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The Talent Scout is Citadel Aviation’s dedicated in-house head hunter, responsible for proactively identifying, engaging, and recruiting high-caliber talent across all company sites, spanning technical, skilled-trade, business, and corporate functions, at every level, from entry-level technicians and craftspersons through professional and business staff, leads, supervisors, managers, directors, and senior technical, functional, and executive leadership.

This role builds and owns the enterprise recruitment strategy, drives sustained engagement with industry associations, technical schools, colleges and universities, professional and business networks, veteran organizations, and community partners, and maintains a continuously refreshed pipeline of qualified candidates ahead of hiring demand. Success in this role looks like reduced time-to-fill on hard-to-source technical, business, and leadership roles, a strong and diverse passive-candidate network in each market and in each corporate discipline, leadership vacancies filled discreetly and quickly, and hiring managers who consistently see qualified slates.

This position reports to the Sr. Director of Human Resources and works closely with hiring managers, site leadership, the Human Resources Coordinator, and Production Planning to align sourcing activity with workload, project schedules, and headcount plans.

Sourcing & Candidate Generation

• Proactively source and directly approach passive candidates for technical, business, and leadership roles across all sites, using professional networks, referrals, competitor and org mapping, industry directories, executive-search techniques, and targeted outreach campaigns.
• Build and maintain talent pools and named-candidate maps by discipline, including avionics, aircraft maintenance, cabinetry and finishing, quality, and planning, as well as business and corporate functions such as finance and accounting, human resources, IT, supply chain and procurement, program management, contracts, and sales and business development, plus a standing bench of leadership successors for key site and functional roles, so pipelines exist before requisitions open.
• Recruit at all levels and across all functions, including entry-level and skilled trades, professional and business staff, senior technical specialists, and group, site, functional, and executive leadership roles, adapting outreach, messaging, and assessment approach to each audience.
• Conduct initial screens to assess technical qualifications, certifications, licensure, relocation willingness, and cultural fit; present qualified, well-briefed slates to hiring managers.
• Run confidential and discreet searches for leadership, executive, and sensitive business roles, direct approach of sitting leaders, and management of the process with a limited internal audience.

Recruitment Strategy & Market Intelligence

• Build, own, and continuously refine the enterprise recruitment strategy, including site-specific sourcing plans for Lake Charles and Dallas that reflect each local labor market.
• Partner with the Sr. Director of Human Resources, site leadership, and hiring managers to translate headcount and project plans into prioritized, time-phased sourcing plans.
• Gather and report labor-market intelligence, including talent availability, competitor activity, compensation trends, and skill scarcity, and recommend adjustments to strategy, targeting, or positioning.
• Develop and steward the employment brand and candidate-facing messaging across job postings, campaigns, event materials, and social and professional channels.

Association, School, & Community Engagement

• Drive sustained engagement with industry associations, aviation maintenance programs, technical and trade schools, apprenticeship programs, workforce boards, colleges, universities, and business schools, professional and functional associations (finance, HR, supply chain, IT, program management), alumni networks, and veteran and transitioning-military organizations in each market.
• Represent Citadel Aviation at career fairs, conferences, school events, and community partnership meetings; plan, staff, and follow up on each event to convert contacts into pipeline.
• Establish and maintain long-term relationships with instructors, program directors, and community partners to create a repeatable flow of early-career and skilled-trade candidates.
• Identify and recommend sponsorships, partnerships, internships, and pipeline programs that strengthen Citadel Aviation’s presence and reputation in each local market.

Hiring Manager Partnership & Candidate Experience

• Partner with hiring managers and, for leadership searches, with executive stakeholders to define role requirements, must-have qualifications, success profiles, and realistic candidate profiles; advise on market realities, competitive positioning, and interview approach.
• Manage the candidate experience from first contact through offer acceptance, keeping candidates informed and engaged, and coordinating interviews, candidate travel, and pre-employment screening with the Human Resources Coordinator.
• Support offer development in partnership with Human Resources leadership, including candidate expectations, relocation considerations, and closing conversations.

Reporting, Systems, & Compliance

• Maintain complete, accurate, and timely candidate and requisition records in the applicant tracking system, ensuring sourcing activity and dispositions are properly documented.
• Track and report recruiting metrics, including pipeline health, source effectiveness, time-to-fill, offer acceptance, and event return on investment, and use the results to redirect effort.
• Conduct all sourcing, screening, and record-keeping in accordance with applicable employment laws and company policy, maintaining confidentiality of candidate and compensation information.
• Participate in required training; and perform other duties as assigned.

Required

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience
• Recruiting experience in aviation, MRO, completions, aerospace, or a comparable skilled-trades manufacturing environment.
• 3+ years of full-cycle recruiting or talent-sourcing experience, including demonstrated success directly sourcing passive candidates.
• Proven track record filling hard-to-source technical or skilled-trade roles as well as business and corporate positions (for example finance, HR, IT, supply chain, program management, or sales), and recruiting across multiple levels from individual contributor through manager, director, and executive leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain external relationships with schools, associations, and community organizations that produce measurable candidate flow.
• Advanced sourcing skills, professional networking platforms, and creative outreach; proficient with applicant tracking systems and Microsoft Office.
• Ability to develop a recruitment strategy independently and execute it across multiple sites and competing priorities.
• Strong written and verbal communication and influencing skills, with the credibility to advise hiring managers and senior leaders and to engage executive-level candidates; demonstrated discretion in handling confidential leadership searches.
• Ability and willingness to travel regularly between company sites and to recruiting events, including occasional overnight and weekend travel.
• Proficient in oral and written English (able to read, write, speak, and understand English).
• Holds a current, valid driver’s license.
• Authorized to work in the United States and able to pass applicable pre-employment screening. (This is a non-safety-sensitive position; no DOT/FAA drug-and-alcohol testing applies.)

Preferred

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Communications, or a related field.
• Familiarity with aviation roles, certifications, and terminology
• Experience recruiting into multiple geographic markets, including relocation-driven hiring.
• Established network within aviation maintenance, completions, or technical trade communities.
• Retained or in-house executive search experience, including confidential leadership searches and succession-driven pipelining.
• Experience with employment branding, recruitment marketing, or social media campaigns.
• SHRM-CP, PHR, AIRS, or comparable sourcing/recruiting certification.

• This position is considered office/indoor work, performed primarily in an office environment, with regular time in aircraft hangars, shops, schools, and event venues; considered LIGHT work with frequent lifting up to 20 lbs and occasional lifting up to 50 lbs, including transport of event and recruiting materials.
• Almost exclusively indoors during the day and occasionally at night; work surface is stable (flat), with occasional exposure to airborne dust and hangar noise. PPE and OSHA/company safety protocols required when in shop or ramp areas.
• Periodic travel between Citadel Aviation sites in Lake Charles and Dallas, and to industry, association, and community recruiting events.
• May require flexible hours, evenings, weekends, or holidays based on event schedules, candidate availability, and hiring demand.

Citadel Aviation, LLC. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.