Museum Research Associate Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Who We Are

Founded in 1926, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is a private, not-for-profit educational, historic, and cultural institution that owns and operates one of the largest and best-known museum complexes in the world. Our mission is “that the future may learn from the past” through preserving and restoring 18th-century Williamsburg, Virginia’s colonial capital. We engage, inform, and inspire people to learn about this historic capital, the events that occurred here, and the diverse peoples who helped shape a new nation.

Today, Colonial Williamsburg is the largest living history museum in the U.S. The Historic Area is the 301-acre restored colonial capital with 88 original buildings and 525 buildings reconstructed to how they appeared in the 18th century through extensive archaeological, architectural, and documentary research. The Historic Area is staffed by highly trained, historically dressed interpreters and expert tradespeople who bring the 18th century to life. The Foundation also owns and operates two world-class museums, the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, and a renowned research library, the John D Rockefeller Jr Library.

Additionally, Colonial Williamsburg is home to five world class accommodations at the Williamsburg Inn, Williamsburg Lodge Autograph Collection, the Griffin Hotel, the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotels and Suites and the unique Colonial Houses in the Historical Area. Visitors may also indulge in food and drink at our many on site restaurants and taverns that blend a historically inspired dining experience with today’s evolved tastes. Each year over 5 million people visit Williamsburg and another 20 million engage with us digitally.

About the Position

The Talent Acquisition Manager leads the organization’s talent acquisition function, providing strategic direction and operational oversight for a team responsible for full-cycle recruiting across multiple disciplines including hospitality, historic interpretation, performing arts, museums, education and corporate functions. This role reports to the Associate Vice President, HR People Operations and partners closely with senior leaders, hiring managers, and HR business partners to align TA strategies with workforce planning priorities and evolving talent needs. The Talent Acquisition Manager drives effective recruiting operations, ensures a high-quality candidate and hiring manager experience, and supports the successful attraction and hiring of top talent, including hard-to-fill and senior-level roles.

Recruiting Leadership & Strategy

· Lead, coach, and develop a team of recruiters responsible for full-cycle hiring across the organization, driving high-quality hiring outcomes through effective sourcing strategies, candidate engagement, and structured assessment practices.

· Lead, coach, and develop an onboarding coordinator responsible for ensuring new employees have a smooth transition into the organization.

· Manage day-to-day recruiting operations, including workload prioritization, requisition allocation, and performance management to ensure hiring goals and service-level expectations are met.

· Design and implement strategic recruiting initiatives that strengthen the organization’s employer brand and attract diverse, high-quality talent across both the hospitality and historical education business sectors.

· Partner with senior leaders, hiring managers, and HR business partners to align recruiting strategies with workforce planning, business priorities, and evolving talent needs.

· Provide leadership in addressing complex or high-impact hiring challenges, advising leaders on effective hiring strategies, market insights, and competitive talent acquisition practices.

Recruiting Operations & Process Improvement

· Oversee end-to-end recruiting operations including sourcing, screening, interviewing, selection, and onboarding to deliver consistent and positive candidate and hiring manager experiences.

· Lead the development and implementation of recruiting programs, process improvements, and operational efficiencies that enhance hiring outcomes and team productivity.

· Collaborate cross-functionally with HR leadership and internal stakeholders to support broader talent initiatives, organizational growth, and continuous improvement of recruiting processes and tools.

· Identify opportunities to strengthen recruiting operations, employer branding, and candidate engagement strategies across the organization.

· Ensure recruiting practices align with company policies, employment regulations, and organizational standards across union and non-union environments. Systems, Data & Reporting

· Support the successful implementation and ongoing optimization of the Workday Applicant Tracking System (ATS), partnering with HRIS, HR leadership, and recruiting teams to configure workflows, improve system adoption, and streamline recruiting processes.

· Partner with HRIS and HR leadership to enhance recruiting analytics, reporting capabilities, and system utilization to support data-driven talent acquisition decisions.

· Ensure accurate data flow and system integrity from candidate application through hire and onboarding across recruiting and HR platforms. Strategic Recruiting Partnership

· Partner directly with hiring managers and senior leaders to conduct talent needs assessments, develop targeted sourcing strategies, and guide effective hiring approaches for critical and hard-to-fill roles.

· Lead full-cycle recruiting for select high-impact and senior-level positions, including strategic sourcing, candidate screening, interview coordination, and stakeholder consultation.

· Serve as a trusted advisor to hiring managers by presenting market insights, evaluating candidate fit, and facilitating competitive offer development and negotiation to secure top talent.

· Provide guidance and oversight to experienced recruiting professionals who operate with a high degree of independence in managing requisitions and hiring partnerships.

· Communicate recruiting priorities, policies, and best practices to ensure consistent execution and high service standards across the recruiting team.

This job description reflects the general responsibilities of the position and is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Duties and responsibilities may evolve over time based on operational needs.

Required Education and Experience:

· Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field required; equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.

· Minimum five years of progressive talent acquisition experience, including full-cycle recruiting across a variety of roles and functions.

· Minimum three years of leadership or supervisory experience managing or mentoring recruiting professionals and overseeing recruiting operations.

· Demonstrated experience partnering with senior leaders and hiring managers to develop recruiting strategies aligned with workforce planning and organizational priorities.

· Experience recruiting for complex, hard-to-fill, or senior-level positions, including developing targeted sourcing strategies and advising hiring leaders throughout the hiring process.

· Proven ability to manage multiple requisitions and recruiting priorities in a fast-paced environment while maintaining high service standards and candidate experience.

· Experience working with an Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and HR systems.

· Demonstrated ability to use recruiting data, metrics, and reporting to inform hiring strategies and improve recruiting performance.

· Strong knowledge of employment laws, recruiting compliance requirements, and best practices in talent acquisition.

Preferred Qualifications:

• SHRM-SCP orSPHR certification.
• Recruiting experience in hospitality and/or union environments.
• Experience supporting the implementation of Workday Recruiting or experience implementing similar ATS platforms.

Key Skills / Competencies:

Knowledge of full-cycle recruiting practices, including sourcing, screening, interviewing, and candidate selection.

Knowledge of employment laws, regulations, and HR policies related to recruitment and hiring.

Knowledge of recruiting technologies, including Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), and familiarity with HRIS systems and their integration with recruiting processes.

Ability to lead, coach, and develop recruiting and onboarding staff to support effective hiring outcomes.

Ability to develop and implement recruiting strategies that attract qualified candidates and support organizational hiring goals.

Ability to partner effectively with senior leaders, hiring managers, and HR business partners to understand workforce needs and align recruiting efforts accordingly.

Ability to manage multiple priorities and recruiting demands while maintaining high standards for candidate experience and operational efficiency.

Ability to analyze recruiting data, maintain data integrity within recruiting systems, and support development of reports to inform hiring activity.

Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence stakeholders and build collaborative working relationships.

Ability to identify opportunities for process improvement and support enhancements to recruiting programs, systems, and workflows. Ability to work effectively in both union and non-union environments.

Typical Work Schedule: 

 Regular/FT

Compensation Disclaimer: The compensation listed below for this position represents the anticipated hiring range and is provided in accordance with Virginia pay transparency requirements. Actual compensation will be determined based on factors such as the selected candidate’s skills, qualifications, experience, education, certifications, internal equity, and the specific requirements of the role. 

Range: $94,000-$142,000