Talent Operations Lead

About Kintara:Kintara helps manufacturing companies grow by solving one of their hardest problems: hiring, training, and retaining great people. Our mission is simple: turning people into a company's greatest competitive advantage.Rooted in Cleveland and inspired by the Great Lakes region's industrial legacy, we embed with our clients, roll up our sleeves, and help them hire the right people and build durable talent systems that actually work, from the shop floor to the executive team.We believe America's industrial future depends on the quality of the people and teams building it. That's not a tagline. It's why this work matters and why we show up the way we do.About the Role:Kintara is hiring a Talent Operations Lead, our first full-time hire.This is an execution role. At least 60% of your time will be spent supporting client work, this includes being onsite and working in person with client leadership and teams. The remaining 40% will be spent helping define Kintara's internal systems and contributing to business growth. These percentages may shift as client and business demands evolve.The core of this role is executing client deliverables: running searches, managing candidates, owning the hiring process end to end, and supporting broader people operations, onboarding, training, and workforce systems as client needs evolve.You will work directly with the Founder & CEO and be trusted with meaningful responsibility early.What You'll DoOwn full-cycle recruiting across multiple roles and clients simultaneously; from intake and sourcing through offer, close, and everything in between, including scheduling, coordination, and follow-throughPartner with hiring managers to set clear role expectations, build structured interview guides, and prepare candidate scorecardsTranslate candidate conversations into clear, decision-ready summaries for client leadershipMaintain disciplined ATS and pipeline hygiene across all active searches; clean data, current statuses, no gapsBuild and execute onboarding and role-based training plans so new hires ramp quickly and consistentlySupport client engagement work, including survey administration, data analysis, summarizing findings, and preparing presentations.Identify friction in client systems and processes and replace it with simple, repeatable solutionsSupport ad-hoc client projects as needs emerge; this work evolves with each engagementContribute to building Kintara's internal systems, processes, and content as the firm growsWhat Success Looks LikeOpen roles are filled with strong, aligned hires in a predictable and timely mannerCandidates move through the process quickly and leave with a clear, honest picture of the role, regardless of outcomeHiring decisions are structured, documented, and defensible, not improvisedNew hires ramp faster because onboarding plans are clear and consistently executedClient leaders feel organized, informed, and confident in their people systemsThe Founder spends materially less time on recruiting execution and more time on strategy and growthYou close loops, follow through, and raise issues before they become problemsWho You Are You don't need to come from a traditional recruiting and HR background, but you need the skills, the drive, and a genuine desire to do this work. What matters is that you can do the work, you want to do the work, and you take pride in doing it well.Motivated by the mission: you care about strengthening industrial companies and the people who build real thingsRelentlessly organized: pipeline hygiene, data accuracy, and follow-through are non-negotiableCalm under pressure: when things get chaotic, you find focus and keep executingPicks up the phone: you engage directly with candidates and clients and don't hide behind emailOperates with integrity: you set honest expectations with candidates and clients, communicate directly, and don't overpromise to make things easier in the short termAccountable to outcomes, not just effortTechnologically fluent: comfortable across ATS platforms and eager to adopt new tools, including AI, responsiblyEnergized by real stakes and building something from the ground upThis Role Is NOT for You If:You prefer a corporate HR environment or the stability of a large, established organizationYou're most comfortable working within established processes rather than building themMessy data and disorganized pipelines don't bother youYou want a role with clear boundaries and a team behind youYou're not comfortable being in front of clients regularlyYou're looking for a stepping stone, not a place to build somethingWhy KintaraThis is Kintara's first full-time hire. We are an early-stage, founder-led firm, lean by design, with real clients, real work, and a clear point of view on where we're going.This is not a role with a lot of hand-holding or a large team behind you. It's a role where your work is visible, your contributions matter immediately, and the upside, in responsibility, growth, and impact, is real.If you're motivated by mission, energized by ownership, and want to be part of building something from the ground up in a space that matters, this is the right opportunity.You will gain exposure to executive search, skilled trades recruiting, workforce systems, and business building. As Kintara grows, this role can expand into larger search ownership, multi-client responsibility, or leadership within the firm.Kintara is committed to providing competitive compensation and benefits. As we bring on our first hire, we will establish a benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, and a 401(k).