Associate Principal TA Program

Job Description

Job Title: Associate Principal TA Programs

About Tekion

Positively disrupting an industry that has not seen disruption in over 50 years, Tekion has challenged the paradigm with the first and fastest cloud-native automotive platform that includes the revolutionary Automotive Retail Cloud (ARC) for retailers, Automotive Enterprise Cloud (AEC) for manufacturers and other large automotive enterprises and Automotive Partner Cloud (APC) for technology and industry partners. Tekion connects the entire spectrum of the automotive retail ecosystem through one seamless platform. The transformative platform uses cutting-edge technology, big data, machine learning, and AI to seamlessly bring together OEMs, retailers/dealers and consumers. For more information, visit www.tekion.com

Role Overview

In this high-impact role, you wont just manage programsyoull create transformative recruiting journeys that set us apart as an employer of choice worldwide. As our Associate Principal TA Programs, you will architect and continually evolve talent acquisition programs in a globally consistent manner that attract, engage, and inspire the very best, ensuring Tekions growth and leadership on the global stage.

Key Responsibilities

Employee Experience Focus

We see every candidate, referral, and outreach as an opportunity to make a lasting impression.

- Ensure every candidate and employee referral in our TA programs enjoys a seamless, communicative, and engaging journey, with proactive updates and meaningful touchpoints.
- Champion feedback and continuous improvement, making each candidates experience more delightful than the last.
- Maintain clean and accurate candidate data by designing and executing system-level validations to minimize duplicate profiles.

AI-Driven Talent Acquisition

Leveraging AI in our TA operations allows us to create smarter, more personalized, and efficient experiences.

- Lead the adoption of AI-powered best practices to elevate hiring speed, accuracy, and personalizationdelivering an experience that feels both innovative and human.
- Stay abreast of emerging AI capabilities in TA and work with the tools team to enable and scale AI-based features.
- Collaborate closely with tech teams to pilot and scale advanced automation and data-driven hiring solutions.

Process Improvement & Issue Management

We embrace a continuous improvement mindset and act swiftly to keep our talent acquisition engine running at its best.

- Identify, monitor, and resolve process gaps across the TA lifecycle to ensure a smooth and effective operation.
- Manage issue-queues, prioritize escalations, and ensure timely resolution of all TA-related queries and challenges.

Standardize Communication & Templates

Clear, personalized, and timely communication shapes the candidate&aposs journey.

- Partner with branding and systems teams to design and implement standardized, branded email templates for interview scheduling, offer rollout, and feedback communications.
- Develop and maintain TA kits and interview guides for both candidates and interviewers to ensure clarity, preparedness, and a unified Tekion experience.

Lead & Optimize TA Programs and Special Initiatives

We aim to create experiences that engage and excite talent at every stage, demonstrating Tekions passion for people and innovation.

- Own the strategy, execution, and evolution of referral contests, ambassador programs, TA training, surveys, and other high-engagement initiatives.
- Cement Tekions reputation as a destination for world-class talent through program innovation and relentless improvement.

Design, Launch, and Manage Strategic Programs

Strategic, well-crafted programs are the backbone of a powerful recruitment engine.

- Build and scale programs including:
- Lead Boomerang Program: Welcome back alumni who are ready to make new contributions.
- Talent Mapping & Pipelining: Proactively engage and nurture connections with future leaders and critical talent.
- Leadership Connect Series: Facilitate direct engagement between candidates and Tekions visionaries.
- Architect and lead Talent Branding Campaigns: Broadcast Tekions culture and impact far and wide.
- Diversity Networking & Leadership Events: Expand inclusion and opportunity through purposeful outreach and engagement. Design and implement Diversity Networking and Leadership events to promote inclusive hiring. Develop and execute sourcing and recruitment strategies that prioritize increasing representation of underrepresented groups. Monitor and report diversity metrics across campus, lateral, and referral hires, and recommend actions to address identified gaps.

