Associate Director, Talent Acquisition

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, and develop the Talent Acquisition team (external and internal recruiters, coordinators, and contingent support), fostering a high-performance, people-core culture.
• Define and execute a comprehensive TA strategy aligned with Avid's growth targets, workforce plan, and business priorities.
• Own the TA budget, including headcount, tools, job board spend, and external partnerships (RPO, agencies, search firms); manage vendor performance and ROI.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the CPO and Executive Leadership Team on headcount planning, talent market trends, and organizational readiness.
• Lead the work to define our future Organizational Structure and Strategic Workforce Plan.

Recruitment Operations & Process Excellence

• Oversee end-to-end recruitment across all functions and levels — from manufacturing operators to senior leadership.
• Design and continuously improve hiring processes, policies, interview frameworks, and candidate assessment methods.
• Own the TA technology stack (ATS, sourcing platforms, analytics tools); evaluate and implement new solutions.
• Establish and track TA KPIs (time-to-fill, quality of hire, cost-per-hire, pipeline health, offer acceptance rates) and report insights to leadership.

Employer Branding & Talent Pipeline

• Partner with Marketing and the People team to build and amplify Avid's employer brand across LinkedIn, Glassdoor, career site, and industry events.
• Develop proactive talent pipelines for hard-to-fill and recurring roles, with a focus on CDMO, biotech, manufacturing, quality, and engineering talent.
• Lead and expand the university recruiting and relations efforts.
• Cultivate a network of passive candidates and industry contacts through creative sourcing, events, and ongoing relationship-building.

Stakeholder Partnership & Candidate Experience

• Act as a trusted talent advisor to hiring managers and HRBPs — coaching on role design, market positioning, interview best practices, and offer strategy.
• Lead post-interview debriefs and calibration discussions to drive informed, equitable hiring decisions.
• Ensure an exceptional, consistent candidate experience at every touchpoint.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with People Operations, Onboarding, and Compliance to ensure seamless handoffs from offer through Day 1.

Minimum Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive talent acquisition experience, including 3+ years leading or managing a TA team in a high-growth or scaling environment.
• Demonstrated success building and executing TA strategy — including workforce planning, employer branding, and vendor/RPO management.
• Experience managing TA budgets, external partnerships, and recruiting technology platforms (ATS, CRM, sourcing tools).
• Proven ability to personally source and close senior-level and hard-to-fill roles using creative, multi-channel strategies.
• Strong executive presence with the ability to influence and advise senior leadership on talent strategy and market dynamics.
• Analytical mindset — comfortable building dashboards, interpreting data, and translating metrics into actionable strategies.
• A coaching-first leadership style rooted in trust, empowerment, and accountability.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• Genuine curiosity and a growth mindset.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in CDMO, biotech, pharmaceutical, or life sciences manufacturing environments.
• Experience managing an RPO engagement or hybrid internal/external recruiting model.
• Proven track record in both experienced hire and university/early-career recruiting.
• Familiarity with GMP-regulated environments and the unique talent needs they present.
• Experience leading or contributing to employer brand development (career site, EVP, content strategy).
• SHRM-CP/SCP, PHR/SPHR, or AIRS certification a plus.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This role is a full-time onsite position. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday unless otherwise stated by Supervisor. The employee must also have the ability to work overtime and/or weekends when necessary.