Talent Acquisition Operations Specialist

Get to know The Pokémon Company International

The Pokémon Company International manages the Pokémon property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing and marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world.

Learn more online at corporate.pokemon.com and pokemon.com.

Talent Acquisition Operations Specialist 

Job Summary 

The Talent Acquisition Operations Specialist independently manages and delivers a dynamic portfolio of multi-year operational programs, services, projects, and process improvement initiatives that directly drive business outcomes.   

The focus of this position is to ensure the effectiveness, optimization, and enhancement of operational infrastructure that directly enables the Talent Acquisition Teams’ recruitment service delivery capabilities to provide quality and value to the business. This includes:

• Driving operational excellence by enabling seamless business continuity

• Concurrently facilitating ongoing process improvement

• Managing innovation and change management to support evolving business needs

The Talent Acquisition Operations Specialist serves as program/project owner, subject matter expert, internal advisor, and resource to stakeholders across all levels of the organization. 

• FLSA Classification (US Only): Exempt

• People Manager: No

• Hybrid Work Environment: This position follows TPCi’s Hybrid Work policy currently requiring the employee to work at their assigned office for the minimum of three in-person days per week. This in-person component is an essential function of the job

What you’ll do

Program Management 

• Manage a dynamic range of Talent Acquisition Operations program functions including, but not limited to: applicant tracking system (ATS) workflows, vendor integrations, background check workflows, recruitment marketing and events, onboarding, recruiting operations tools, PM tools, and SOPs.
• Drive end-to-end program and project lifecycle processes including: discovery, process design, testing, implementation, ongoing maintenance, process alignment and operationalization, change management, optimization, and enhancements. 
• Guide stakeholders by responding to inquiries and escalations, providing high-quality communication, and partnering with process owners to drive resolution.

Operational Excellence 

• Develop and implement standard reports, communication processes, and presentations to keep stakeholders advised and informed on program health, insights, and decision points. 
• Establish and monitor operational metrics and adoption measures to assess program effectiveness and identify opportunities.
• Evaluate and implement technologies, tools, and methodologies that elevate operational effectiveness, scalability, and user experience.
• Manage vendor partner relationships, vendor performance, information systems functionality, billing, budgets, and ROI to ensure maximum value of program investments. 

Business Process Optimization & Continuous Process Improvement 

• Proactively analyze operational processes and evolving business needs, conduct business process mapping and develop decision support tools, clearly articulate operational implications, provide recommendations, and implement effective solutions. 
• Use systems thinking and process improvement methodologies to continuously identify opportunities and implement sustainable operational improvements.
• Regularly monitor relevant external market trends and best practices and apply insights to future-state planning. 
• Apply human-centered design principles to the design and development of quality employee experiences. 

What you’ll bring 

• 6+ years of full-cycle Talent Acquisition Operations/Recruiting Operations experience AND program/project management experience within an HR function.
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study, or equivalent years of work experience.
• Strong foundational knowledge of HR operational business processes and direct experience owning HRIS and/or ATS functions, including reporting and workflow management.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex multi-year cross-functional initiatives, managing competing priorities, and delivering high-quality results in a fast-paced environment.
• Direct experience with business process analysis, process mapping, process improvement, and operational problem-solving.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and administrative skills, including experience developing documentation, communications, presentations, and training resources, with a demonstrated ability to quickly learn new systems, processes, and technologies.
• Proven ability to build relationships, influence stakeholders, and collaborate effectively across complex, matrixed organizations and cross-functional teams such as Finance, Legal, IT/information systems, Facilities, Security, and Events.
• Exceptional communication, critical thinking, judgment, and problem-solving skills, including the ability to synthesize complex information, navigate ambiguity, and drive clarity.
• Meticulous attention to detail and demonstrated ability to produce and quality-control work products across Talent Acquisition Operations.
• Demonstrated ability to manage confidential and sensitive information with discretion, sound judgment, and professionalism.
• Highly effective vendor management skills and experience managing budgets.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Greenhouse ATS and/or Workday
• Experience applying change management methodologies and best practices.
• PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, or equivalent HR certification.
• Experience with data analysis methodologies and best practices, report design, and development of decision support tools.
• Exposure to human-centered design, systems thinking, continuous improvement methodologies, or product management principles.

Base Salary Range: For this role, new hires generally start between $95,000.00 - $172,000.00 per year. The full range is $95,000.00 - $127,000.00 per year. This range is applicable for the labor market where the role is intended to be hired. The final base salary is directly related to the candidate’s qualifications and professional experience uniquely.

#LI-hybrid #LI-MK1

How you’ll be successful

• Passion for Pokémon: Develops an understanding of the Pokémon brand, the impact it has on our people, culture, business, fans, and communities, and applying that knowledge and passion to everything you do.
• Challenging the Expected: Approaches challenges with curiosity and creativity, embracing the possibility of failure as an opportunity to learn something new, develop innovative ideas, solve complex problems and identify unique opportunities.
• Integrity and Respect: Demonstrates integrity and respect by leading with empathy, listening to others, seeking out different perspectives, and taking personal responsibility for decisions, actions, and results.
• Dedicated to Quality: Takes ownership to maintain and promote high standards, looks for new ways to learn and improve, and embraces a growth mindset to seek and apply feedback from others in an effort to continuously improve.
• Building Relationships: Develops and strengthens relationships, adopting a “team first” mentality and working collaboratively to solve problems and meet shared goals.
• Delighting Customers: Listens and understands the interests and needs of our customers and stakeholders, making them feel heard and important, and embracing these learnings to continue delivering a unique Pokémon experience.

What to expect

• An innovative culture driven by impact, delivering meaningful outcomes.
• Company events that celebrate the spirit of Pokémon.
• Competitive cash-based compensation programs.
• 100% employer-paid healthcare premiums for you.
• Generous paid family leave.
• Employer-paid life insurance.
• Employer-paid long and short-term income protection insurance.
• US Employees: 401k Employer Matching.
• UK/IRE/MX Employees: Pension Employer Contributions.
• Fitness reimbursement.
• Commuter benefit.
• LinkedIn learning.
• Comprehensive relocation package for certain roles.
• Hybrid work environment.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this role. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed. For roles in the United Kingdom, candidates will need the right to work. In some cases, and for some roles, the Company may be able to arrange a visa. For roles in Ireland, this role requires candidates to have the right to live and work in the Republic of Ireland. However, we welcome applications from all nationalities and may consider supporting an employment permit application, in appropriate and suitable cases.

The Pokémon Company International is committed to the inclusion of all qualified applicants for consideration in our job application process. If you require reasonable accommodation to complete a job application, pre-employment testing, or a job interview, or to otherwise participate in the hiring process, please contact the Talent Acquisition team at accommodationrequest_ta@pokemon.com.

6+ years of full-cycle Talent Acquisition Operations/Recruiting Operations experience and program/project management within an HR function. Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience. Strong foundational knowledge of HR operational business processes and direct experience owning HRIS and/or ATS functions. Demonstrated experience leading complex multi-year cross-functional initiatives and managing competing priorities. Direct experience with business process analysis, process mapping, and operational problem-solving. Strong analytical, organizational, and administrative skills. Ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders. Exceptional communication, critical thinking, judgment, and problem-solving skills. Meticulous attention to detail. Experience managing confidential information with discretion. Highly effective vendor management skills and experience managing budgets. Preferred: Experience with Greenhouse ATS and/or Workday, HR certification (PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP), data analysis methodologies.