Sr. Contract Recruiter POST NUMBER: 478262
SUMMARY
The Senior Recruiter / Talent Acquisition Manager (Individual Contributor) is a high-impact, senior-level recruiting partner responsible for leading full-cycle hiring for specialized, niche, and business-critical roles across the entire organization. This includes corporate, engineering-adjacent, program leadership, technical support, operations, and other uniquely skilled positions essential to supporting rapid growth and new site expansion.
This role will drive high volume recruitment while also supporting the Washington office during a key growth period. As the senior-most individual contributor on the team, this position sets the standard for sourcing excellence, stakeholder partnership, and delivery on high-priority roles.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead full-cycle recruiting for specialized roles across all business units, including:
- Corporate functions (Finance, HR, IT, Supply Chain, Quality, Program Management)
- Engineering-adjacent and technical support roles
- Operations, manufacturing, and skilled trades
- Leadership and niche positions requiring targeted sourcing
- Own recruitment strategy and execution for specialized openings.
- Partner closely with executives, hiring managers, and cross-functional leaders to define hiring needs, talent profiles, and market positioning.
- Drive advanced sourcing strategies including headhunting, passive candidate engagement, competitive intelligence, and talent mapping for hard-to-fill roles.
- Conduct competency-based and role-specific screenings; manage interview processes with hiring teams and leadership.
- Build and maintain deep pipelines for specialized and future-critical roles.
- Ensure compliance with ITAR, DFARS, and other defense industry hiring regulations.
- Utilize AI and automation tools to enhance sourcing efficiency in a currently manual recruiting environment transitioning to Greenhouse ATS.
- Serve as the senior individual recruiter, modeling best practices and driving high-quality, high-volume hiring without direct people management responsibilities.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field preferred.
- 6 – 8 years of full-cycle recruiting experience, ideally within Aerospace, Defense, Engineering, or similarly complex industries.
- Demonstrated success hiring for specialized, niche, and leadership-level roles across multiple business functions.
- Strong headhunting and passive sourcing capabilities.
- Experience supporting site build-outs, corporate expansions, and high-volume hiring initiatives.
- Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and influencing skills.
- Proficiency with ATS platforms and advanced sourcing tools; experience with Greenhouse is a plus.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-impact recruiting environment with shifting priorities.
ENVIRONMENT & TOOLS
- Strong emphasis on leveraging AI and automation tools to improve sourcing and candidate engagement.
- Hybrid work model with 1–2 days onsite in Washington.
Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco/Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to the individual’s skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, office location and other geographic considerations, as well as other business and organizational needs. With that said, as required by local law in geographies that require salary range disclosure, Vaco/Highspring notes the salary range for the role is noted in this job posting. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses, and can participate in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company’s 401(k) retirement plan. Additional disclaimer: Unless otherwise noted in the job description, the position Vaco/Highspring is filing for is occupied. Please note, however, that Vaco/Highspring is regularly asked to provide talent to other organizations. By submitting to this position, you are agreeing to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions. Submissions to this position are subject to the use of AI to perform preliminary candidate screenings, focused on ensuring minimum job requirements noted in the position are satisfied. Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase within Vaco/Highspring will be otherwise assessed by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco/Highspring does not have knowledge of the tools used by its clients in making final hiring decisions and cannot opine on their use of AI products.
Vaco by Highspring values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply.
EEO Notice
Vaco by Highspring is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by federal, state or local law.
Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact HR@vaco.com .
Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.
By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. You also agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.
Privacy Notice
Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries (“we,” “our,” or “Vaco by Highspring”) respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.
- California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here.
- Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here.
- Residents of all other states may access our policies here.
- Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here.
- Residents of countries governed by GDPR may access our policies here.
Pay Transparency Notice
Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:
- the individual’s skill sets, experience and training;
- licensure and certification requirements;
- office location and other geographic considerations;
- other business and organizational needs.
With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses.