Join AAR! Nonstop careers that move aviation forward.
Are you passionate about connecting talented people with meaningful careers in aviation? Join AAR and help build the workforce that keeps aviation moving. As a Recruiting Manager, you will serve as an energetic, professional, and experienced talent acquisition leader who connects business strategy to talent acquisition strategy. You will partner with leaders at all levels of the organization, advise hiring teams, influence talent decisions, and build strong pipelines for critical roles that support our customers, strengthen our operations, and contribute to AAR’s continued growth. This role requires strong communication skills, business judgment, and the ability to use technology, data, AI, and automation to deliver efficient, consistent, and engaging hiring experiences. Experience with ADP Lyric, ADP Recruiting Management, or other applicant tracking systems is a plus.
This position is based at our Corporate Headquarters in Wood Dale, IL, 4 days onsite and 1 day remote with a planned relocation to the Merchandise Mart (Chicago) in early 2027.
What you will be responsible for:
- Lead Full-Cycle Recruiting: Manage assigned requisitions from intake through sourcing, screening, interviews, offers, pre-employment requirements, and onboarding handoff while delivering a professional candidate and hiring-manager experience.
- Connect TA Strategy to Business Strategy: Partner with business leaders to understand workforce priorities, operational needs, and growth plans, then translate them into practical recruiting strategies that improve pipelines, hiring quality, time to fill, and offer acceptance.
- Advise and Influence Hiring Decisions: Consult with hiring managers and leaders at all levels on position requirements, market conditions, candidate assessment, and selection decisions using sound judgment, data, and business context.
- Build and Engage Talent Pipelines: Proactively source, attract, and engage skilled aviation, technical, operational, and professional talent for current and future business needs.
- Leverage Technology and Data: Use approved ATS, AI, automation, sourcing, scheduling, and recruiting analytics tools to improve efficiency, communication, data quality, reporting, and decision-making; support ATS implementation and adoption as needed.
- Drive Process Excellence and Compliance: Standardize recruiting practices, strengthen process adoption, maintain accurate records, protect confidential information, and comply with employment laws, data privacy standards, and AAR recruiting processes.
What will make you successful in this role:
- Recruiting Expertise: Minimum of five plus years of full-cycle recruiting, talent acquisition, staffing, or related experience, with strong sourcing, interviewing, candidate assessment, and relationship-building skills.
- Strategic Business Partnership: Ability to understand business priorities, connect them to talent acquisition plans, and advise leaders on recruiting strategies that support workforce and operational goals.
- Communication and Influence: Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to build credibility, present information clearly, influence decisions, and adapt messaging for candidates, hiring teams, and senior leaders.
- Technology Fluency: Experience using applicant tracking systems and recruiting tools; knowledge of ADP Lyric, ADP Recruiting Management, or other ATS solutions is preferred. Practical experience using approved AI, automation, sourcing, scheduling, or recruiting analytics tools is desired.
- Aviation and Workforce Mindset: Passion for identifying talent and connecting people with meaningful careers in aviation; experience recruiting for aviation, aerospace, defense, manufacturing, MRO, engineering, supply chain, skilled-trade, or geographically dispersed roles is preferred.
- Professional Judgment and Compliance: Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment, protect confidential information, and apply consistent, job-related criteria throughout the recruiting process.
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Communications, or a related field.
The rewards of your career at AAR go far beyond just your salary:
- Competitive salary and bonus package
- Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision coverage.
- 401(k) retirement plan with company match
- Generous paid time off program
- Professional development and career advancement opportunities
Physical Demands/Work Environment:
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
- Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be regularly required to sit, stand, bend, reach and move about the facility.
- The environmental characteristic for this position is an office setting.
- Candidates should be able to adapt to a traditional business environment.
AAR provides accommodation in accordance with applicable laws through all stages of the hiring process. If you require accommodation for any part of the application and/or hiring process, please advise Human Resources.
Compensation:
The anticipated salary range for this position is $105,000 to $135,000 annually. This range reflects the base salary for candidates who meet the requirements of the role, including experience, education, and location. In addition to base pay, this role is eligible for a bonus. AAR offers a competitive benefits package, including medical/dental/vision/life/and AD&D insurance, 401(k) savings plan with employer match, paid time off and holiday pay, as well as opportunities for professional development and growth.
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