TA Operations Specialist at Walker & Dunlop in Bethesda, MD

Department: Human Resources – Operations

We are Walker & Dunlop. We are one of the largest providers of capital to the commercial real estate industry, enabling real estate owners and operators to bring their visions of communities — where people live, work, shop, and play — to life. We are committed to creating meaningful social, environmental, and economic change in our communities.

Department Overview

Our Human Resources department at Walker & Dunlop is more than just policies and procedures – we’re the stewards of the Walker & Dunlop employee experience. Our dedicated team of HR professionals is here to ensure that every employee experiences W&D as a great place to work.

We know that W&D’s success is closely tied to the engagement, health, and professional fulfillment of our employees. Throughout W&D’s history, our people have remained our top priority. We provide employees with leadership and guidance, supporting their personal and professional growth during every step of their tenure. Our commitment to internal equity is unwavering. We continually review our approach and actions keeping this core value at the forefront. Our unique cultural framework fosters an environment where individual respect is the norm, promoting collaboration within our organization. We live this philosophy through candid communication, commitment to promoting from within, and active involvement in our community.

Join us, and experience how the Human Resources department at Walker & Dunlop brings personal care and professionalism together to ensure your success.

The Impact You Will Have

The Talent Acquisition (TA) Operations Specialist supports consistent recruiting operations across the candidate lifecycle, including recruitment advertising and employer branding, interview scheduling, offer preparation, pre-employment background screening, hiring, and preboarding activities. This position plays a critical role in maintaining hiring controls through initial screening reviews, accurate documentation, and timely escalation of potential concerns in partnership with TA Operations leadership. The Specialist also oversees recruiting technology processes, maintains accurate records and reporting, coordinates with internal stakeholders and vendors, and contributes to improvements that enhance operational effectiveness and the candidate and employee experience. Success in this role requires sound judgment, attention to detail, strong ownership, and adaptability to evolving business needs.

Primary Responsibilities

Candidate Lifecycle & Recruiting Operations

• Coordinate recruiting operations activities throughout the candidate lifecycle, including offer letter preparation, Workday hiring transactions, and related administrative activities, ensuring timely and consistent execution.
• Oversee automated interview scheduling through Paradox, monitor effectiveness, troubleshoot issues with recruiters and the vendor, and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Schedule and coordinate interviews as needed to support full-time, part-time, temporary, and contingent worker hiring.
• Own and monitor the pre-employment background screening workflow, including screening initiation, candidate follow-up, initial review of results, status tracking, and documentation in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Apply sound judgment and critical thinking when reviewing background screening results, identifying inconsistencies, gathering relevant facts, and escalating findings requiring further review or resolution to TA Operations leadership.
• Ensure consistent application of approved background screening procedures, including required notices, authorizations, approvals, and record retention practices, in coordination with Legal and applicable policy owners.
• Partner with onboarding stakeholders to support seamless transitions from candidate selection through new hire onboarding.
• Support immigration-related processes in coordination with HR and Legal teams, as needed.

Reporting, Tracking & Data Accuracy

• Prepare, maintain, and distribute recurring and ad hoc recruitment reports, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and timely delivery.
• Conduct regular audits of recruiting data, processes, and hiring activities to identify discrepancies, maintain data integrity, and support compliance with established policies and procedures.
• Track and report on key recruiting operations metrics, including interview scheduling efficiency, background screening turnaround times, and recruiting technology performance, to identify trends, operational challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
• Maintain accurate recruiting and screening records, dashboards, and audit-ready documentation, proactively identifying and flagging discrepancies, delays, and outstanding actions.

Vendor Relationship Management & Stakeholder Support

• Manage or support relationships with recruitment advertising, employer branding, interview scheduling, background screening, and other vendors to resolve operational issues and improve service delivery.
• Collaborate with TA Operations leadership, recruiters, the HRBP team, Legal, and other internal and external stakeholders to address operational needs, clarify responsibilities, communicate timely updates, and support consistent recruiting processes and a positive candidate experience.
• Exercise professionalism and discretion when handling sensitive candidate information, time-critical hiring matters, and operational escalations.

