About the Job
Every role here helps put the right book in a reader's hands. Behind every great bookstore is a team that makes it work. As Talent Partner, you'll be the partner leaders call first, turning hiring needs into strong teams across Books-A-Million and 2nd & Charles, from the home office to the field. Ready to do work that shows up in every store? This is a full-time, hybrid role based at our corporate office in Birmingham, Alabama, reporting to the Director of Talent, with 10–20% travel.
Role Summary
You'll be the link between what the business needs and the people who make it happen. Partnering with Corporate and Operations leaders across both brands, you'll identify hiring needs, design sourcing strategies, and deliver top talent aligned with company goals, while giving every candidate a seamless experience from the first conversation through their first day. You'll champion our employer brand and use data to keep improving how we recruit, in a fast-paced role where recruiting, onboarding, and coaching leaders come together every day. Passion, ownership, and curiosity aren't extras here—they're the foundation of how we work.
Role Responsibilities
Talent Strategy & Leader Partnership
- Be the partner leaders call first. Lead intake conversations with Corporate and Operations leaders across both brands to understand workforce needs and develop talent strategies that fit them.
- Help leaders hire with confidence. Coach hiring leaders through every stage of the interview process on effective hiring decisions, compliance, and selection, and recommend the strongest candidates.
- Bring the market to the table. Provide market intelligence, including talent availability, compensation trends, competitive insights, and local market challenges, and advise leaders on the recruiting strategy that fits.
Sourcing & Full-Cycle Recruiting
- Stay a step ahead of the need. Build pipelines of active and passive candidates through referrals, internal talent, networking, social media, and other sourcing channels for current and future needs.
- Find the people who make the difference. Manage full-cycle recruitment for critical roles, including sourcing, screening, interviewing, assessment, offer negotiation and background.
- Make every candidate feel welcome. Ensure a consistent, equitable, and high-quality candidate experience at every step.
Employer Brand & Community Partnerships
- Tell our story where great talent is. Build and maintain employer branding that shows candidates why Books-A-Million and 2nd & Charles are great places to grow a career.
- Build relationships that bring great people in. Develop partnerships with local organizations, campus programs, and external partners.
Pre-Boarding & Day One
- Turn a yes into a great first day. Lead the onboarding process from offer acceptance through the new hire's first day.
- Have everything ready before day one. Coordinate pre-boarding activities, including welcome communication, badging, relocation, system access, documentation, background checks.
Compliance, Process & Reporting
- Protect the company and every new hire. Maintain compliant hiring practices and compliance with federal, state, and local employment regulations.
- Keep improving how we hire. Continually evaluate interviewing, selection, and placement techniques, and recommend improvements to the recruiting process.
- Keep the record clean. Maintain accurate candidate and requisition information in the applicant tracking system.
- Manage the partners behind the process. Coordinate with recruiting vendors and external partners to keep hiring on schedule and on budget.
- Let the numbers guide what's next. Track recruiting and onboarding metrics such as time to fill, time to productivity, and new hire feedback, and turn the insights into better hiring decisions.
Additional Responsibilities
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Role Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Human Resource Management, Business, or similar field required
- Three to five years of experience in talent acquisition or recruiting
- Strong knowledge of sourcing strategies, recruitment tools, and labor market trends
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in executing retail and operational talent strategies, including multi-state employment experience.
- High attention to detail and the ability to respect and maintain the highest level of confidentiality.
- Ability to summarize data and obtain reports from tracking systems and other reporting platforms.
- Experience with applicant tracking systems, structured interviewing, and campus or community recruiting.
- A curiosity to learn how our business runs and how great hiring can make it better, from our corporate office to every store.
- An ownership mindset, taking initiative, making decisions with confidence, and following through on every commitment.
- A commitment to connection, building strong working relationships and communicating clearly with partners across the business.
- A drive to grow, building new skills and taking on more with every project.
Work Environment & Expectations
Physical requirements
- Must be able to sit at a computer or desk for extended periods of time
- Must be able to operate keyboard and telephone for repetitive motion activities
- Must be able to lift objects up to 25 lbs. with or without assistance
- Must be able to communicate using speech, sight, and sound with or without assistive device
The Perks
At Books-A-Million, we're in the business of connecting people with stories—but our story starts with our associates. We believe that when our people feel supported, valued, and cared for, they're empowered to do their best work and create exceptional experiences for our customers.
- Competitive Compensation: Competitive pay that recognizes the experience and impact you bring.
- Health & Wellness: Medical, dental, and vision coverage, along with Healthcare and Dependent Care Spending Accounts to help you care for yourself and those who depend on you.
- Financial Protection: Life insurance and disability coverage that provide peace of mind when you need it most.
- Retirement Savings: A 401(k) plan with company matching contributions to help you invest in your future with confidence.
- Paid Time Off: Generous paid time off so you can recharge, celebrate life's moments, and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
- Employee Discounts: Special discounts on books, gifts, toys, collectibles, and more—because we believe the things you love should be a little more accessible.
- Employee Assistance Program: Confidential counseling, resources, and support for you and your family whenever life brings unexpected challenges.
Benefit availability and eligibility are based on applicable requirements, including hours worked, employment status, position, and other plan-specific eligibility criteria.
When you join Books-A-Million, you're joining more than a workplace—you're becoming part of a team that believes in supporting one another, celebrating successes, and growing together as a community. We're proud to invest in our associates because when you thrive, we all do.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement
Books-A-Million is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.