[Hiring] People & Talent Acquisition Manager @BusPlanner

Role Description

BusPlanner is hiring a People & Talent Acquisition Manager to take complete ownership of our recruiting and talent sourcing functions and help scale our growing team. This role is the first of its kind and is a high-ownership position that combines hands-on recruiting, strategic talent acquisition, and people operations. It is ideal for someone who is proactive, highly energetic, detail-oriented, and excited to help us find and win over top-tier candidates in a high-growth environment.

You’ll serve as the first dedicated people hire, working closely with leadership to own the end-to-end recruitment funnel while also helping implement lightweight HR processes related to onboarding, compliance, and employee engagement. You’ll act as a key culture-builder within the organization, owning recruitment operations across our offices located in Waterloo, and playing a critical role in identifying, sourcing, and closing top talent through both inbound and outbound channels.

As a successful People & Talent Acquisition Manager, you will:

• Act as the primary recruiting leader, owning the full-cycle hiring process across all functions at BusPlanner.
• Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, creating job descriptions, proactively sourcing top talent via LinkedIn and other platforms, conducting candidate screens, coordinating interviews, and managing offer letters.
• Identify, engage, and close top-tier candidates through outbound and inbound strategies.
• Partner with hiring managers to understand talent needs and develop sourcing strategies that deliver results quickly.
• Build and maintain a strong talent pipeline for current and future needs.
• Own and improve core recruiting processes to enhance candidate experience and time-to-hire.
• Support lightweight HR operations including onboarding, performance processes, and compliance.
• Maintain accurate employee data in our HRIS (Workable).
• Assist with basic HR functions such as documentation, engagement coordination, and internal communication.

Qualifications

• You are entrepreneurial and resourceful — you take initiative, adapt quickly, and enjoy solving complex challenges.
• You are a hunter when it comes to talent — you love identifying, engaging, and winning over exceptional candidates.
• You are process-minded — you're comfortable implementing repeatable recruiting systems.
• You are flexible and collaborative — you're willing to take on tasks outside your job description to help the team move forward.
• You are people-oriented — you value strong team relationships and want to help others succeed.
• You are organized and responsive — you balance recruiting urgency and candidate experience with ease.
• You are a confident communicator — you’re comfortable presenting to senior stakeholders, in person or virtually.

Requirements

• You are not interested in proactively recruiting talent via outbound channels.
• You are not interested in rolling up your sleeves and having a “just-get-it-done” mindset.
• Looking for a typical 9-5 where every day looks the same.
• You prefer highly structured environments with rigid processes and step-by-step instructions.
• You are uncomfortable juggling both strategic and hands-on HR responsibilities in the same role.
• You are looking for a job where you can stay behind the scenes — this role involves direct interaction with leadership and team members.
• You are not comfortable taking ownership, following up proactively, or working with some ambiguity.

Preferred Qualifications

• 2–5 years in HR, people operations, or talent roles, ideally within SaaS, startups, or early-stage companies.
• Experience working in environments where HR functions had to be built or redefined from the ground up.
• Familiarity with Canadian and U.S. labor laws and employee lifecycle best practices.
• Ability to manage a large and varied portfolio of HR responsibilities, including proactive and reactive support.
• Strong communication and presentation skills — comfortable advising leadership and supporting employee conversations.
• HR certifications or relevant continuing education (e.g., CHRP) is a plus.