3 Month Contract - Talent Acquisition Lead

Certified Group is committed to partnering with customers to deliver innovative scientific solutions and expertise – So The World Can Trust In What It Consumes™. Our network of 30+ North American and European laboratories serves the food & beverage, dietary supplements, cosmetics, OTC, tobacco/nicotine, cannabis, and hemp industries.

Our Brands

Certified Group is comprised of a set of specialized brands that collectively deliver laboratory testing, regulatory consulting, and certification & audit services across highly regulated industries:

• Certified Laboratories – Provides comprehensive analytical and microbiological testing, primarily supporting food, beverage, cosmetics, OTC, and dietary supplement industries.
• Food Safety Net Services (FSNS) – A leading network of ISO-accredited laboratories across North America, focused on food safety testing, operational support, and technical services for the food industry.
• Labstat – A global leader in contract research and testing for nicotine, tobacco, cannabis, hemp, and next-generation products, with deep expertise in analytical chemistry and toxicology.
• EAS Consulting Group – A regulatory consulting firm offering expert guidance, training, and auditing support across FDA, USDA, and other regulated sectors, powered by a large network of independent advisors.
• FSNS Certification & Audit – Provides accredited third-party auditing and certification services, including food safety, animal welfare, and GMP programs.

Interim Talent Acquisition Lead (Contract – Maternity Leave Coverage)

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced Talent Acquisition leader to provide interim support during a maternity leave coverage period. This role will partner closely with the Talent Acquisition team, HR Business Partners, executives, and hiring managers to ensure continuity of critical recruiting activities, maintain strong hiring practices, and support key Talent Acquisition operations.

The ideal candidate is a strategic, hands-on recruiting leader who can operate as a player-coach — owning complex searches, providing coaching and guidance to a team of three recruiters, advising hiring managers and business leaders, and driving operational excellence across key Talent Acquisition processes.

This role requires someone who can balance strategic recruiting leadership with hands-on execution, including executive recruiting, team coaching, ATS ownership, recruiting analytics, process optimization, and stakeholder partnership.

Approximate Time Allocation & Areas of Focus

Executive & Leadership Recruiting

• Own full lifecycle recruitment for approximately 5–10 Director-level and above positions, including intake, search strategy, sourcing, candidate engagement, interviewing, offer management, and closing.
• Partner with executives, HR Business Partners, and hiring leaders to understand business needs and develop effective recruiting strategies.
• Build and maintain proactive talent pipelines for leadership, critical, and hard-to-fill roles.
• Provide market insights, talent intelligence, compensation considerations, and recommendations throughout the search process.
• Manage executive candidate experience and ensure strong communication throughout the recruitment lifecycle.
• Support complex searches where additional recruiting expertise, escalation support, or strategic partnership is needed.

Talent Acquisition Team Coaching & Support

• Provide day-to-day coaching, guidance, and support to a team of three recruiters.
• Conduct regular 1:1 meetings with recruiters and participate in weekly Talent Acquisition team meetings.
• Serve as a resource for recruiters on complex searches, sourcing strategies, stakeholder management, candidate engagement, and recruiting best practices.
• Help prioritize recruiting efforts and provide guidance on competing business needs.
• Join recruiter hiring manager meetings whenever possible, prioritizing locations, business areas, or searches where additional TA partnership is needed.
• Support recruiter development through coaching, mentorship, knowledge sharing, and problem-solving.
• Provide guidance on recruiting strategy, candidate assessment, and effective stakeholder management.

Talent Acquisition Strategy & Hiring Manager Partnership

• Support execution of the overall Talent Acquisition strategy in alignment with business priorities and workforce needs.

• Partner with hiring managers and HR Business Partners to develop recruiting strategies, hiring plans, and sourcing approaches.
• Lead weekly hiring manager meetings for assigned searches and provide recruiting recommendations and updates.
• Guide hiring managers through recruiting processes, interview expectations, candidate evaluation, and selection decisions.
• Coach hiring managers on effective interviewing practices and successful candidate engagement.
• Own and facilitate requisition approval processes, including reviewing business justification, financial considerations, recruiting data, and hiring priorities.
• Lead weekly requisition approval meetings to ensure timely review, alignment, and movement of approved positions.
• Provide insights on recruiting challenges, market conditions, talent availability, and hiring timelines.

Recruiting Operat