Talent Acquisition Manager

About Us

Cochran is a growing civil engineering firm with 7 Missouri offices, offering services in construction administration, materials testing, architectural and geotechnical engineering, and land surveying. Serving both public and private sectors, Cochran's expertise spans municipal, commercial, residential, transportation, water/wastewater, site development, retail, planning, and interior design. With 120+ professionals, the firm delivers tailored solutions backed by deep expertise and is guided by core values of teamwork, excellence, quality, and trust—ensuring principal involvement and outstanding service throughout every project.

Cochran's Headquarters office is looking for a Talent Acquisition Manager to join our team. 

Position Summary

The Talent Acquisition Manager is responsible for leading the organization's recruiting strategy and full-cycle hiring efforts to attract, engage, and hire exceptional talent across all business units. This role serves as a strategic partner to hiring managers while remaining actively involved in day-to-day recruiting activities. The Talent Acquisition Manager will oversee sourcing strategies, employer branding, candidate experience, recruitment marketing, internship programs, and workforce planning to ensure the organization continues to build a high-performing team aligned with its culture and long-term business goals.

This position requires a proactive, relationship-driven professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and enjoys connecting people with meaningful careers.

Essential Responsibilities

Talent Acquisition Strategy

• Develop and execute recruiting strategies that support organizational growth and workforce planning.
• Partner with leadership to understand current and future hiring needs.
• Build and maintain talent pipelines for critical and hard-to-fill positions.
• Monitor labor market trends and recommend innovative recruiting strategies.

Full-Cycle Recruiting

• Manage the full recruitment lifecycle from requisition through offer acceptance.
• Conduct intake meetings with hiring managers to define hiring needs and candidate profiles.
• Source candidates through LinkedIn Recruiter, networking, referrals, professional organizations, career fairs, universities, and other recruiting channels.
• Screen resumes, conduct phone interviews, coordinate interviews, and facilitate candidate selection.
• Prepare and extend employment offers while ensuring a positive candidate experience throughout the process.

Employer Branding & Recruitment Marketing

• Strengthen the organization's employer brand across digital platforms and recruiting events.
• Collaborate with Marketing to create recruiting content for social media, career pages, and recruitment campaigns.
• Develop recruiting materials, presentations, and promotional content highlighting company culture and career opportunities.
• Represent the organization at career fairs, networking events, and industry conferences.

Internship & University Relations

• Lead the company's internship and co-op recruiting program.
• Develop partnerships with colleges, universities, and student organizations.
• Coordinate internship onboarding, engagement activities, and program evaluations.
• Build a sustainable pipeline of early-career talent.

Hiring Manager Partnership

• Serve as a trusted advisor to hiring managers throughout the hiring process.
• Provide guidance on interviewing techniques, candidate evaluation, and market competitiveness.
• Ensure hiring practices are consistent, equitable, and aligned with company values.

Recruiting Operations & Analytics

• Maintain applicant tracking system data and recruiting documentation.
• Track recruiting metrics including time-to-fill, source effectiveness, candidate pipeline health, offer acceptance rates, and hiring manager satisfaction.
• Prepare recruiting reports and present hiring trends and recommendations to leadership.
• Continuously improve recruiting processes for efficiency and candidate experience.

Compliance

• Ensure recruiting practices comply with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws.
• Maintain accurate recruiting records and documentation.
• Stay informed on employment regulations and recruiting best practices.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Communications, Marketing, or a related field.
• 5+ years of full-cycle recruiting or talent acquisition experience.
• Experience recruiting for professional and technical positions.
• Strong sourcing experience using LinkedIn Recruiter and other recruiting platforms.
• Excellent interviewing, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple searches simultaneously.
• Proficiency with applicant tracking systems and Microsoft Office Suite.

Preferred

• Experience recruiting within engineering, architecture, construction, consulting, or other technical industries.
• Experience building internship or university recruiting programs.
• Experience with employer branding and recruitment marketing initiatives.
• Professional certification such as SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SPHR, or Talent Acquisition certifications.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods while working at a computer.
• Occasional travel to company offices, career fairs, universities, and recruiting events.
• Ability to lift up to 25 pounds when transporting recruiting materials or event supplies.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based bonuses
• 100% company paid Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, and Long-Term Disability insurance for employees, plus company deductible assistance
• 401(k) with 4% company match
• Generous PTO plan and 7 major holidays
• Continuing education and professional development support