Talent Acquisition Partner

Dakota Electric Association is a member-owned, member-focused electric distribution cooperative, striving to exceed our member’s energy expectations in a changing world. We are an equal opportunity employer and we believe that diversity of ideas, perspectives and backgrounds are essential to our business. As a Dakota Electric employee, you would be an essential worker that would have a hand in serving our members. For additional information about Dakota Electric please visit: dakotaelectric.com.

Dakota Electric offers an extensive benefits package:

• 401(k) and Roth 401(k) with an employer contribution of 6% of an employee's base wage, plus matching contribution up to 4%.
• Medical, dental and vision coverage
• HSA and FSA
• Employer-paid life insurance and long-term disability
• Short-term disability and other voluntary benefits
• Wellness reimbursement
• Vacation, sick and personal leave

General Summary

The Talent Acquisition Partner is a seasoned Talent Acquisition professional who leads the talent acquisition function for Dakota Electric Association. This includes end to end ownership of recruiting strategy, programs, processes, and execution including the candidate experience and onboarding.

Incumbent will collaborate with others in HR and will design and implement the overall recruiting strategy, including collaborating with leaders on a regular basis and proactively identify future hiring needs and building out tools and processes for the function. Provides updates and reports on progress and challenges in filling roles and recommends creative solutions to enhance recruiting efforts. In addition to leading the overall Talent Acquisition function, the partner serves as sole recruiter for the company: sourcing and attracting candidates, ensuring a smooth interview process, extending offers, and completing onboarding activities, while supporting the Cooperatives diversity and inclusion efforts.

Responsibilities

• Complies with established Dakota Electric Association (DEA) safety and operating rules, policies, procedures, and guidelines. Be responsible for reporting any unsafe practices and/or hazards to a supervisor, manager, or Vice President. Be committed to and actively involved in Dakota Electric’s safety programs, initiatives, and performance measures.
• Evaluates current recruiting strategies and processes and determines what can be improved. Makes recommendations for improvements to the end-to-end recruiting process.
• Develops and enhances recruiting, background, and onboarding processes and procedures as well as interview guides.
• Develops and maintains valuable relationships with talent pipelines and external sources (vocational schools, colleges, associations, networks) and recruiting sites/sources such as LinkedIn, local and industry recruiting platforms. Plans for and attends career fairs and community events to promote current job openings and working at DEA. Promotes Dakota Electric’s brand to potential future employees and partners.
• Establishes key recruiting metrics such as days to fill, diversity recruiting statistics, and candidates logs. Provides analytical and documented recruitment reports to management. Identifies and resolves issues affecting recruiting.
• Responsible for the recruiting and selection activities of the Cooperative to employ, place and/or transfer employees to ensure adequate staffing. Prepares recruitment materials and external postings, establishes interview questions, sources candidates, screens applicants, assesses applicants’ relevant knowledge, skills and abilities, schedules interviews, and consults with hiring team to identify and recommend the most qualified candidates. Makes and negotiates offers in conjunction with leaders. Confers with compensation and benefits partners when necessary. Stays current on emerging trends and regulations and provides continuous improvement to DEA recruiting function to comply with requirements.
• Owns pre-employment process including relationship with background check company, scheduling drug tests and pre-employment physicals, and ensures successful completion. Escalates issues to leadership to discuss options.
• Utilizes the applicant tracking system for all staffing activities to ensure accurate reports and government compliance. Monitors practices regarding Dakota Electric’s Affirmative Action Plan, policies, and procedures.
• Responsible for onboarding activities. Partners with other stakeholders to ensure seamless socialization into the Cooperative.
• Assists in maintaining employee records including personnel files, medical files, and hiring files in compliance with Cooperative standards, and federal, state, and local laws.
• Provides information for DEA’s Affirmative Action Program in accordance with Cooperative policy and appropriate laws and regulations. Evaluates and makes recommendations for the DEA’s goals in response to problematic areas identified by the Affirmative Action Plan.
• Responsible for reviewing, recommending, and maintaining new technology and software for recruiting and human resources, including, but not limited to the applicant tracking and onboarding software.
• Assists with the design and maintenance of the human resources intranet and internet web pages. Coordinates with internal IT staff on the web development activities and implementation, ensuring accuracy, and timeliness. Keeps job posts current on internal and external sites.
• Provides training to leaders and human resources on hiring and staffing practices, protocols and tools that are in compliance with Cooperative policies and guidelines, laws and regulations.
• Creates and enforces the Cooperatives policies, procedures, and best practices, and ensures compliance with employment laws and regulations regarding hiring, staffing, and onboarding throughout Dakota Electric. This position works with confidential and sensitive matters important to the operation of Dakota Electric and must be capable of maintaining strict confidentiality.
• Performs related HR generalist work as apparent and/or other duties as assigned.

Supervision/Direction of Others

Provides direction to employees in areas of staffing and benefits.

Provides back-up support to the human resources team.

Position Specifications

Bachelor’s degree in human resources or related field. Human resources certification, such as through SHRM or HRCI are preferred. Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office products required and experience with a human resources information system (HRIS) and an electronic applicant tracking system (ATS) are preferred.

Must have a minimum of four years of experience in a comparable position or an additional six years of experience in a comparable position required in lieu of a degree (for a total of 10 years of experience without a degree).

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disabled and veterans.