Process, Systems & Continuous Improvement

• Collaborate with HRIS to optimize Workday Recruiting, support system enhancements, and participate in testing and change management activities to improve the recruiting experience for managers, candidates, and recruiters.
• Partner with HR Operations and cross-functional stakeholders to streamline workflows, strengthen operational efficiency, and improve process handoffs.
• Identify and support or lead process improvement initiatives involving Workday and other recruiting technologies to enhance TA workflows and operational effectiveness.

Process Documentation & Operational Controls

• Develop and maintain accurate TA Operations standard operating procedures, process maps, and job aids, ensuring documentation remains aligned with evolving workflows and business needs.
• Maintain clear process handoffs, checklists, and control points across recruiting, background screening, offer, and hiring activities to support consistency, accountability, and procedural compliance.
• Assess process inefficiencies and potential control gaps, partnering with HR Operations, HRIS, and other stakeholders to implement and document practical improvements.

Additional Operational Support

• Maintain inventory of recruitment materials and collaborate with Marketing to develop and update recruitment collateral.
• Monitor employee reviews weekly, prepare and post responses as appropriate, and escalate responses to TA Operations leadership when needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Attendance is generally required from 8:30 am – 5:30 pm local time, Tuesday through Thursday, with the option to work remotely on Mondays and Fridays.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience required
• 2+ years of experience in recruiting operations, HR operations, background screening, compliance operations, or a related process-driven function required; experience in a highly regulated or strong-governance environment preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Proficiency with Workday Recruiting or a comparable applicant tracking system required; strong Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel, required.
• Experience working with recruiting technology and automated workflows preferred, including monitoring system performance, troubleshooting issues, and supporting process improvement.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail, with the ability to interpret operational data, identify discrepancies, evaluate trends, and maintain accuracy and completeness.
• Demonstrated critical thinking, sound judgment, and investigative problem-solving skills to assess information, recognize inconsistencies and potential risks, and escalate exceptions appropriately.
• High standards of integrity, confidentiality, and discretion, with a commitment to consistent application of policies, accurate documentation, and established review and approval procedures.
• Ability to independently prioritize competing demands, take ownership of assigned responsibilities, and consistently follow through on open issues and deliverables in a high-volume, time-sensitive environment.
• Strong verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate professionally, respectfully, and effectively with candidates, internal stakeholders, and external partners.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain clear process documentation, including SOPs and job aids, identify operational inefficiencies and control gaps, and recommend practical improvements.
• Ability to balance a positive candidate experience with consistent application of required hiring and background screening controls.
• Adaptability and willingness to learn new systems, embrace evolving technologies, and adjust to changing processes and business needs.

This position has an estimated base salary of $65,000 - $75,000 plus discretionary bonus. An employment offer is based on the applicant’s relevant work experience, applicable knowledge, skills, abilities, internal equity, and alignment with market data.

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What We Offer 

• The opportunity to join one of Fortune Magazine’s Great Places to Work winners
• Comprehensive benefit options* that have earned Walker & Dunlop the gold level of the 2025 Cigna Healthy Workforce Designation™, some of which include:
  • Up to 83% subsidized medical payroll deductions
  • Competitive dental and vision benefits
  • 401(k) + match
  • Pre-tax transit and commuting benefits
  • A robust health and wellness program – earn cash rewards and gain access to resources that promote health, engagement, and balance
  • Paid maternity and parental leave, as well as other family paid leave programs
  • Company-paid life, short and long-term disability insurance
  • Health Savings Account and Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending
• Career development opportunities
• Empowerment and encouragement to give back – volunteer hours and donation matching

*Eligibility may vary based on average number of hours worked

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

We are committed to equity in all steps of the recruitment and employment experience. We believe in equal access to opportunities in our workplace. We do not tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on any characteristic protected by applicable law, such as race, color, national origin, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, sex, age, disability, veteran or military status, and genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We strive to be a safe place to ask questions, build professional relationships, and develop careers.

SPAM Please be wary of recruitment scams. An indication of a scam might be a request for sensitive or bank information at the time of application or emails coming from a non walkerdunlop.com email address. Please call us at 301.215.5500, if you have any concerns about information requested during or after the application process.

Fair Chance Hiring

Background checks, including any questions related to infractions, arrests, or conviction records, will not be conducted until after a conditional offer of employment has been accepted. We will consider for employment qualified applicants regardless of arrest and conviction records, in accordance with federal, state, and local laws.