Manhattan Strategy Group (MSG), a rapidly growing management consulting firm, is seeking a Talent Acquisition & Business Development Recruiting Manager. MSG provides consulting services across the federal government in the areas of training and technical assistance, research and evaluation, marketing and communications, program management, and information technology. Our federal clients include the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Agriculture, Labor, Justice, Homeland Security, and the National Science Foundation.
We offer our team members a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment and a competitive benefits package. This position is based in our Bethesda, Maryland office and requires onsite presence 2–3 days per week.
The Talent Acquisition & Business Development Recruiting Manager is a hands-on recruiting professional responsible for leading recruitment efforts and building proactive talent pipelines to support upcoming government contracting proposals, contract awards, and strategic growth initiatives.
This role requires an individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment, demonstrates a strong sense of urgency, and takes personal ownership of recruiting outcomes. The successful candidate will independently manage the full recruitment lifecycle, partner closely with Business Development and operational leaders, and develop relationships with highly qualified candidates, subject matter experts, and consultants to support MSG's continued growth.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
- Lead full-cycle recruiting efforts for contingent proposal hires, contract awards, and strategic business development opportunities.
- Develop and execute recruiting strategies to identify and engage highly qualified candidates, subject matter experts (SMEs), consultants, and key personnel for federal government contracting opportunities.
- Build and maintain proactive talent pipelines to support current and future proposal efforts, recompetes, and anticipated contract awards.
- Develop job postings and sourcing campaigns utilizing LinkedIn, Indeed, professional associations, industry networks, referrals, and other recruiting channels.
- Personally source, screen, interview, and assess candidates to determine qualifications, availability, interest, and alignment with opportunity requirements.
- Conduct phone and virtual interviews and coordinate candidate progression throughout the recruitment process.
- Manage candidate relationships throughout the recruiting lifecycle, ensuring a positive candidate experience and timely communication.
- Negotiate rates, salaries, and employment terms with candidates, consultants, and subcontractor personnel.
- Prepare and extend contingent and direct offer letters and present company information, benefits, and employment details.
- Partner closely with Business Development, Proposal Operations, Program Management, Human Resources, Contracts, Finance, and Executive Leadership to develop staffing strategies for proposals and awarded work.
- Participate in proposal planning meetings, staffing discussions, color team reviews, and other business development activities as needed.
- Maintain regular communication with high-potential candidates and industry contacts in anticipation of future business needs.
- Develop and maintain recruiting metrics, pipeline reports, and staffing status updates for leadership.
- Manage candidate activity and maintain accurate records within the applicant tracking system (ATS).
- Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, as well as company recruiting policies and procedures.
- Stay informed regarding labor market trends, compensation practices, competitor activity, and recruiting best practices within the federal contracting industry.
- Independently manage multiple concurrent recruiting priorities while delivering high-quality candidates under aggressive proposal and hiring timelines.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree required.
- Minimum of 5 years of full-cycle recruiting experience within the federal government contracting industry.
- Demonstrated experience supporting business development, capture, proposal, and pre-award recruiting efforts.
- Proven success recruiting for professional services, consulting, research, training and technical assistance, communications, program management, and technical positions supporting federal clients.
- Strong experience sourcing passive candidates through LinkedIn Recruiter, networking, referrals, databases, and other creative sourcing techniques.
- Demonstrated success identifying and engaging subject matter experts, consultants, and key personnel for proposal efforts.
- Experience negotiating compensation, consulting agreements, and contingent employment arrangements.
- Experience using applicant tracking systems; Jobvite experience preferred.
- Knowledge of federal employment regulations and recruiting compliance requirements.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively engage candidates and senior leadership.
- Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships with candidates, hiring managers, business development professionals, and executive leadership.
- Exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, and follow-through.
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while managing competing priorities.
- Proven ability to operate with a strong sense of urgency and consistently meet demanding deadlines.
- Experience supporting multiple concurrent proposals and recruiting efforts in a fast-paced federal contracting environment preferred.
What Makes Someone Successful in This Role
- Operates with urgency in fast-paced environment.
- Is highly proactive and resourceful in identifying talent.
- Enjoys building relationships and networking within the federal contracting community.
- Balances speed and quality while managing multiple priorities.
- Takes ownership of recruiting outcomes and follows through on commitments.
- Thrives in a collaborative, growth-oriented environment.
Manhattan Strategy Group (MSG) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Our hiring decisions are based solely on merit and qualifications, ensuring a fair and competitive selection process.
