Talent Ambassador

POSITION SUMMARY

The Talent Ambassador is the dedicated point of contact and guide for candidates from initial interview and through their first day, ensuring a seamless, white-glove experience that reflects Ashley Furniture's commitment to excellence. This role serves as the orchestrator who keeps recruiting, hiring managers, and HR aligned through systematic checklist management, proactive communication, and exceptional relationship-building. You'll be the friendly face and steady hand that transforms interviewing candidates into excited, prepared new hires while ensuring nothing falls through the cracks across our nationwide operations.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Candidate Ambassador & Relationship Management

• Serve as the main point of contact for assigned candidates during their interview process and immediately after offer acceptance
• Build genuine relationships with candidates, making them feel seen, heard, welcomed, valued, and excited about joining Ashley Furniture
• Act as candidate advocate, addressing concerns and removing obstacles that could impact their decision to join
• Maintain consistent communication cadence to keep candidates engaged and prevent offer declines
• Proactively reach out to candidates to answer questions about the recruiting process, relocation, benefits, the company culture, their new team, and what to expect
• Provide comprehensive information packets including company overview, location resources, team introductions, and first-day details
• Create memorable welcome to the team moments that set the tone for their Ashley Furniture experience

Process Orchestration & Alignment

• Assist with scheduling interviews and coordinating with candidates and interviewers
• Own and execute comprehensive interviewing and pre-hire checklists ensuring all steps are completed on time
• Coordinate across Talent Acquisition, hiring managers, HR, IT, facilities, and other departments to ensure alignment
• Monitor progress of background checks, drug screens, reference checks, and all pre-employment requirements
• Track completion of new hire paperwork and system access requests
• Ensure hiring managers complete their pre-start responsibilities (workspace setup, equipment orders, first-week schedule, buddy assignment)
• Flag delays or bottlenecks immediately and problem-solve to keep process moving smoothly
• Maintain real-time visibility and communicate status of all active pre-hires for stakeholders

Travel & Logistics Coordination

• Arrange all travel for interviews, site visits, relocation trips. Etc.
• Coordinate relocation efforts with moving company and candidate as required
• Manage travel bookings, itineraries, and reimbursements
• Provide detailed local information, recommendations, and area insights
• Assist with receiving and processing candidate travel expense reports

Experience Enhancement & Continuous Improvement

• Identify and implement creative ways to enhance the candidate experience
• Gather feedback from interviewers and new hires about their experience
• Recommend process improvements to reduce friction and improve efficiency
• Maintain resource library of FAQs, location guides, and candidate-facing materials

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience: 2+ years in talent acquisition coordination, candidate experience, client services, or concierge roles; prior experience supporting executives highly preferred
• Proven Track Record: Demonstrated success managing multiple clients/candidates simultaneously while maintaining high satisfaction scores
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel for tracking, Outlook for coordination, and PowerPoint for content creation

• Comfortable with HRIS systems and project management tools
• Skilled at creating and maintaining process checklists and tracking systems

ESSENTIAL COMPETENCIES

• Relationship Builder: Natural ability to quickly build rapport, trust, and genuine connections with diverse candidates
• Process & Detail Excellence: Obsessive about checklists, follow-through, and ensuring nothing is missed; thrives on bringing order to complexity
• Proactive Communication: Anticipates needs and communicates before being asked; keeps all parties informed without being prompted
• Orchestration Skills: Ability to coordinate multiple stakeholders and keep everyone moving in the same direction
• Adaptability & Problem-Solving: Remains calm under pressure, pivots quickly when plans change, finds creative solutions to obstacles
• Accountability: Takes ownership of the entire candidate journey; doesn't wait for others to solve problems
• High-Volume Management: Can effectively manage up to 10+ candidates/new hires at various stages simultaneously
• Emotional Intelligence: Reads between the lines, picks up on candidate concerns, and addresses them with empathy and professionalism
• Ambassador Mindset: Understands you ARE Ashley Furniture to these candidates; represents the brand impeccably

WORKING CONDITIONS

• In office, 5 days a week
• Requires flexibility across time zones to accommodate schedules nationwide
• Fast-paced environment requiring excellent prioritization
• Occasional travel may be required from time to time