No layers of bureaucracy. Direct access to senior leadership and the executives building the strategy.
• AI Integration Across Everything: Claude, ChatGPT, and proprietary AI tools are embedded in our workflows, from data analysis and creative versioning to strategic planning and client intelligence.
• 8x Crain's Best Places to Work: A people-first culture with a 12-month average time to promotion, a 4-day workweek, and genuine investment in career development.
• Certified Minority-Owned Business: 48% BIPOC representation across the agency, 60% female representation, a team that reflects the diverse markets we serve.

Benefits

• New MacBook Pro and access to cutting-edge AI tools across the agency
• Sun-drenched penthouse Acceleration Hub on 5th Avenue in Flatiron with commuter benefits and Citibike membership
• Dog-friendly office, regular team events (Field Day, Ski Club, Golf League, holiday celebrations), and a culture built around ownership and ambition

Location: This role is based in our NYC headquarters. You must reside or be willing to relocate within commuting distance.