Referral programs

Lead the evolution of the global employee referral strategy and continuously refine strategies to drive high-quality talent referrals. Use data and feedback to improve program effectiveness and communication approaches. Serve as key advisor to internal communications to promote referral campaigns and highlight referral success stories.

Campus Hiring Excellence

Tekion champions immersive, innovative, and genuinely relationship-driven university recruiting. We want early-career talent to feel inspired and supported from day one.

- Architect and lead Tekions year-round campus engagement to strengthen our brand presence & tap early talent. with marketing and communications to strengthen employer branding among university students and diverse communities by developing pre- and post-offer engagement programs, diversity-focused initiatives, hackathons, and academic collaborations with key institutions. Partner with the campus lead to build strong relationships with campuses, launch real-world projects, and deliver impactful, personalized engagement to attract and nurture top early talent.
- TA Programs person will collaborate closely with the Intern Onboarding & Programs team to execute a high-impact 6-month internship program which offers hands-on training, live projects, and personalized development aimed at building Tekions early leadership pipeline.
- Partner with Campus lead to design and implement a campus recruitment strategy to attract top emerging talent from targeted universities and colleges.
- Build and maintain strong, long-term relationships with key university career centers, faculty, and student organizations.

TA Playbook & Process Optimization

Operational excellence is the foundation of a delightful and efficient hiring journey. With clear processes and accessible resources, our teams are equipped to deliver world-class results.

- Set, govern, and continuously improve the TA Playbookdocumenting best practices for every aspect of the talent journey.
- Create a dynamic, easily navigable shared resource hub for TA partners, with templates, guides, FAQs, and workflow maps.
- Lead the integration of automation and process bots to maximize efficiency and ensure scalability.

Recruiter Training, Upskilling & Enablement

Continuous learning and development are at the heart of maintaining a sharp, effective TA teamensuring a thoughtful, high-quality experience for every candidate.

- Drive the development of structured interviews and recruiter training to ensure consistent, compelling candidate engagement. Lead TA certification initiatives on competency-based interviews, Tekion pitch, negotiation, and offer closure strategies.
- Lead a robust TA learning calendar, including brown bag sessions, cross-training, certification support, and tailored onboarding kits.
- Rigorously assess impact, adapt programming to new needs, and foster a culture of knowledge sharing and best practice.

Process Automation, Reporting & Insights

Data and automation are our superpowers for delivering transparent, actionable, and responsive candidate journeys.

- Lead the automation of dashboards, scorecards, tool utilization, and KPI reports to arm leaders with real-time insights.
- Work with the tools team to Automate offer engagement workflows and Candidate NPS tracking within ATS platforms like Greenhouse, including defining timelines, milestones, and analyzing feedback.

Candidate NPS & Continuous Experience Enhancement

Feedback fuels our growth and success. Listening, learning, and responding to candidates at every stage allows us to create the most extraordinary and memorable hiring experiences in the industry.

- Own end-to-end Candidate NPS tracking and analysis. Leverage actionable insights to champion experience improvement initiatives across the TA lifecycle.

Other Programs

Based on needs, take initiative to build world class recruiting programs that support the overall success of Tekion.

Qualifications:

- Master&aposs degree and 8+ years of measurable impact in TA program leadership within dynamic, tech-driven organizations. Or alternatively, a bachelors degree with a minimum of 12 years of related experience.
- A track record of architecting and scaling global campus, referral, boomerang, and diversity TA programs.
- Strong background in process improvement, issue management, and TA workflow optimization
- Deep knowledge of AI/automation and hands-on experience with modern ATS/HRIS
- Demonstrated success in communication standardization, playbook creation, and recruiter enablement
- Experience leveraging NPS, data, and continuous improvement metrics to elevate TA outcomes
- Stellar communication, stakeholder influence, and project management abilities
- Relentless drive to innovate, lead change, and create remarkable candidate experiences

Why Tekion

At Tekion, you directly shape our culture and global growth, crafting hiring experiences that power innovation and leave lasting impressions. We offer competitive rewards, Radford-aligned equity, and a culture built on empowerment, learning, inclusivity, and high visibility for your work and impact.

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