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Principal Talent Acquisition Specialist

McDermott

Houston, TX · Posted September 11, 2026

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About the job

Job Overview:

The Principal Talent Acquisition Specialist interprets internal or external business issues and recommends best practices. They will be tasked with solving complex Talent Acquisition-related problems and will work independently with minimal guidance. The Principal Talent Acquisition Specialist may be responsible for leading functional teams or projects and is regarded as a specialist in the field of Talent Acquisition. This position may also be responsible for training less experienced team members. As such, they must have in-depth expertise in Talent Acquisition and broad knowledge of the Talent Acquisition discipline within the Human Resources function.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities:

Partner with business leaders, hiring managers, HR teams, and Resource Managers to understand business objectives and workforce planning needs for both immediate and long-term hiring requirements

Develop and execute recruitment strategies for direct hire and contingent workforce positions

Attract, identify, and recruit top-tier talent across multiple disciplines and geographic regions

Deliver innovative recruitment solutions and tailored hiring strategies for global and regional clients and stakeholders

Support recruitment efforts globally as business needs require, regardless of location

Develop talent pipelines for current and future hiring needs

Manage full-cycle recruitment activities from requisition intake through offer negotiation and onboarding

Create, review, and post accurate job advertisements that align with business requirements, legal regulations, and internal posting procedures

Conduct candidate sourcing, resume reviews, phone screenings, interviews, assessments, and selection activities

Manage contract negotiations and offer discussions while ensuring a positive candidate experience

Serve as the primary liaison between candidates, hiring managers, and Human Resources throughout the recruitment process

Coach and guide hiring managers on recruitment processes, expectations, responsibilities, and cycle-time commitment

Utilize advanced sourcing techniques, including LinkedIn Recruiter, job boards, networking, referral programs, and market research

Assess and monitor the effectiveness of sourcing channels and recommend improvements to support hiring goals

Build and maintain proactive candidate pipelines for technical, professional, and operational positions

Identify passive talent and engage high-performing candidates for current and future opportunities

Promote strategic cross-selling of candidates across business units and regions

Build strong partnerships with hiring managers, Human Resources, operations leaders, and business stakeholders

Provide consultative recruitment advice to all levels of the organization

Support workforce planning discussions and recruitment forecasting

Drive high levels of client and hiring manager satisfaction through service excellence and responsiveness

Act as a trusted advisor on recruitment market trends, talent availability, and hiring strategies

Ensure accurate and timely documentation of candidate and client information within Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools

Partner closely with the Global Resource Center (GRC) to ensure recruiting activities are accurately reflected in recruiting systems

Monitor and report recruitment metrics, targets, and performance results on a weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis

Track key performance indicators (KPIs) and ensure recruitment goals are met or exceeded

Ensure compliance with company policies, employment legislation, equal employment opportunity requirements, and diversity initiatives

Lead, mentor, and support Talent Acquisition team members within the assigned region or country

Provide training, coaching, and development opportunities to recruiters and talent acquisition professionals

Share recruiting best practices and help drive continuous process improvements

Participate in recruiter engagement initiatives and training programs

Represent the organization at career fairs, industry events, networking functions, and talent marketing initiatives

Actively participate in global employer branding programs

Support account development efforts through relationship building and strategic recruitment consulting

Maintain regular client communication and document updates within CRM systems

Manage strategic recruitment accounts and may operate within a 360-recruitment environment, including both business development and recruiting responsibilities

Support temporary, contract, and project-based hiring needs

Collaborate with operations and HR teams to align staffing requirements with organizational and contractual obligations

Lead or participate in special projects related to recruiting, sourcing, workforce planning, and talent acquisition operations

Demonstrate flexibility in performing responsibilities outside the core scope of the role as business needs dictate

Essential Qualifications and Education:

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, or related field; equivalent experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.

Must have 7 to 9+ years of progressive Talent Acquisition experience with a minimum of 5+ years of agency and/or corporate recruiting experience, preferably within the energy, oil and gas, engineering, construction, industrial, or related sectors. Also, 3+ years of demonstrated experience with front-end resume screening and research for technical roles

Experience recruiting within the Oil & Gas, Energy, Upstream, Downstream, Engineering, or related industries.

Demonstrated experience conducting candidate sourcing, research, resume screening, and phone screening for technical and professional positions.

Proven success managing full-cycle recruitment for direct hire and contract positions.

Demonstrated success using LinkedIn Recruiter and other advanced sourcing tools.

Knowledge of global recruiting practices and international talent acquisition strategies

Track record of achieving or exceeding recruitment metrics and hiring targets.

Experience recruiting across multiple countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil

Experience leading small teams, projects, or regional recruiting initiatives.

Experience partnering with business leaders and hiring managers in a consultative capacity.

Strong understanding of recruitment processes, sourcing methodologies, and talent market dynamics.

Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.

Outstanding communication, negotiation, and candidate management abilities.

Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple requisitions and priorities simultaneously.

Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Ability to work independently, demonstrate sound judgment, and solve complex recruiting challenges.

Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and equal employment opportunity practices.

Must have Impeccable references, strategic thinker, professionalism and team player

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience using Oracle, PCRecruiter, CRM platforms, and Applicant Tracking Systems.

Experience working a 360-degree recruitment desk, including business development and account management responsibilities.

Bilingual in English and Spanish or Trilingual in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

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