Company Overview Costello's Ace Hardware is a family-owned and operated chain of retail hardware stores with over 60 locations across Long Island, Staten Island, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Virginia. We are committed to providing exceptional customer service and creating a positive shopping experience for every customer. Position Summary The Retail Recruiting Specialist - Leadership Recruiting is responsible for managing the full-cycle recruitment process, with a strong emphasis on sourcing, engaging, and securing high-quality leaders. This role will partner closely with hiring managers to understand current and future leadership needs, build proactive talent pipelines, and develop recruiting strategies that attract exceptional candidates. Success in this position requires a genuine drive to find great leaders, including passive candidates who may not be actively seeking a new opportunity.

Generous Management Placement & Retention Commission:

Assistant Store Manager / Store Manager in Training /

Store Manager Total:

$1,000

Multi-Store Director/ Director Total:

$1,500 Incentive payments are earned based on the successful placement and continued employment of eligible candidates at each retention milestone. The Recruiting Specialist must have directly sourced, recruited, or generated the candidate and substantially managed the recruiting process leading to hire.

Key Responsibilities:

Recruitment & Leadership Talent Acquisition Manage the end-to-end recruitment process for store, field, corporate, and leadership positions. Partner with hiring managers to identify staffing needs, clarify leadership profiles, and develop effective recruiting strategies. Proactively source high-quality leaders using job boards, LinkedIn, social media, referrals, networking, competitor research, and in-person events. Build and maintain a pipeline of leadership candidates before positions become available. Identify passive candidates and develop relationships with strong prospects who may be open to future opportunities. Review resumes, conduct phone screens, and coordinate interviews with hiring managers. Assess candidates beyond their resumes, with emphasis on leadership ability, accomplishments, communication, motivation, and organizational fit. Coordinate and attend hiring events, networking events, and recruitment activities as needed. Job Sourcing & Recruiting Systems

• Post jobs on internal and external recruitment sites and maintain accurate, compelling job postings.
• Manage and optimize WorkStream, Paycom, and other applicant tracking and recruiting systems, including workflows, user assignments, hiring steps, interview availability, notifications, and system configuration.
• Monitor applications and recruiting activity daily; communicate candidate flow and hiring needs to management.
• Use recruiting reports and pipeline data to identify opportunities, gaps, and priorities.
• Develop creative sourcing approaches to reach high-caliber leadership candidates who may not respond to traditional recruiting methods.
• Set up, maintain, and audit recruiting workflows in WorkStream, Paycom, and other recruiting systems to ensure positions, locations, hiring managers, notifications, interview steps, and approval processes are configured accurately.
• Coordinate recruiting system and workflow updates for new store openings, acquisitions, management changes/transfers, reorganizations, and other operational changes to ensure hiring activity routes to the appropriate leaders.
• Regularly review recruiting workflows and system configurations to identify and correct gaps, outdated assignments, or process issues that could delay candidate communication or hiring. Leadership Pipeline & Candidate Experience
• Maintain an active pipeline of qualified leaders for critical and future positions.
• Develop long-term relationships with candidates and maintain engagement with high-potential prospects.
• Ensure candidate screening and verification is timely, thoughtful, and accurate.
• Proactively seek ways to improve the candidate experience from first contact through onboarding.
• Represent the company professionally and communicate its culture, career opportunities, and leadership expectations effectively. Compliance, Metrics & Process Management
• Ensure recruitment processes comply with federal, state, and local employment laws in all operating states.
• Maintain accurate records in the Applicant Tracking System.

Provide recruitment metrics, leadership pipeline updates, and hiring reports to HR leadership. Track recruiting activity, candidate progress, interviews, offers, and successful placements. Identify process improvements that increase recruiting efficiency and quality of hire. Employer Branding & Candidate Experience Promote the company's brand and career opportunities through job postings, social media, and community outreach. Promote company's brand and post on Indeed and LinkedIn. Ensure an exceptional candidate experience from application through onboarding. Build and maintain relationships with schools, community organizations, and workforce programs to strengthen talent pipelines. Collaboration & Support Partner with HR and Operations to ensure smooth onboarding for new hires. Advise hiring managers on candidate availability, recruiting trends, and best practices. Conduct store visits with Store Managers to discuss hiring needs and expectations. Host in-store recruitment days and assist with special projects and seasonal hiring campaigns. Assist the HR team with company initiatives and other related duties as assigned.

• Train and support Store Managers and other hiring managers on effective application review, candidate follow-up, and use of WorkStream and other recruiting tools.
• Educate hiring managers on WorkStream functionality, including setting and maintaining interview availability, scheduling interviews, communicating with candidates, reviewing applicant status, and utilizing available system features to improve recruiting efficiency and candidate response time.
• Monitor hiring manager utilization of recruiting systems and provide coaching or refresher training when processes are not being followed consistently.

Skills & Competencies Talent sourcing and networking expertise with a strong focus on leadership recruiting. Hunter mentality and persistence in identifying passive and hard-to-find candidates. Strong ability to recognize leadership potential and evaluate candidates beyond job titles. Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Relationship-building mindset with a focus on candidate and hiring manager experience.

High attention to detail, organization, and follow-through. Excellent coordination and scheduling abilities. Ability to influence and effectively communicate the value of leadership opportunities. Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field preferred; equivalent experience considered. 2+ years of recruiting, talent acquisition, staffing, sales, business development, HR, or related experience; leadership recruiting experience strongly preferred. Demonstrated ability to proactively source candidates rather than relying exclusively on applications. Working knowledge of employment laws and recruitment practices across multiple states. Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

• Strong interviewing, candidate assessment, organizational, and time-management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple openings and leadership searches simultaneously.

Ability to work in a fast-paced, demanding environment. Willingness to travel periodically to store locations and recruitment events in all states we operate in. Must have valid driver's license and reliable transportation.

Physical Requirements Frequent Walking:

Flat surfaces from point to point

Stooping:

To pick up cartons at floor level

Reaching:

To a height of 6 feet

Constant Standing:

As needed

Sitting:

As needed

Hand Dexterity:

Must be able to use a computer and printing equipment

Vision:

Read labels, recognize boxes, safety in working

Hearing:

Safety signals

Occasional Lifting:

Must be able lift office supplies Pushing / Pulling As needed Carrying Occasional As needed

Climbing Occasional Stairs Pay:

$45,000.00 - $50,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) matching Dental insurance Employee discount Flexible schedule Health insurance Life insurance Paid time off Referral program Retirement plan

Work Location:

In person