Talent Acquisition & Retention Specialist

Talent Acquisition & Retention Specialist

Position Overview

The Talent Acquisition & Retention Specialist owns the full employee lifecycle at Ayoroa Simmons, LLC (A|S), from sourcing and hiring through onboarding, development, and retention. The role reports to the CEO and supports a 30+ person team of licensed surveyors, geomatics technologists, BIM and architectural technicians, UAV operators, and project managers across Lexington, KY, Nashville, TN, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico. A|S is growing through new offices, federal contract awards, and teaming partnerships, and this role builds the workforce capacity that growth requires. It suits a self-directed HR generalist who builds programs from the ground up and represents the firm credibly to technical candidates in the AEC and federal contracting markets.

Key Responsibilities

Growth and Workforce Planning

• Communicate regularly with executive leadership, project managers, and directors to monitor contract, client, and project requirements that will affect staffing needs, and respond with hiring timelines and headcount plans
• Translate the firm's growth plan, including new office openings, contract awards, task orders, and joint venture work, into workforce forecasts reviewed with the principals
• Build local candidate pipelines and recruiting relationships ahead of entry into new markets
• Develop staffing plans in support of RFQs and RFPs in coordination with executive leadership, project managers, and directors, including key personnel, contingent hires, and letters of commitment
• Maintain a current library of team resumes, organized and formatted (including SF 330 Section E) so marketing and proposal staff can access and use them in pursuits
• Research labor markets, compensation benchmarks, and licensing requirements in target geographies and advise the principals on workforce cost and availability
• Scale onboarding, EDP, and HR processes so each new office and remote team operates on the same standards
• Identify the point at which added HR or recruiting headcount is warranted and present the case to the CEO

Talent Acquisition

• Partner with the principals and division leads to forecast hiring needs by office, service line, and contract
• Draft and maintain job descriptions aligned with the Employee Development Plan (EDP) career ladder
• Run sourcing and recruiting as an ongoing, year-round effort through job boards, LinkedIn Recruiter, university programs, professional societies, and the employee referral program, with weekly performance metrics (outreach volume, new candidates added, screens completed, interviews scheduled, offers extended) tracked and met
• Maintain an active candidate pipeline for each recurring role, organized by position and location in the applicant tracking system and vetted through screening so qualified candidates are ready when a need opens
• Screen applicants, coordinate technical interviews with hiring managers, and keep candidates informed at each stage
• Prepare offer packages using the Total Compensation Calculation workbook and coordinate offer letters with the principals
• Manage the applicant tracking system, reference checks, and pre-employment requirements, including eligibility documentation tied to federal and DoD work
• Represent A|S at career fairs, SAME and industry events, and campus recruiting visits

Onboarding and Retention

• Run the onboarding program for office, remote, and field staff, with 30, 60, and 90 day check-ins
• Administer the EDP: maintain career ladder documentation and coordinate promotion reviews with division leads
• Coordinate the performance review cycle, including timelines, templates, and manager guidance
• Conduct stay interviews, exit interviews, and engagement surveys; recommend action to the principals
• Support training and certification planning (PLS licensure, UAV Part 107, software credentials, CMMC and CUI awareness)
• Administer recognition, referral, and incentive compensation programs under the firm's compensation policies

HR Operations and Reporting

• Maintain personnel records, organizational charts, and the employee handbook with the Business Manager
• Coordinate benefits enrollment and renewals and answer employee benefits questions
• Support compliance with EEO, FLSA, ADA, FMLA, and state employment law in Kentucky, Tennessee, DC, Maryland, Virginia, and Puerto Rico, including federal contractor reporting
• Track time-to-fill, offer acceptance rate, cost per hire, turnover, and engagement; report monthly to the principals and maintain the HR section of the management scorecard

Success Profile

A strong Talent Acquisition & Retention Specialist treats sourcing as continuous work, meets weekly recruiting activity metrics, fills technical roles ahead of project need, keeps candidates engaged through an offer acceptance rate of 80% or higher, and delivers each new hire into a documented onboarding path with a clear supervisor handoff. Retention work shows in voluntary turnover below the AEC industry benchmark, promotion reviews completed on the firm's cycle with documented evidence, and engagement survey results that lead to action. The specialist staffs each new office, contract, and task order on schedule, so growth is paced by opportunity instead of hiring capacity. Growth in this role shows through increasing ownership of workforce planning and people programs with the principals involved at decision points only.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Psychology, or a related field; candidates with demonstrated equivalent experience are welcome to apply
• Three or more years of experience in talent acquisition, HR generalist work, or a combined recruiting and retention role
• A record of filling technical or professional positions (engineering, surveying, architecture, GIS, IT, or similar) with evidence of improved time-to-fill or retention
• Working knowledge of federal and multi-state employment law, EEO reporting, and federal contractor HR requirements
• Experience with an applicant tracking system, LinkedIn Recruiter, and HRIS platforms
• Strong written and verbal communication, with sound judgment in handling confidential information
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, Teams, SharePoint)

Preferred

• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification
• Recruiting experience in the AEC, geospatial, or government contracting sectors
• Experience building an onboarding, career ladder, or performance program from the start
• Bilingual, English and Spanish, in support of the firm's Puerto Rico subsidiary

Professional Conduct

Represents A|S with professionalism to candidates, universities, and industry partners; maintains strict confidentiality of compensation, performance, and personal information; applies hiring and promotion standards consistently across offices; and collaborates effectively with the principals, the Business Manager, division leads, and staff at each level.

Advancement

Readiness for increased scope, including a People Operations leadership role or added headcount under this function, is demonstrated through a reliable candidate pipeline, retention results that hold across review cycles, documented programs others can run, and sound judgment in advising the principals on workforce decisions.

Compensation

• Base salary of $65,000 to $90,000, commensurate with experience and certification
  
• Per-hire bonus, tiered by the position filled, paid after the new hire completes 90 days of employment

Benefits

• 401(k) with company match
• Comprehensive Health, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance
• Employee Referral Program
• Paid Time Off
• Professional development support, including HR certification and SHRM membership

EEO

Ayoroa Simmons is an equal opportunity employer, and we value diversity. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business need.

Title VI Accreditation

Ayoroa Simmons ensures nondiscrimination in its programs and activities in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 regulation. If you need more information or special assistance for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, please contact the Title VI Coordinator: Kim Short at (866) 726-2246.

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