Talent Acquisition Specialist (Recruiter)

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority invites you to join as a Talent Acquisition Specialist (Recruiter). This hybrid role in New York, NY offers telework one day per week, a competitive annual salary between USD 70,285 and USD 87,857, and the chance to shape hiring across multiple agencies. You will own end-to-end recruitment, from sourcing and screening to coordinating with hiring managers to fill critical roles, while delivering a positive candidate experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a targeted sourcing strategy using multiple channels such as LinkedIn, job boards, ATS, referrals, and professional networks, with personalized outreach for active and passive candidates.
• Track and manage candidates in the ATS to ensure transparency and timely follow-up, building strong pipelines that address hiring needs and improve time-to-fill.
• Proactively build and maintain talent pools across all agencies with multi-channel sourcing and ongoing management by skill area to shorten sourcing timelines for repeat roles.
• Lead structured intake sessions to translate business needs into clear role criteria, define must-haves versus nice-to-haves, align on competencies and timelines, and coach interview teams on structured evaluation.
• Assess candidate fit against defined criteria before presenting to hiring managers, including resume review for core competencies and structured phone screens with documented notes in the ATS.
• Prepare candidates for interview panels, provide logistics and role expectations, coach on behavioral and competency-based questions, and conduct debriefs with consolidated next steps in the ATS.
• Manage the offer process to ensure competitiveness, equity, and compliance; partner with Compensation on salary ranges and approvals, with decisions documented in the ATS; initiate background clearances and medical assessments where applicable.
• Monitor recruitment metrics, identify bottlenecks, escalate challenges, and recommend process improvements; maintain dashboards to analyze sourcing effectiveness and optimize hiring outcomes.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with teams within the People Department, Labor Relations, and Legal to ensure alignment and compliance throughout the process.

Requirements

• Minimum 3 years of related HR experience, with at least 1 year in recruitment or talent acquisition.
• Hands-on experience with full-cycle recruitment.
• Bachelor’s degree in human resources or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience from an accredited college.
• Proven ability to source passive talent through channels such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and other social platforms, and to build talent pipelines across multiple sourcing platforms.
• Strong consultative and influencing skills to collaborate with and support hiring leaders and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate the organization’s value proposition and benefits package.
• Understanding of staffing principles and employment and state labor laws.
• Excellent written communication for job postings, along with strong interviewing, networking, interpersonal, and customer service skills.
• Proficiency with HR databases, applicant tracking systems, and CRM systems; Jobvite experience is a plus.
• Excellent time management, multitasking, and organizational skills with the ability to prioritize competing demands.
• Experience partnering with agency leaders and business partners to drive recruitment processes, with sound judgment, integrity, confidentiality, and a strong work ethic.
• Ability to create ad-hoc recruitment reports upon request.

Technologies

• LinkedIn
• Indeed
• Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
• Jobvite

Preferred qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field, or in progress toward relevant licenses or certifications if applicable.
• Familiarity with the MTA policies, procedures, and collective bargaining processes.

Other information

Pursuant to the New York State Public Officers Law and the MTA Code of Ethics, all policymakers must file an Annual Statement of Financial Disclosure with the NYS Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The MTA and its subsidiary and affiliated agencies are Equal Opportunity Employers, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. The MTA encourages qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and abilities, including military service members, to apply.