Talent Acquisition Specialist

Join our team at the Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo and grow your experience at one of the most unique sites in Calgary! The Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo is seeking a Regular Full Time Talent Acquisition Specialist who will focus on full cycle recruitment for both large volume seasonal and permanent positions as well as employment contract management. The Talent Specialist plays a pivotal role in sourcing, attracting, and retaining talent to support the business needs.

Our Purpose | We act for wildlife; saving species and inspiring people to join us.

Our Core Values | Drive impact, nurture connection, cultivate hope, and be bold.

Location:

What you will do:

Full-Cycle Recruitment

Manage end-to-end recruitment processes for a variety of positions across the organization such as:

• Collaborate with hiring managers to understand hiring needs, position requirements, and workforce plans
• Develop and execute sourcing strategies to attract qualified and diverse candidate pools
• Screen, assess, and shortlist candidates using established selection criteria
• Coordinate interviews, candidate evaluations, reference checks, and offer processes
• Facilitate positive candidate experiences throughout the recruitment lifecycles
• Collaborate with other teams to coordinate work integrated learning
• Represent the organization at career fairs, networking events, and community engagement opportunities
• Facilitate onboarding activities such as first day orientation
• Review and evaluate the candidate experience to ensure a positive recruitment and preboarding experience
• Ensure Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) are integrated within all aspects of the recruitment process

Hiring Manager Support & Collaboration

• Partner with hiring managers to develop effective recruitment strategies and support hiring decisions.
• Provide guidance on interviewing, candidate evaluation, and selection processes.
• Build collaborative relationships across the organization to support timely and successful recruitment outcomes.

Employment Contract Administration

• Monitor employee contract end dates and proactively initiate extension discussions with leaders
• Partner with hiring managers to assess ongoing business requirements, budgets, workforce needs, and extension recommendations
• Coordinate approvals through appropriate leadership channels and ensure adherence to organizational policies
• Prepare and process contract extension documentation while maintaining accuracy and compliance with employment legislation and internal procedures
• Maintain accurate employment contract records within HRIS and SharePoint

Additional Responsibilities

• Support People & Culture events, initiatives, and ad hoc projects, providing flexible support across the department and assisting with coverage and priority needs as required
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned

Working with Volunteers

As Wilder Institute is a non-profit with an extensive volunteer program, all staff may work alongside volunteers and may support work assignment, coaching, and day-to-day supervision depending on the volunteer project. Overall management of volunteers, including recruitment, placement, and volunteer relations, remains the responsibility of the Volunteer Relations team.

What you will bring:

• Proven experience in full cycle recruitment including permanent and high volume seasonal recruitment
• Strong knowledge of recruitment best practices, sourcing techniques, and candidate assessment methods
• Excellent relationship-building, communication, and stakeholder management skills
• Strong organizational and project management abilities
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications and recruitment reporting tools

Desirable/Advantageous:

• Demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to applying IDEA practices across all stages of the talent acquisition lifecycle.
• Experience working in ADP

Working Conditions:

• Works primarily Monday to Friday during regular daytime hours, with occasional evening and weekend work as required.
• Periods of stress due to time sensitive deadlines with conflicting priorities
• Dynamic and evolving environment Team oriented working environment
• Office environment with intermittent outdoor mobility across the zoo

The Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo is an outdoor facility and all staff working at the zoo must be comfortable working in a large variety of outdoor conditions. The Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo follows the advice of Environment Canada when responding to temperature and air quality issues.

What the Zoo Offers:

• Competitive compensation, vacation and flex days entitlement
• Flexible benefits plan, including a health spending account
• Employer matching RRSP program
• Discounts on food, beverage, and merchandise
• Participation in the Staff Pass Benefit plan
• A fun, rewarding work environment and the opportunity to work in a park full of wild animals

Are you ready to join one of Canada’s leaders in wildlife conservation? If this position suits your skills, experience and personal attributes, we want to talk to you.

Apply by doing the following:

1. Watch this videoabout the conservation work being done at the Wilder Institute. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J1VH1MBXm0)
2. Submit your resume with cover letter via our online application system.
3. Fill in the Application questions

Applicants must be legally entitled to work in Canada.

If this position is a fit for you, we encourage you to apply with a resume and cover letter online by our application deadline: October 30, 2026.

The Wilder Institute strives to cultivate a workplace in which everyone feels welcome and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. As a conservation organization, we respect and value the diversity of all life and come together as individuals and teammates to achieve the organization’s mission and vision. We recognize the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and work to advance our culture to ensure diverse viewpoints are heard, and everyone has an equitable chance to succeed and thrive.

This position is an existing vacancy within our organization. The Wilder Institute uses basic knockout questions in application to support screening; applications are otherwise assessed and selected by real humans.

All candidates are thanked for their applications and advised that they will be contacted once applications have been reviewed, and a final decision has been made.