Recruiter

September 14, 2026
Santa Cruz, CA, US
$41,600 – $49,900/yr

Job Description

Part-Time Recruiter

Supervised by

HR Partner

Location

Hybrid (in office and out in the community)

General Information

Pay $20.00 - $24.00 per hour depending on experience (plus extra $0.50 per hour bilingual pay differential and a $0.50 per hour biliterate pay differential - English/Spanish)
Part-Time (20 hours a week)
Non-Exempt

Summary of primary job function

Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Center is seeking a motivated, proactive, and relationship-focused Recruiter to attract, source, screen, and support qualified candidates throughout the recruitment and onboarding process.
Serving as an ambassador for Walnut Avenue, the Recruiter builds relationships with prospective candidates, creates a positive candidate experience, and effectively promotes the agency’s mission, workplace culture, benefits, and employment opportunities.
This position works both in the office and in the community and requires flexibility to attend job fairs, career fairs, college events, and other recruitment activities as needed.

Essential Functions

Candidate Sourcing & Community Outreach – 35%

  • Proactively source qualified candidates through job boards, social media, professional networks, colleges, career centers, community organizations, job fairs, career fairs, and other recruitment channels.
  • Post and maintain employment opportunities across appropriate recruitment platforms and sources.
  • Represent Walnut Avenue at job fairs, career fairs, college events, community events, and other recruitment activities.
  • Build and maintain relationships with colleges, workforce development programs, community organizations, professional networks, and other recruitment partners.
  • Develop and maintain candidate pipelines for current and anticipated staffing needs.
  • Identify and recommend recruitment sources and sourcing strategies, particularly for difficult-to-fill positions.
  • Support the development of recruitment materials and outreach efforts that increase awareness of Walnut Avenue’s employment opportunities.

Candidate Screening & Evaluation – 25%

  • Review resumes and applications to determine whether candidates meet established minimum qualifications.
  • Conduct initial phone screens to assess candidates’ experience, qualifications, availability, interest, communication skills, and alignment with position requirements.
  • Evaluate candidates using established job qualifications and screening criteria and provide the Human Resources Partner with candidate summaries and recommendations for advancement in the recruitment process.
  • Conduct professional reference checks and accurately document results in accordance with established procedures.

Candidate Experience & Interview Coordination – 20%

  • Serve as a primary point of contact for candidates throughout the recruitment process and provide timely, professional communication regarding their candidacy.
  • Coordinate interviews between candidates and hiring managers, including scheduling, confirming interview details, and communicating necessary information.
  • Build relationships with prospective candidates and effectively communicate Walnut Avenue’s mission, programs, workplace culture, benefits, and employment opportunities to generate interest in joining the agency.
  • Maintain relationships with qualified candidates who may be considered for current or future employment opportunities.

Recruitment Administration & Onboarding – 20%

  • Maintain accurate and timely candidate information and track candidate progress through the agency’s Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
  • Coordinate assigned pre-employment and onboarding activities, including required documentation, background clearance processes, onboarding schedules, and communication with candidates, the Human Resources Partner, and hiring managers.
  • Prepare assigned new-hire and onboarding materials and follow up to ensure required documentation is completed within established timelines.
  • Maintain accurate, organized, and confidential recruitment and onboarding records in accordance with agency procedures.
  • Track recruitment activities and outcomes, including candidate sources, applicant pipelines, recruitment event activity, and other established recruitment metrics.
  • Provide the Human Resources Partner with regular updates regarding recruitment progress, candidate pipelines, recruitment challenges, and difficult-to-fill positions.

