Talent Acquisition Specialist

Location: Markham, Ontario

Job Description

At Pet Valu we understand that your pet is a part of the family because we’re devoted pet lovers too. We have been providing pets with everything they need to live healthy, happy, and active lives for more than 40 years.

Our employees are the key to our success! As a growing organization, our employees apply their creativity and innovative ideas as they take ownership of their projects and growth. We pride ourselves in providing an open environment by managing with approachability and providing support to allow for career development.

From distribution centers to stores to home office, we're supporting pets and their owners, and together we're making a difference!

What is the role?

This role will support full-cycle high-volume recruitment for assigned permanent and temporary staffing requisitions for all client groups within Pet Valu Canada Inc. This is a hybrid position based out of our Markham, ON head office location.

What will you do?

1. Ensure compliance in the request for hire approval process (e.g., obtaining necessary approvals, ensuring job descriptions and job grading are accurate, and completing the code creation stages).
2. Recruit for corporate and distribution center positions, covering entry-level to mid-senior level roles across IT, Finance, HR, Marketing, Merchandising, Supply Chain, Operations, Real Estate, and Legal departments.
3. Initiate consultative intake meetings with hiring leaders to fully understand role requirements, core competencies, and role profiles, and develop a sourcing strategy based on these needs.
4. Provide coaching and support to hiring managers, including information on labor market trends, the competitive landscape, sourcing strategies, and appropriate timelines.
5. Manage requisitions in Workday – open and close requisitions, disposition candidates appropriately, post jobs, and support additional sourcing initiatives (e.g., proactively building candidate pipelines).
6. Source, screen, evaluate, and participate in the selection of top talent based on established criteria, business needs, and HR best practices.
7. Participate in career fairs, employer presentations, and community networking events.
8. Maintain a talent pipeline by building and maintaining relationships with universities, colleges, agencies, community programs, diversity groups, and on social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram).
9. Promote Pet Valu as an "Employer of Choice" during interactions with candidates (e.g., prescreens, interviews, internal and external events).
10. Conduct reference and background checks as required.
11. Manage the job offer process, including creating offers, drafting employment contracts, obtaining necessary approvals, extending offers verbally, negotiating, and assisting candidates with the electronic acceptance process.
12. In collaboration with the hiring manager, prepare and distribute new hire announcements.
13. Onboard new hires by initiating the Coming & Going form, distributing it to the mailing list, and coordinating with hiring managers on customized onboarding requirements.
14. Draft staffing announcements as part of the onboarding process.
15. Liaise with agency contacts, submit partnership contract terms to legal, and coordinate logistics for the recruitment process.
16. Create and distribute "Hot Jobs" flyers to the business on a biweekly basis.
17. Research salary market information to support recruiting efforts.
18. Provide job descriptions as needed and assist hiring managers with research for new positions.
19. Apply internal job evaluation tools (pay grades) to support staffing decisions.
20. Conduct post-hire evaluations by following up with hiring managers and new hires on their fit and performance within 3 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months.
21. Track and process recruitment-related invoices as required.
22. Provide reception coverage as needed and serve as a backup for the receptionist at the Markham office.
23. Assist with other duties, projects, and ad hoc requests as assigned.

1. Completion of a post-secondary education in an HR program is required.
2. Working towards CHRP is an asset.
3. A minimum of 2 years of in-house, full-cycle recruitment experience in a fast-paced, high-volume corporate environment is required. Ideal candidates will have a blend of corporate and technical IT recruiting expertise.
4. Experience managing or supporting strategic projects is a plus.
5. Experience using an Applicant Tracking System and Workday is an asset.
6. Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) is required.

1. Ability to build and maintain strategic relationships across the organization.
2. Passion for delivering a positive candidate experience.
3. Knowledge of various interviewing and selection techniques.
4. Proficiency in using recruitment-related tools and ATS applications, including leveraging social media (LinkedIn, Indeed, or similar tools) to attract and manage candidates.
5. Strong selection and assessment skills.
6. Proven success in developing innovative, creative, and proactive strategies to attract high-quality candidates.
7. In-depth understanding of the Employment Standards Act, Human Rights Code, and AODA standards.
8. Resourceful and proactive with the ability to work with minimal supervision.
9. Collaborative team player who delivers results and holds themselves accountable.
10. Effective time management and organizational skills, with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
11. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to influence others.
12. Strong problem-solving abilities and logical thinking.
13. Ability to manage multiple tasks in a deadline-driven environment.
14. Knowledge of compensation and company benefits packages to meet long-range organizational goals.
15. Service-oriented approach with internal stakeholders.
16. Detail-oriented with the ability to compile data and work under tight deadlines.
17. Ability to juggle multiple time-sensitive tasks in an environment with regular interruptions.