Brenda Duarte
Director, Talent Acquisition
Columbus,OH
Summary
Talent acquisition strategist and function-builder with 10+ years of experience transforming recruiting operations for high-growth, multi-site organizations. Leads through strategy and influence rather than day-to-day recruiting - setting direction, developing people-leaders, and building the systems and technology that enable teams to scale. Deep expertise in AI-enabled recruiting: hands-on architect of enterprise implementations across Paradox AI, Workday Recruiting, iCIMS, and Classet AI - with a consistent track record of using automation to drive recruiter productivity, reduce time-to-fill, and improve candidate experience. Proven executive partner on workforce planning, organizational design, and talent strategy. Experienced in dual recruiting motions: high-volume frontline hiring and high-touch clinical and professional acquisition.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Director, Talent Acquisition
Express Wash Concepts
Columbus, OH
03.2023 - Current
- Architect and lead enterprise TA strategy for 140+ locations across six states - operating as a strategic function leader focused on influence, systems, and outcomes rather than individual requisition management
- Built the entire TA organization from the ground up - recruiting, onboarding, and developing TA Leads and Managers into high-performing people-leaders through coaching on accountability, decision quality, and change management
- Led enterprise implementation of Paradox AI - launching automated candidate engagement, interview scheduling, and screening workflows that reduced application-to-interview completion time and significantly increased recruiter productivity
- Spearheaded implementation of Workday Recruiting - transforming the full hiring tech stack, establishing data integrity standards, and driving adoption across all markets
- Currently leading enterprise launch of Classet AI, expanding the company's AI-powered recruiting capabilities and further automating the candidate funnel
- Built scalable recruiting workflows and process infrastructure supporting aggressive growth of 30-35 new locations annually across six states
- Own recruiting performance metrics - funnel conversion, time-to-fill, cost-per-hire, and quality of hire - presenting strategy and performance to VP and C-suite with executive presence and takeaway-first communication
- Led employer brand transformation - overhauling external value proposition, social and content presence, and careers site experience to strengthen candidate flow and offer acceptance across all markets
- Manage strategic vendor portfolio including Indeed and ZipRecruiter - optimizing spend for ROI, analyzing channel performance, and reallocating investment based on funnel data
- Partner with senior leadership on headcount forecasting, capacity planning, and TA budget management to align talent strategy with business growth goals
Recruiting Manager
Installed Building Products
Columbus, OH
12.2020 - 02.2023
- Scaled recruiting function from 2 to 7 recruiters - tripling team capacity to support 250+ locations and 5,000+ employees across a national, geographically dispersed operation
- Spearheaded implementation of iCIMS ATS - leading full configuration, data migration, recruiter and hiring manager training, and process design to ensure adoption and data integrity
- Consistently hit hiring volume targets for hard-to-fill skilled trades roles (construction laborers, installers, field technicians) across rural and remote markets nationwide
- Improved offer acceptance rates through strategic compensation benchmarking, competitive offer structuring, and a high-touch candidate experience
- Implemented data-driven performance framework with structured metrics, timelines, and tracking processes to optimize recruiter productivity and reduce time-to-fill
- Designed DEI recruitment initiatives and cultivated partnerships with community organizations, colleges, and diverse professional networks
- Served as recruiting coach to hiring managers and supervisors - delivering training on structured interviewing, compliance, and best-practice selection
Recruiter
Installed Building Products
Columbus, OH
07.2017 - 12.2020
- Managed full-cycle recruitment across 150+ open requisitions per month in a national, multi-site operation - developing deep expertise in high-volume sourcing, screening, and pipeline management
- Collaborated with hiring managers on offer strategy, compensation benchmarking, and candidate experience
- Trained and mentored junior recruiters on interviewing techniques and candidate qualification best practices
Education
B.S. - Information Systems - Business Information Systems Focus
Franklin University
12.2027
A.A.S. - Business Management
Columbus State Community College
Skills
- TA Strategy & Transformation
- AI & Automation Implementation
- People-Leader Development
- Workforce Planning & Forecasting
- Employer Brand & Recruitment Marketing
- Change Management
- Executive Stakeholder Partnerships
- Data-Driven Decision Making
- Vendor Management & Spend Optimization
- DEI Recruitment Strategy
- Multi-Site Hiring at Scale
- Candidate Experience Design
Websites
Technology
Workday, iCIMS, Paylocity, UKG, Paradox AI, Classet AI, Elly AI, LinkedIn, Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Monster, Handshake, Workday Reporting, Dashboard Management
Timeline
Director, Talent Acquisition
Express Wash Concepts
03.2023 - Current
Recruiting Manager
Installed Building Products
12.2020 - 02.2023
Recruiter
Installed Building Products
07.2017 - 12.2020
B.S. - Information Systems - Business Information Systems Focus
Franklin University
A.A.S. - Business Management
Columbus State Community College