Associate Talent Acquisition Specialist

Associate Talent Acquisition Specialist – Multiple Locations

Start designing tomorrow’s future!

We are seeking an experienced Associate Talent Acquisition Specialist to join our collaborative Human Resources team. This hybrid position can be based in New York, Boston, Washington, DC, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, or Chicago.

Our Human Resources team is dynamic, client-focused, and outcome-driven. We thrive on challenges, adapt quickly to evolving business needs, and collaborate with colleagues at all levels to help them reach their full potential.

As an Associate Talent Acquisition Specialist, you will lead full-cycle recruitment for senior-level, experienced-hire positions across the US region, with a particular focus on hard-to-fill roles from the Associate through Principal level. You will bring strong market knowledge, creative sourcing expertise, and a proactive approach to identifying and engaging specialized talent in highly competitive markets.

Here at Buro Happold, expect the exceptional

From the projects you will work on to the clients we work with. From career-defining opportunities to an inclusive and diverse practice where we all contribute to a more equitable world. From our reputation to our relationships. Wherever your Buro Happold career takes you, it’ll be anything but ordinary.

Your next role

Join us and be surrounded by exceptional opportunities in an environment alive with innovation and possibility. Your new team has a willingness and curiosity to see possibility and potential in everything, from the most iconic projects to our everyday conversations.

In this role, you will serve as a strategic talent partner to hiring managers and senior business leaders across the US. You will develop targeted recruitment strategies, build relationships with active and passive candidates, and create sustainable talent pipelines for niche and business-critical positions.

This opportunity is well suited to an accomplished recruiter who enjoys the challenge of finding talent that is not readily available in the market. You will bring an established direct-sourcing skill set, a strong recruitment mindset, and the credibility to engage senior architecture, engineering, and construction professionals who are often passive and highly sought after.

Your key duties

• Lead end-to-end recruitment for senior-level and hard-to-fill experienced-hire positions, primarily at the Associate through Principal level
• Develop and execute targeted sourcing strategies for niche, specialized, and leadership-level talent through direct sourcing, talent mapping, networking, referrals, industry events, and competitor research
• Proactively identify, approach, and build meaningful relationships with high-caliber passive candidates who may not be actively considering new opportunities
• Build and maintain strategic talent pipelines for disciplines and skillsets where qualified candidates are in limited supply
• Partner closely with hiring managers and senior business leaders to understand technical requirements, business priorities, market conditions, and the competitive landscape for talent
• Serve as a trusted talent advisor by providing market intelligence, candidate availability insights, competitive information, and recommendations on recruitment strategy
• Develop compelling outreach and engagement strategies for senior candidates while effectively communicating Buro Happold’s employee value proposition and career opportunities
• Champion inclusion and wellbeing throughout sourcing, assessment, and selection, with an emphasis on developing diverse senior-level candidate pipelines
• Strategically manage external search firms and recruitment vendors when needed, ensuring they supplement rather than replace strong internal direct-sourcing capabilities
• Maintain accurate and timely candidate and recruitment data within the Applicant Tracking System and use recruiting metrics to evaluate pipeline health and sourcing effectiveness

Your skills and experience

• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• 12+ years of progressive recruiting experience, ideally combining agency search and in-house corporate recruitment
• Demonstrated success recruiting difficult-to-find, senior-level professionals within the architecture, engineering, and construction industry, particularly at the Associate, Associate Principal, and Principal levels
• Strong understanding of the AEC talent market and the challenges associated with recruiting experienced technical professionals and senior leaders in highly competitive disciplines
• Proven ability to headhunt and engage passive talent rather than relying primarily on applicants, job postings, or external recruitment agencies
• Demonstrated experience using talent mapping, market research, professional networks, referrals, LinkedIn Recruiter, and other direct-sourcing techniques to identify candidates for specialized roles
• Track record of successfully managing complex, senior-level searches and developing credible relationships with experienced candidates
• Strong ability to influence and advise senior hiring managers, including constructively challenging requirements or recruitment strategies when market conditions warrant
• Experience managing external search firms and determining when retained, contingent, or direct-sourcing approaches are most appropriate
• Experience using AI-enabled recruiting tools and techniques to improve sourcing, research, candidate engagement, and recruitment efficiency
• Proficiency with LinkedIn Recruiter and experience working with Applicant Tracking Systems
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, negotiation, and stakeholder-management skills
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to translate market and pipeline data into actionable recruitment strategies
• Ability to manage multiple high-priority searches simultaneously in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a high-touch candidate experience
• High level of discretion and professionalism when working with senior candidates and confidential business information
• Candidates are encouraged to apply even if they do not meet every listed requirement

What we offer

Bring your knowledge and expertise to one of the world’s most respected consultancies.

• Generous benefits package
• Annual discretionary bonus
• Generous PTO (4 weeks) in addition to 10 paid holidays
• 401(k) with company match
• Hybrid working and summer hours
• Reimbursement for certain professional licenses and associated renewals and examination fees
• Connection to a global network of experts at the forefront of industry initiatives
• Access to wide-ranging learning and development opportunities
• Connect with colleagues and build your network through our Employee Resource Groups, including the Young Employees Forum, Diversity & Inclusion Forum, Women’s Network, Wellness Committee, and Black at Buro Happold

Compensation

Anticipated base annual salary: $130,000 – $165,000. The salary range listed for this position is intended as a general guideline and may vary based on factors such as location, education, skills, experience, and market conditions. We recognize that candidates bring diverse backgrounds and qualifications, and compensation may be adjusted accordingly. The posted range should not be viewed as a strict minimum or maximum limitation. Benefits and any additional compensation elements are separate from the base salary range listed.

Ready for something a little less ordinary?

Apply now to start your career journey with us.

A place for everyone

Buro Happold values an individual's flexible approaches to working patterns as an important part of how you work and achieve balance. We welcome applications from those who are seeking flexibility in their careers.

Our exceptional portfolio of projects is the result of the diversity of thought, identities, backgrounds, and experiences that shape us. Appreciating each other’s differences is key, we want employees to feel they don’t have to mask elements of their identity to thrive.

We are working to change the lack of representation of marginalised groups in the built environment. We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who feels they are underrepresented in the industry. We have much to learn from one another. Embracing differences allows us to develop the most innovative and elegant solutions.

Please let us know if there are any adjustments we could make to the application process to make it easier and more comfortable for you. Contact recruitment@burohappold.com so we can work with you to support you throughout your application.

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