Talent Acquisition Specialist

October 28, 2026
Toronto, ON, CA
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Status: Full-time
Location: GLF Head Office, 10 Carlson Court (Remote)

Job Scope

The Talent Team is seeking a highly organized, customer-focused, and results-driven Talent Acquisition Specialist to join our team. This role will support high-volume recruitment initiatives across Gay Lea Foods' manufacturing facilities and partner closely with site HR and operations team to fill key roles.
Reporting to the Talent Acquisition Manager, the successful candidate will manage full-cycle recruitment activities, partner closely with Hiring Managers and HR Business Partners, and help deliver exceptional candidate and stakeholder experience from initial contact through onboarding that align with the Gay Lea Values. This is an ideal opportunity for a recruiter who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys building relationships, and is passionate about identifying top talent for operational and manufacturing roles.

Role Responsibilities:As the Talent Acquisition Specialist, you will

  • Manage full-cycle recruitment for hourly and skilled trades positions across multiple locations.
  • Partner and provide exceptional recruitment experience for the Hiring Managers and HR Business Partners to understand workforce needs, role requirements, and hiring timelines.
  • Develop and execute recruitment strategies to attract quality candidates in competitive talent markets.
  • Post job advertisements across various recruitment platforms, and other sourcing channels.
  • Review applications, assess qualifications, and shortlist candidates against established selection criteria.
  • Conduct telephone and virtual screening interviews to evaluate candidate skills, experience, and overall fit.
  • Coordinate and schedule interviews while ensuring a positive and seamless candidate experience.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for candidates throughout the recruitment process.
  • Facilitate communication between candidates, Hiring Managers, and HR stakeholders regarding recruitment progress and next steps.
  • Complete reference checks and support verbal offer preparation as required.
  • Maintain accurate recruitment records and candidate workflows within the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). (Note: Dayforce ATS implementation scheduled for the new year.)
  • Build talent pipelines for critical and recurring operational positions.
  • Participate in recruitment events, job fairs, and community outreach initiatives to promote employer branding and candidate attraction.
  • Ensure all recruitment activities are conducted with professionalism, integrity, confidentiality, and compliance with employment legislation and company policies.
  • Support continuous improvement initiatives related to recruitment processes, candidate experience, and hiring outcomes.
  • Perform other duties and projects as assigned.

Qualifications & Competencies

What we're looking for

  • Minimum 2 years of full-cycle recruitment experience, preferably within a high-volume environment.
  • Experience recruiting for manufacturing, operations, skilled trades, warehouse, or production roles is strongly preferred.
  • Post-secondary education in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field is considered an asset.
  • Agency recruitment experience is an asset.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple requisitions and competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
  • Strong relationship-building and stakeholder management skills.
  • Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
  • Strong organizational skills with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
  • Experience utilizing Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and recruitment technologies.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and Teams.
  • Self-motivated with the ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a collaborative team environment.
  • Commitment to delivering a positive candidate and hiring manager experience.
  • Experience using Dayforce ATS would be an asset.

Gay Lea Foods is a Canadian, dairy farmer owned co operative with a clear purpose: to enrich life with dairy. Founded in 1958, the co operative produces high quality dairy products while creating lasting value for farming families, meaningful opportunities for employees, and positive impact in communities across Canada. As a co operative, Gay Lea Foods believes that when the business succeeds, its members, people, and communities should succeed along with it. To learn more, visit gaylea.com.
Gay Lea Foods is an equal-opportunity employer and values diversity in our workplace.
Reasonable accommodation is available upon request throughout our recruitment and selection process.
Gay Lea Foods may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support aspects of the recruitment process, including screening and assessment.
We are currently accepting applications for this open position.
Thank you for your interest in Gay Lea Foods.
Wishing you all the best with your career search!