Talent Acquisition Specialist - Westchester, IL

Position Overview

Follett Higher Education is a leading educational service provider and omnichannel retailer, providing students, faculty, staff, parents, and fans with the course materials, learning tools, and retail services needed to successfully support the collegiate journey. Follett Higher Education supports over 6 million students through its 1,100 physical and 1,750 eCommerce campus stores across North America.

The Talent Acquisition Specialist plays a key role in supporting Follett's talent acquisition strategy and early-career talent initiatives. This position is responsible for full-cycle recruiting for select programs and roles, while also supporting the growth and activation of Follett's student-focused talent programs.

Working closely with the HR Business Partner - Talent Strategy & Acquisition Programs, this role will help build sustainable talent pipelines, enhance the candidate experience, support university partnerships, and execute recruiting strategies that attract top talent to Follett. The Talent Acquisition Specialist will serve as a key contributor to the success of the E.L.P. Student CEO Program, Student Marketing Director Program, and OTC Summer Internship Program.

• Support recruiting efforts for manager-level and below positions across Follett.
• Conduct intake meetings with hiring managers to understand talent needs and develop recruiting strategies.
• Manage full-cycle recruiting activities for:
  
  
  
  • E.L.P. Student CEO Program
  • Student Marketing Director (SMD) Program
  • OTC Summer Internship Program
  
  
  
  
• Source, screen, interview, and coordinate candidate movement throughout the hiring process.
• Prepare and distribute weekly hiring updates to business leaders and stakeholders.
• Support offer creation, candidate communications, and onboarding coordination.
• Build and maintain talent pipelines for future hiring needs.

• Assist with the activation and expansion of E.L.P. programs at new and existing campuses.
• Create and coordinate marketing collaterals for recruiting events, program launches, and campus outreach initiatives.
• Coordinate email campaigns and outreach efforts to student affairs offices, academic departments, career centers, and university partners.
• Attend campus recruiting events, career fairs, information sessions, and tabling events as needed.
• Track program engagement metrics and recommend improvements to increase awareness and participation.

• Lead monthly virtual training seminars for Student CEOs focused on leadership development, professional skills, and career readiness.
• Manage and oversee the CEO Eligibility Process across all participating locations.
• Assist with program reporting, participant tracking, and leadership updates.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent.
• 1-3 years of full-cycle recruiting and candidate management experience.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, and customer service skills.
• Ability to source, screen, and interview candidates across multiple positions.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Experience partnering with hiring managers and coordinating recruitment activities.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate recruiting data and documentation.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
• Comfortable presenting information and facilitating virtual or in-person meetings and training sessions.
• Ability to build relationships with universities, student organizations, and community partners.
• Self-motivated, adaptable, and able to work independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Willingness to travel periodically for campus recruiting events, career fairs, and program activations.