Talent Acquisition Specialist

Who We Are:

Steve Madden is a global fashion company known for its innovative, trend-driven footwear, accessories, and apparel. Founded in 1990 in Queens, New York, the company has grown from a footwear startup into a globally recognized fashion organization with a portfolio of leading brands, including Steve Madden, Kurt Geiger London, Dolce Vita, Betsey Johnson, Carvela, Blondo, and ATM.

With a presence in more than 80 countries, Steve Madden operates across wholesale, retail, e-commerce, licensing, and private label businesses. The company is driven by creativity, individuality, and a fast-paced entrepreneurial spirit, bringing fashion-forward products to consumers around the world.

General Summary:

The Talent Acquisition team is looking for a Talent Acquisition Specialist to manage full-cycle recruiting for an assigned portfolio of client groups and serve as a strong recruiting partner to hiring managers across the business.

This role is ideal for an experienced recruiter who can independently manage multiple requisitions, build strong candidate pipelines, and provide thoughtful guidance to hiring managers throughout the recruiting process. The Talent Acquisition Specialist will be responsible for developing effective sourcing strategies, delivering a positive candidate experience, and helping the team continuously improve recruiting processes.

The Specialist will work closely with the Talent Acquisition Manager and broader HR team on recruiting initiatives, while taking ownership of day-to-day recruiting activity and assigned projects. This role will be based in our NYC office, 4 days on-site and 1 day from home.

Major Responsibilities: 

• Own the full-cycle recruiting process for assigned client groups, from intake and sourcing through interviews, offer, and close.
• Partner with hiring managers to understand hiring needs, clarify role requirements, and establish effective recruiting strategies.
• Develop and maintain strong pipelines of active and passive candidates through LinkedIn, job boards, referrals, networking, and other sourcing channels.
• Proactively source candidates for specialized, niche, and hard-to-fill positions.
• Conduct recruiter screens and assess candidates based on role requirements, experience, skills, and overall fit.
• Coordinate interviews and maintain consistent communication with candidates and hiring managers throughout the recruiting process.
• Provide hiring managers with regular updates on pipeline activity, market feedback, candidate availability, and recruiting challenges.
• Serve as a recruiting resource to hiring managers, providing guidance on candidate profiles, sourcing approaches, and the overall recruiting process.
• Manage assigned requisitions in the Applicant Tracking System, ensuring accurate and timely updates throughout the hiring process.
• Ensure job descriptions are accurate, current, and aligned with business needs.
• Partner with the Talent Acquisition Manager on recruiting process improvements, candidate experience initiatives, and team projects.
• Support employer branding and talent attraction initiatives, including career fairs, university recruiting, job postings, and recruitment marketing efforts.
• Track recruiting activity and assist with analyzing pipeline and recruiting metrics to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Support key Talent Acquisition programs, including the Employee Referral Program, Internal Mobility, and Summer Internship Program.
• Build relationships with external agencies, universities, professional organizations, and industry networks as needed to support talent pipelines.
• Contribute to special projects and continuous improvement initiatives within Talent Acquisition and HR.
• May provide informal guidance and support to Talent Acquisition Associates or Coordinators.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

Education, Licenses, Certificates, Registrations and/or Experience:

• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• 3+ years of full-cycle recruiting or Talent Acquisition experience, preferably within fashion, retail, consumer products, or a comparable fast-paced industry.
• Demonstrated experience sourcing and engaging both active and passive candidates.
• Experience managing multiple requisitions across different business functions or client groups.
• Experience with ADP or a similar Applicant Tracking System required.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Word and Excel.
• Experience with LinkedIn Recruiter and other sourcing platforms preferred.
• Familiarity with recruiting metrics and reporting tools is a plus.

The expected base salary for this position ranges from $70,000-80,000. Ranges are based on various factors such as relevant skillset, training, years of experience related to the current job description, education, and our organizational structure. In addition to the base salary, Steve Madden offers a competitive benefits package that includes health and dental insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, 401K, paid holidays, a generous paid time-off policy, and career opportunities within a dynamic team.