Director Talent Acquisition

October 21, 2026
Salt Lake City, UT, US
$117,700/yr
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Description

JOB SUMMARY

Ensures UTA has the talent and skills necessary to drive growth, implement business strategy, and agency success. Oversees strategic talent acquisition and staffing projections to manage the complete lifecycle recruitment process to include candidate sourcing, hiring practices, pre-employment assessments, and compliance.

Oversees a team to drive hiring initiatives, strategies and execution of staffing plans. Builds a talent acquisition performance measurement system focused on operational excellence, hiring manager satisfaction and candidate experience. Assesses talent acquisition performance; strengthens & develops team members, focused on development and engagement. Partners with HRBPs and Culture and Talent Development team to develop and implement an integrated talent acquisition strategy, including succession management. Implements workforce planning in partnership with HRBPs and service units to identify and plan for short and long-term talent needs. Ensures candidates matches UTA’s culture and values.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION/TRAINING

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Human Resource Management or related field.

EXPERIENCE

Seven years demonstrated excellence in designing strategic talent acquisition solutions, including creating strategic partnerships with internal/external stakeholders, with two of those years supervising teams. Experience creating strategic plans and yearly tactical work plans to support attainment of short, mid, and long term hiring goals. Significant experience in talent acquisition, experience in managing full-cycle recruiting and employer branding initiatives.

Knowledge

  • Understanding of, recruiting, and onboarding best practices
  • Strong understanding of federal and state employment laws and regulations pertaining to employment related matters

Skills

  • Leads with humility, seeks and values feedback, listens for understanding and assumes positive intent; focused on organizational and team success
  • Approaches work with courage; takes calculated risks in ideas and actions to progress the organization. Comfortable challenging the status quo. Has passion for this work; aims to make UTA a better place.
  • Curious; solution-oriented with proven focus on operational excellence and innovation

Abilities

  • Provides strategic thought leadership; build strong relationships with superiors, peers and subordinates; collaborate across the organization; and influences without direct authority
  • Uses recruitment metrics and analysis to enhance full-cycle recruitment/hiring processes, procedures, and quality of diverse talent through developing and executing creative recruiting strategies, from workforce planning to on-boarding, for different business functions.

To carry out essential functions of this job, must have a valid Utah’s driver’s license with no more than four moving violations in the past three years; or, if a non-driver, must be able to travel efficiently by another means to and from varied locations within UTA’s service area. Lack of a driver’s license does not necessarily preclude employment. No applicant may have more than one violation of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs within the last ten years.

UTA Competencies

  • Strategic Mindset – Looking toward the broadest possible view of an issue/challenge; cultivating innovation; anticipating future trends and implications accurately
  • Business Acumen – Maintaining an up-to-date understanding of the broader issues affecting field
  • of expertise and organization.
  • Managerial Courage – Standing strong in the face of adversity and taking necessary risk to achieve results.
  • Change Management – Dealing comfortably with the uncertainty of change. Dealing constructively with problems that do not have clear solutions or outcomes
  • Communicates Effectively – Creating an open environment in which thoughts are expressed freely and information flows easily.
  • Decision Making – Making sound decisions that consider multiple options, seeking input from others; reaching good decisions in a timely manner.
  • Drives Results – Fostering a strong bottom-line orientation; accomplishing objectives despite obstacles and setbacks; exceeding goals successfully; pushing self and others to achieve results.

This job requires regular and predictable attendance.

  • OR -

An equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.

[UTA reserves the right to determine the equivalencies of education and experience.]

Pay Rate: $117,700.00 or more, depending on experience

This position is OPEN TILL FILLED.

As a full-time Administrative Employee, your Total Rewards Benefits Package will include

  • Health, dental, vision, life/AD&D, short-term and long-term disability insurance, with Flexible Spending and Dependent Care accounts. Choice between Traditional Co-Pay or High Deductible Health Plans for medical coverage. HSA with company match available to employees enrolled in the HDHP. Benefit plans include coverage for domestic partners (eligibility affidavit required for coverage).
  • Onsite Health and Wellness Clinics for medical care at no cost to employees, spouses, domestic partners, and dependent children.
  • 22 days of accrued paid time off (13 vacation days and 9 sick days), which increases with tenure at UTA.
  • 10 paid holidays and two paid (2) floating holidays per year.
  • Retirement options - Pension Plan with 5-year vesting schedule and 457 Contribution Plan, available for immediate contributions and company matching.
  • Generous tuition reimbursement for higher education, available for any higher education degree (bachelor, master, or PHD). Course of study must be approved prior to enrollment.
  • Training, development, and career advancement opportunities.
  • Paid parental leave for birth, adoption, and child placement (after 12 months of employment).
  • Free transit passes for employees, their spouses, and their dependent children.
  • Employee assistance program – includes counseling, legal services, financial planning, etc.
  • UTA Well – a comprehensive wellness program designed to support employees and dependents in their health and wellness goals.
  • Free on-site fitness facilities and discounted membership to VASA Fitness and EoS Fitness.
  • Discounted cell phone plans with T-Mobile.
  • Pet insurance plan options (tailored plan coverage based on pet’s health and needs).

PM21

Utah Transit Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer of all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, covered veterans, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Women, minorities, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Applicants needing an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act for any part of the application process should contact UTA Human Resources at 801-287-2324. A minimum of two work days' notice prior to the need for the accommodation is required.

Utah Transit Authority is a drug-free workplace, subject to federal drug and alcohol testing regulations under 49 CFR Part 40, 655, and 219. All offers for employment are contingent upon a successful pre-employment drug test. If a pre-employment test returns a non-negative result, an application for employment may be rejected. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion and post-accident testing for drug and alcohol use. All safety sensitive employees are subject to random testing for drug and alcohol use.