What does a director of talent acquisition do?
A director of talent acquisition is primarily responsible for spearheading the development of strategies that will help a company to narrow down and acquire talented individuals. Typically, they must set goals and budgets, coordinate with stakeholders or higher-ranking officials, review and assess the performance of the talent acquisition team, and conduct training and meetings. Furthermore, as director, it is essential to implement all policies and regulations, craft new ones if necessary, all while shaping the team into an efficient workforce.
Director of talent acquisition responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real director of talent acquisition resumes:
- Manage all IFC marketing campaigns and promotions on campus.
- Perform needs assessment, manage extensive RFP process, purchase new applicant tracking system.
- Manage RPO of non-exempt positions including VMS implementation and vendor relations.
- Establish and manage strategic relationship with RPO partner to supplement recruiting function.
- Manage onsite logistics for interviews; research, evaluate and negotiate compensation packages.
- Train TA team to effectively utilize ATS that immediately improve communication, productivity, and sharing candidates.
- Migrate to new healthcare plan, maintaining advantages of former plan.
- Interview and award scholarship to deserving member of the student body.
- Respond to all EEO claims; conduct investigations to resolve and make necessary recommendations.
- Provide management, training and clear direction to recruiters, human resource coordinators and sourcing specialists.
- Lead and execute CRM strategy for customer retention and reactivation to reduce churn and increase lifetime value.
- Assist with the payroll process to ensure all temporary employees are paid and clients are invoiced properly.
- Work with CEO and CHRO on the definition and development of the executive level talent management strategy.
- Act as main point of contact between the talent, the client and any other coordinators working the event.
- Implement the SuccessFactors ATS globally, this include integration of prior ATS as well as global design of system.
Director of talent acquisition skills and personality traits
We calculated that 10% of Directors Of Talent Acquisition are proficient in Human Resources, TA, and Applicant Tracking Systems. They’re also known for soft skills such as Leadership skills, Organizational skills, and Speaking skills.
We break down the percentage of Directors Of Talent Acquisition that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Human Resources, 10%
Partnered effectively with senior management and divisional human resources executives in the delivery of enterprise-wide talent needs and metrics.
- TA, 9%
Created a streamlined simplified hiring process by developing and implementing a core recruiting/interviewing process and a centralized TA call center.
- Applicant Tracking Systems, 6%
Background Check companies (BackTrack, A-Check America and ADP), Applicant Tracking Systems, etc.
- Healthcare, 6%
Partnered with Healthcare Business Association (HBA) to provide networking/leadership development opportunities.
- Continuous Improvement, 4%
Drive continuous improvement in applicant experience, recruiting productivity, and planning and forecasting of hiring.
- Recruitment Strategies, 4%
Develop and execute effective recruitment strategies, ensuring attraction and selection of world-class talent across all professional and leadership openings.
Common skills that a director of talent acquisition uses to do their job include "human resources," "ta," and "applicant tracking systems." You can find details on the most important director of talent acquisition responsibilities below.