Other Duties

  • Perform other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

  • Minimum of one year of experience in recruiting, talent acquisition, staffing, human resources, workforce development, or a related field that includes candidate sourcing, screening, or recruitment activities.
  • Demonstrated experience proactively sourcing and engaging prospective candidates through job boards, social media, professional networks, community outreach, recruitment events, or other sourcing methods.
  • Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills with the ability to initiate conversations, establish rapport, and engage effectively with candidates, hiring managers, community partners, and members of the public.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to communicate professionally, clearly, and persuasively with a variety of audiences.
  • Demonstrated ability to represent an organization professionally and communicate its mission, workplace culture, benefits, and employment opportunities in a way that generates candidate interest.
  • Demonstrated initiative and resourcefulness, with the ability to independently identify next steps, take action, solve problems, and follow through on assignments with limited supervision.
  • Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple candidates, open positions, priorities, and deadlines simultaneously.
  • Ability to provide candidates with a welcoming, responsive, and professional experience throughout the recruitment process.
  • Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and appropriately handle sensitive candidate and employment information.
  • Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with the Human Resources Partner, hiring managers, and other agency staff.
  • Intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Office and the ability to effectively use applicant tracking systems, job boards, social media platforms, and other recruitment technology.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience recruiting within early childhood education, social services, nonprofit organizations, or other mission-driven organizations.
  • Experience recruiting for difficult-to-fill or specialized positions.
  • Experience building relationships with colleges, workforce development programs, community organizations, or other community-based recruitment partners.
  • Familiarity with the local labor market and community-based recruitment resources.
  • Bilingual English/Spanish skills preferred.

Job-Specific Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

  • Knowledge of recruitment and selection practices, including sourcing, screening, interviewing, candidate assessment, and onboarding.
  • Knowledge of recruitment channels and sourcing methods used to identify and engage prospective candidates.
  • Skill in interviewing, active listening, and evaluating candidate qualifications against established position requirements.
  • Ability to build rapport and establish effective working relationships with candidates, hiring managers, coworkers, and community partners.
  • Ability to communicate employment opportunities and organizational information in an engaging and authentic manner.
  • Ability to use recruitment data and candidate information to identify trends, monitor recruitment activity, and support recruitment decisions.
  • Ability to adapt recruitment approaches and sourcing strategies when circumstances or staffing needs change.

Agency-Specific Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

  • Ability to professionally represent Walnut Avenue through interactions, communication, conduct, and appropriate workplace attire.
  • Demonstrated self-awareness and ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries.
  • Ability and willingness to self-reflect and consider how personal beliefs, biases, values, attitudes, and actions may affect interactions with others.
  • Ability to remain flexible and adapt to changing organizational needs, priorities, and responsibilities.
  • Ability to apply a strengths-based approach when interacting and working with candidates, coworkers, and community partners.
  • Commitment to fostering a respectful, supportive, and inclusive work environment that values collaboration and the contributions of others.

Physical Requirements & Work Environment

Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Center complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), including providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.

  • Regular use of hands, wrists, and fingers to operate a computer keyboard, write, and use standard office equipment.
  • Ability to communicate and exchange information in person, by telephone, and through virtual communication platforms.
  • Ability to sit and/or stand for extended periods of time and perform physical activities such as twisting, bending, pushing, pulling, holding, and lifting up to 40 pounds, including transporting recruitment displays, boxes, tables, and other recruitment materials to indoor and outdoor events.
  • Ability to sit and/or stand for extended periods of time and perform the physical activities necessary to carry out the essential functions of the position.
  • This position requires work in an office environment as well as local travel to job fairs, career fairs, colleges, community organizations, and other recruitment events.
  • The employee may occasionally be required to adjust their work schedule to attend recruitment events outside of regularly scheduled work hours.

Conditions of Employment

  • Employment is contingent upon successful completion of required background checks and fingerprinting.
  • If driving on behalf of Walnut Avenue is required, the employee must meet agency driving requirements and successfully complete any required DMV record review.

It is the policy of Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Center to provide equal employment, volunteer opportunities and services (EEO) to all persons regardless of race, color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices),national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age (40 years and over), sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status, protected medical leaves (requesting or approved for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act or the California Family Rights Act), domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, and any other status protected by federal, state or local law.