Talent Acquisition Associate

Job Description

The John

D. and Catherine T. Mac Arthur Foundation is one of the nation's largest independent foundations. The Foundation supports creative people, effective institutions, and influential networks building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world.

The Mac Arthur Foundation supports creative people, effective institutions, and influential networks building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world. Mac Arthur invests in solving some of the world’s most pressing social challenges, including advancing global climate solutions, promoting local justice reform in the U.S., revitalizing local news, expanding who creates, uses, and benefits from artificial intelligence, and strengthening the well‑being of Native communities.

In addition to the Mac Arthur Fellows Program and the global 100&Change competition, the Foundation continues its historic commitments to the role of journalism in a responsive democracy as well as the vitality of our headquarters city, Chicago. The Foundation also maintains offices in Nigeria and India.

The People and Culture team is responsible for the Foundation's strategic efforts to design, implement and manage innovative human resources practices and initiatives that attract, develop, engage, support and retain an energized, high‑performing, diverse staff in a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

The Talent Acquisition Associate contributes to the recruiting function at the Foundation, including leading the search process for exempt and non‑exempt level searches at the Manager level and below. This person will be privy to confidential information, including employee personal information, and must maintain the confidence of such information at all times. The Talent Acquisition Associate understands all aspects of People and Culture operations and can lead and/or work effectively on a wide variety of projects.

• Facilitate the full life cycle recruitment process for positions at the Manager level and below: posting, sourcing, screening qualifying candidates, coordinating and managing interviews, maintaining consistent communication with candidates and hiring managers, and providing relevant reporting on all searches.
• Support with the coordination of the Summer Intern Program including sourcing and interviewing candidates.
• Maintain accurate applicant data within our Workday Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
• Build trusting partnerships with hiring managers by providing a high‑quality service through learning their function, developing sourcing strategies, collaboration, being a thought partner, and providing strategic recruitment‑related subject matter expertise.
• Build networks to identify qualified passive candidates and to develop/maintain talent pipeline for future staffing needs.
• Create and maintain a positive candidate experience by treating each candidate with dignity and respect, providing consistent follow up and follow through, and ensuring timely communication regarding their candidacy throughout the recruitment process.
• Attend internal and external Foundation events to aid in the telling of the Foundation’s story, our work/impact, culture, and employee experience to candidates.
• Develop and maintain collaborative partnerships with external search partners as well as college and university career services representatives.
• Assist with coordinating special events for People and Culture and the Foundation.
• Create ad‑hoc reports as requested.

• Maintain knowledge of all Foundation policies and procedures; stay informed and up‑to‑date on the activities and achievements of the Foundation; and be interested in and enthusiastic about the Foundation’s work.
• Suggest and engage in professional development opportunities (workshops, seminars, certifications, degrees, courses, conferences, webinars, and online sessions).
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• A bachelor’s degree with at least 5 years of full‑cycle recruitment experience.
• Experience and expertise in recruiting for mission‑based organizations a plus.
• Experience conducting…