Leadership skills. One of the key soft skills for a director of talent acquisition to have is leadership skills. You can see how this relates to what directors of talent acquisition do because "human resources managers must coordinate work activities and ensure that staff complete the duties and responsibilities of their department." Additionally, a director of talent acquisition resume shows how directors of talent acquisition use leadership skills: "collaborated with operations leadership to introduce a standardized recruitment process within four months of new position. "
Organizational skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling director of talent acquisition duties is organizational skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "human resources managers must be able to prioritize tasks and manage several projects at once." According to a director of talent acquisition resume, here's how directors of talent acquisition can utilize organizational skills in their job responsibilities: "ensured issues such as diversity and strategic organizational fit were considered and promoted within the recruitment process. "
Interpersonal skills. A big part of what directors of talent acquisition do relies on "interpersonal skills." You can see how essential it is to director of talent acquisition responsibilities because "human resources managers regularly interact with people, such as to collaborate on teams, and must develop working relationships with their colleagues." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical director of talent acquisition tasks: "designed marketing to target incoming students and parents, promoting greek life.skills used-interpersonal-development-marketing-management-coordination-planning/ event planning"
Communication skills. Another crucial skill for a director of talent acquisition to carry out their responsibilities is "communication skills." A big part of what directors of talent acquisition relies on this skill, since "human resources managers need strong speaking, writing, and listening skills to give presentations and direct their staff." How this skill relates to director of talent acquisition duties can be seen in an example from a director of talent acquisition resume snippet: "lead new ats configuration, communications and training. "
The three companies that hire the most director of talent acquisitions are:
- Agape Home Healthcare78 directors of talent acquisition jobs
- Highmark50 directors of talent acquisition jobs
- Mastercard22 directors of talent acquisition jobs
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Compare different directors of talent acquisition
Director of talent acquisition vs. Staffing manager
A staffing manager is responsible for overseeing the overall staffing operations of the company, identifying the staffing needs for each department by coordinating with hiring managers for their requirements and specific instructions for job postings. Staffing managers monitor the performance of the staff, delegating tasks, and ensuring that the recruitment operations adhere to the company's policies and structured guidelines. They also update the company's online job boards, eliminating closed job posts, and reviewing the qualifications of potential candidates, scheduling them for interviews and assessments based on the hiring department's instructions.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, director of talent acquisition responsibilities require skills like "ta," "continuous improvement," "project management," and "workforce planning." Meanwhile a typical staffing manager has skills in areas such as "client relationships," "phone calls," "customer satisfaction," and "customer issues." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Staffing managers really shine in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $52,083. Comparatively, directors of talent acquisition tend to make the most money in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $135,636.The education levels that staffing managers earn slightly differ from directors of talent acquisition. In particular, staffing managers are 6.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a director of talent acquisition. Additionally, they're 1.5% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Director of talent acquisition vs. Human resources manager
Human resources managers, or HR managers, are responsible for the overall conduct of the different facets of human resources in the organization. They oversee the different processes involved in recruitment, compensation and benefits, talent development, organizational development, employee relations, and employee engagement. It is important that HR managers are well-versed in the different facets of HR. They set policies and procedures, as well as guiding principles of the organization related to these facets. They must be able to balance the needs of the employees and the rules of the management team. HR managers should have strong decision-making skills, interpersonal skills, and management skills.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, director of talent acquisition responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "human resources," "ta," "healthcare," and "continuous improvement." Meanwhile, a human resources manager has duties that require skills in areas such as "payroll processing," "workers compensation," "safety program," and "osha." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
On average, human resources managers earn a lower salary than directors of talent acquisition. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, human resources managers earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $92,205. Whereas directors of talent acquisition have higher pay in the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $135,636.In general, human resources managers achieve similar levels of education than directors of talent acquisition. They're 0.7% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 1.5% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Director of talent acquisition vs. Regional human resources manager
A regional human resources manager is in charge of overseeing a company's local human resource (HR) operations. They mostly identify the hiring needs of different branches, devise compensation and benefits programs, and determine the HR needs of every area, ensuring to develop strategies to meet them. It is essential to monitor all issues and resolve them promptly and professionally, organize training activities, and manage the regional budget. Furthermore, as a regional manager, it is crucial to ensure that all HR teams adhere to labor laws and company policies.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from director of talent acquisition resumes include skills like "ta," "healthcare," "continuous improvement," and "recruitment strategies," whereas a regional human resources manager is more likely to list skills in "labor relations," "employment law," "fmla," and "workers compensation. "
Regional human resources managers earn the highest salary when working in the manufacturing industry, where they receive an average salary of $90,367. Comparatively, directors of talent acquisition have the highest earning potential in the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $135,636.When it comes to education, regional human resources managers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to directors of talent acquisition. In fact, they're 1.5% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.6% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Director of talent acquisition vs. Resource manager
A resource manager's role is to provide the staffing needs of different projects, programs, and departments while coordinating with managers and supervisors. They are responsible for monitoring an employee's performance and payroll data, recommending available staff to join projects and programs, maintaining documentation and records of all transactions, and hire new staff as needed. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the workforce to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Types of director of talent acquisition
Updated January 8, 2025
