Recruiter (Contract)

About the role

This contract position integrates with livingHR's talent community, placing professionals into project-based engagements that match their experience and location. You will serve as a trusted advisor to client organizations, guiding them through complex hiring and operational challenges while maintaining strict confidentiality and professionalism. The role requires you to own the full candidate journey, from initial sourcing through to offer negotiation and onboarding coordination, ensuring a seamless experience for both clients and candidates. You are responsible for building and maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders at all levels, demonstrating empathy and sound judgment in every interaction. Success in this role depends on your ability to adapt to shifting priorities and deliver consistent results under project-based constraints. You will play a key part in strengthening employer branding and talent pipelines, ensuring that client organizations can attract and retain top-tier professionals. Your work will directly influence hiring outcomes and operational excellence across a variety of industries and organizational contexts.

Key facts

What you'll do

Support client organizations by delivering modern, human-centric HR solutions that enhance workplace experiences during periods of growth, transformation, or change. Act as a strategic partner throughout the full engagement lifecycle, ensuring delivery excellence, alignment with business goals, and measurable outcomes. Provide full-cycle recruiting support across diverse roles and levels, collaborating closely with hiring managers to develop and execute effective talent acquisition strategies. Champion exceptional candidate experiences while strengthening employer branding and engagement initiatives to build robust talent pipelines. Track and analyze recruiting metrics, identifying opportunities to refine hiring processes in response to evolving client priorities and market conditions. Leverage professional expertise to advise on HR policies, performance management, and employee development in alignment with client needs. Maintain discretion and fairness in all interactions, fostering an inclusive and respectful environment for employees and stakeholders. Demonstrate strong stakeholder management skills, communicating clearly and effectively with diverse audiences across virtual and in-person settings. Remain adaptable to project-based demands, navigating shifting scopes, timelines, and expectations with professionalism. Utilize HR platforms and recruiting tools to streamline workflows, improve efficiency, and support data-driven decision-making.

Requirements

Possess direct experience working with clients in consulting, professional services, PEOs, or agencies, demonstrating comfort in professional services environments. Bring strong internal HR or functional expertise across relevant disciplines, enabling you to address diverse and complex client needs effectively. Operate independently and confidently in a fast-paced, client-facing environment, requiring minimal supervision and consistent self-direction. Exhibit excellent communication, stakeholder management, and advisory skills, facilitating productive collaboration across cross-functional and multi-level audiences. Show flexibility in working within project-based engagements, adapting seamlessly to shifting scopes, deliverables, and timelines as client priorities evolve. Hold HR certifications or platform-specific certifications where applicable, providing added credibility and alignment with advanced client expectations. Accept that occasional travel may be required when client needs necessitate in-person presence, and be willing to accommodate this requirement to ensure successful engagements. Meet the stated degree requirement, which is a condition of eligibility for this role and must be verified during the application process.

Nice to have

Preferred qualifications include prior experience with HR technology platforms, talent management systems, and data-driven decision-making tools. Demonstrated success in remote-first or distributed team environments, showcasing strong virtual collaboration practices. Familiarity with structured HR processes, including performance reviews, compensation planning, and policy implementation. Additional experience in employer branding, candidate relationship management, and workforce planning initiatives. Exposure to professional services or fractional roles within HR contexts, supporting a broad understanding of client-driven engagements.

Practical notes

Understand that assignments remain project-based, with timing, scope, and duration varying to meet evolving client needs and business demands. Prepare for a structured interview process, which may include a case scenario, policy-based questions, and behavioral rounds to assess judgment and empathy. Be ready to discuss how you would design an interview process, handle sensitive employee situations, and balance policy with fairness and company values. Interviews often test your ability to manage confidential information and navigate disagreements with professionalism. Demonstrate clear communication skills and operational rigor, ensuring consistent and high-quality delivery across all aspects of the role. Recognize that this position relies on professional expertise in talent acquisition and client collaboration, supported by common HR and recruiting tools within structured environments. Maintain flexibility in scheduling and availability, as project-based work may require adjustments to meet critical client milestones and deadlines.

Good to know

This role centers on contract-based HR and recruiting work within a remote-first professional services context, offering diverse exposure to multiple industries and organizational challenges. The position relies on professional expertise in talent acquisition and client collaboration to address business needs effectively and efficiently. Common tools and platforms associated with HR and recruiting may support these activities, including HRIS, ATS, and performance management systems within structured environments. Expectations emphasize flexibility, clear communication, accountability, and operational rigor to consistently deliver measurable results. General industry knowledge in HR, consulting, and recruiting applies to this type of contract engagement, enhancing your ability to support effective outcomes and long-term client success. This role provides an opportunity to build a diverse portfolio while contributing to strategic workforce initiatives across dynamic and evolving organizations.

Questions to ask

Prepare thoughtful questions for the employer during the interview process to demonstrate your engagement and understanding. Inquire about what success looks like in the first six months, how the team is structured, and what the current biggest challenge is facing the organization. Ask about decision-making processes, growth paths within the team, and how performance reviews are conducted. Showing genuine interest in these areas reflects strong preparation and commitment to the role. Employers appreciate candidates who ask insightful questions, as this indicates curiosity and a desire to contribute meaningfully from the outset.

Career growth

People careers offer clear progression paths, evolving from coordinator to generalist, manager, and director levels over time. Recruiters can advance into talent leadership roles, while HR partners may move into people operations leadership with increased responsibility. Business acumen becomes increasingly important at each career level, influencing decision-making and strategic contributions. People careers reward breadth of experience, including recruitment, development, training, and operational responsibilities across the employee lifecycle. Experience with tools such as HRIS and ATS systems proves valuable at every level, enhancing efficiency and accuracy in role execution. Continuous learning and professional development remain essential as roles evolve and organizational needs change over time.