The Head of Talent Acquisition, Public Safety is a civilian leadership role responsible for designing, implementing, and managing a comprehensive recruitment pipeline for the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. The position focuses on increasing the number and diversity of qualified candidates who successfully progress through each stage of the City’s formal police hiring process, from initial outreach and application through academy entry.
The role combines strategic recruitment, partnership development, candidate navigation, and performance tracking. The Head of Talent Acquisition, Public Safety serves as a central coordinator between prospective candidates, community and institutional partners, and police recruiters to ensure consistent engagement and a streamlined candidate experience.
Department: Public Safety, Administration
Posting Type: Announcement
Salary: $100,00 per year.
Union: None, this is a non-union position.
Civil Service Classification: Exempt
General Requirements:
You must submit or show proof of all the following at the time of application (unless otherwise indicated below), or your application will be disqualified. Disqualifications based on any of these General Application Requirements are not subject to a Civil Service appeal.
- Applicants must submit a complete application, including education, work experience, a resume (if applicable), and completed supplemental questions.
- Applicants must be or become residents of the City of Pittsburgh prior to employment and must remain a resident throughout employment.
- Click here to view a map of City of Pittsburgh neighborhoods.
NOTE: The City of Pittsburgh, as a matter of policy, conducts pre-employment and promotional background investigations on all candidates being considered for positions. The background investigation includes, but is not limited to, criminal background, driver's license, and City of Pittsburgh real estate tax payments. Candidates may be disqualified from consideration based on the results of their background investigation, as it relates to the job for which the applicant is being considered.
NOTE: Candidates being considered for employment must submit official transcripts verifying post-secondary education (college/university, trade school, etc.) prior to hire.
Qualifying Requirements:
Your work experience and education/training will be evaluated to determine if you meet the qualifying eligibility requirements listed below for this position. You will receive notice of your eligibility status via email.
WORK EXPERIENCE: The application must clearly show five (5) years of full-time experience in program management, talent acquisition, workforce development, military transition services, or community engagement. (Less than full-time experience will be calculated on a pro-rated basis.)EDUCATION/TRAINING: The application must clearly show a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration, Communications, Operations Management or a related field. (See NOTE under General Application Requirements regarding education/training verification.)
EQUIVALENCY: Education/training and/or work experience may be substituted on a year-for-year basis if the application clearly shows the required number of years to meet the Total Qualifying Requirement for this position, based on the sum of work experience and education/training listed above. The Total Qualifying Requirement is nine (9) years. (See NOTE under General Application Requirements regarding education/training verification.)
If you meet the qualifying requirements listed above, you will receive a letter of admission (when applicable) for the following examination(s). You must pass the written and/or performance examination(s) in order to have your name placed on the official Civil Service eligibility list for this position. Candidates receiving job offers must pass a medical examination (when applicable) before the date of hire.
- Written: None required for this position.
- Performance: None required for this position.
- Medical: None required for this position.
Program, Leadership, and Pipeline Development
- Designs, implements, and manages multiple targeted recruitment pipelines (e.g., veterans and transitioning service members, community college students, local workforce pathways, second-career applicants, and certified candidates.)
- Builds and sustains strategic partnerships with military transition programs, higher education institutions, community-based organizations, and workforce intermediaries.
- Develops structured processes that guide candidates through each step of the hiring process, including application, testing, eligibility listing, and background processing.
- Coordinates seamless handoffs between pipeline participants and official police recruiters while maintaining ongoing communication throughout the process.
Outreach, Campaigns, and Events
- Plans and executes a comprehensive recruitment outreach strategy, including an annual and monthly events calendar.
- Coordinates participation of police recruitment staff in job fairs, community events, and campus outreach initiatives.
- Manages digital recruitment campaigns, including social media engagement and targeted marketing strategies.
- Develops and delivers candidate preparation workshops to support readiness for written examinations and interviews.
Veteran Pathways
- Establishes and maintains relationships aligned with Department of Defense Skill Bridge opportunities.
- Collaborates with City of Pittsburgh Human Resources & Civil Service to support veteran-specific processes and requirements.
- Promotes awareness of GI Bill On-the-Job Training (OJT) opportunities as part of recruitment and retention strategies.
Data Management and Continuous Improvement
- Maintains and optimizes a candidate tracking or CRM system to monitor recruitment progress.
- Produces and presents regular performance reports tracking key recruitment metrics across all stages of the pipeline.
- Uses data insights to improve recruitment strategies, partner performance, and candidate conversation rates.
- Performs other related tasks and duties as assigned or required.