Duke University Job Descriptions

TALENT ACQUISITION MANAGER

Job Title: TALENT ACQUISITION MANAGER
Job Code: 1296
FLSA: E
Job Level: 15
Revised Date: 06/25/2026
Job Family: JF 28

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Occupational Summary

The talent acquisition manager provides day-to-day supervision and guidance to a team of talent acquisition professionals. This role leads the end-to-end recruitment lifecycle for assigned departments, ensuring an excellent candidate experience from intake to selection through offer negotiation and onboarding handoff. The manager develops strong, strategic partnerships with departmental stakeholders to build inclusive hiring strategies and robust pipelines for senior level, high-volume, and/or hard-to-fill roles.

Success in this role requires high-touch relationship management, exceptional customer service, and deep knowledge of recruitment systems and best practices. The manager is responsible for sustaining a timely, consistent, and equitable hiring process, supported by accurate data and compliant documentation.

Work Performed

Manage program activities in one of two functional areas: 1. Talent Programs and Engagement

Builds strong, forward-looking talent pipelines through workforce insights, strategic partnerships, and employer brand visibility.

Analyze current and future workforce needs to identify gaps and inform sourcing priorities.

Develop proactive sourcing and talent-pipeline strategies aligned with anticipated needs.

Implement talent attraction initiatives to expand candidate pools.

Partner with the social media manager and communications teams to strengthen employer branding.

Build and maintain relationships with educational institutions, professional organizations, and community groups.

Represent the university at career fairs and outreach events to support ongoing pipeline development.

2. Operations and Optimization

Ensures recruitment activities are efficient, consistent, compliant, and supported by reliable data and optimized systems.

Partner with ASM to manage, maintain, and continuously improve the applicant tracking system (ATS).

Ensure the ATS is user-friendly, aligns with HR workflows, and integrates with other HR tools.

Identify automation opportunities to streamline processes and reduce manual work.

Build and maintain dashboards and reports to identify trends and track performance.

Maintain consistent processes and standard operating procedures to support processes.

Identify workflow inefficiencies and implement process improvements.

Promote continuous learning through workshops, resource guides, and skill-building sessions.

Coach hiring teams on best practices, tools, and policies.

Ensure hiring managers understand structured, equitable practices that lead to high-quality, evidence-based decisions.

Assists team members in resolving challenges and navigating complex issues.

Provides technical expertise and supports advanced problem-solving.

Ensures recruitment processes deliver the talent needed to meet future workforce demands.

Conduct performance evaluations and support professional growth.

Lead service delivery models that enhance talent acquisition effectiveness.

Track and monitor key metrics to assess unit performance and goals.

Serve as the primary talent acquisition consultant for assigned departments, partnering with stakeholders to assess hiring needs, support workforce planning, and guide intake and service level agreement discussions.

Advise departments on recruitment strategies and options, including considerations related to timing, scope, candidate availability, and market conditions.

Establish and manage service expectations by clarifying roles, responsibilities, timelines, and decision points throughout the recruitment lifecycle.

Participate in university staff searches by advising and supporting inclusive recruitment and selection strategies.

Support departments in adopting evolving hiring practices, including competency-based approaches and appropriate use of technology, such as generative AI.

Manage end-to-end requisition activities, including job development and posting, interview question drafting, interview coordination, and preparation of candidates and search committee members.

Translate recruitment policies, processes, and decisions into clear, practical guidance for departments, search committees, and candidates.

Ensure recruitment activities comply with federal, state, and local regulations, as well as university policies and procedures.

Build and sustain professional, trust-based relationships with departments through sound judgment, responsiveness, and consistent follow-through.

Use feedback from hiring managers and departments to refine consultative approaches and improve service delivery and satisfaction.

Maintain accurate and complete recruitment records within the applicant tracking system.

Drive continuous improvement in recruitment practices and processes by measuring outcomes, incorporating feedback, and implementing emerging best practices.

Participate and contribute to talent acquisition department meetings, initiatives, and cross-departmental projects.

Perform other duties or projects as assigned.

Required Qualifications at this Level

Education/Training

Work requires a Bachelor's degree.

Experience

Work requires a minimum of five years of progressive talent acquisition experience acquired through all phases of the recruitment process using different approaches and strategies to build robust talent pools that lead to high-quality hiring outcomes.

Prior supervisory experience strongly preferred.

Ability to run reports, analyze data, identify trends, and develop strategies to adapt to changing markets and needs.

Demonstrated ability to model and reinforce a growth mindset with talent acquisition or sourcing teams.

Experience fostering a learning-oriented environment.

Ability to coach team members to learn from challenges and apply insights to strengthen sourcing, pipelines strategies, and relationship management.

American Staffing Association Corporate Recruiting Professional Certificate, PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP/SCP certification, AIRS CIR, ACIR, CDR, PRC, CMVR, CSMR, CTR, CASR certification, or comparable professional designation is strongly preferred.

Skills

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The intent of this job description is to provide a representative and level of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

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Duke University is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation, or military status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas-an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

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Essential Physical Job Functions

Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.