TALENT ACQUISITION, ONBOARDING & CREDENTIALING SPECIALIST in Vancouver, Washington at Lifeline Connections

Lifeline Connections is a community-based behavioral health organization that specializes in providing confidential and compassionate care to individuals who experience substance use and/or mental health conditions.

Our Vision — As the premier provider of substance use and mental health services in the Pacific Northwest, we are respected and the most trusted resource for behavioral health treatment and whole-person care. We provide a comprehensive continuum of coordinated quality services, foster enduring relationships, and empower our communities to truly thrive.

Our Mission — Through superior customer service, high-quality programs, and well-trained and dedicated staff, we inspire hope and support lifesaving changes for people affected by substance use and mental health conditions.

Position Title: Talent Acquisition, Onboarding & Credentialing Specialist
Department: Human Resources
Reports To: Human Resources Director
Employment Status: Full-Time
FLSA Status: Nonexempt
Compensation: Up to $28.00 per hour
Supervisory Responsibilities: None
Work Location: Vancouver Washington, On-Site/Hybrid
Travel Requirements: Periodic travel between Lifeline Connections locations and attendance at career fairs, educational institutions, hiring events, and community recruitment activities

The Talent Acquisition, Onboarding & Credentialing Specialist coordinates Lifeline Connections’ recruitment, candidate selection, pre-employment screening, onboarding, and workforce credential-verification processes for employees, interns, students, and volunteers.

This position serves as a primary administrative point of contact for candidates and hiring managers throughout the recruitment and onboarding process. The Specialist posts approved vacancies, sources and screens applicants, coordinates interviews, initiates required background and qualification checks, prepares onboarding documentation, facilitates new-hire orientation, and maintains accurate recruitment, personnel, and credentialing records.

The Specialist also coordinates internship and volunteer placements, monitors credential and certification expiration dates, communicates outstanding requirements, and supports personnel-file and credentialing audits. The position works under the direction of the Human Resources Director and escalates hiring exceptions, credentialing concerns, adverse background-check findings, policy questions, and other higher-risk matters for review.

The Specialist must demonstrate accuracy, confidentiality, responsiveness, sound judgment, and the ability to manage a high volume of candidates, vacancies, deadlines, and records within a regulated behavioral health environment.

1. Coordinate recruitment activities for approved employee, intern, student, and volunteer openings.

2. Consult with hiring managers to confirm position requirements, minimum qualifications, schedules, work locations, recruitment priorities, and anticipated hiring timelines.

3. Prepare and post approved job announcements that accurately describe the position’s essential functions, qualifications, schedule, work location, and other conditions of employment.

4. Source qualified and diverse applicants through job boards, professional associations, educational institutions, workforce-development organizations, community partnerships, social media, employee referrals, career fairs, and other appropriate recruitment channels.

5. Maintain candidate pipelines for difficult-to-fill, high-turnover, clinical, direct-care, administrative, and leadership positions.

6. Coordinate career fairs, hiring events, educational outreach activities, and other workforce-recruitment initiatives.

7. Establish and maintain working relationships with colleges, universities, vocational programs, high schools, professional associations, workforce-development organizations, and community partners.

8. Maintain current and accurate information regarding approved vacancies, candidate activity, hiring status, and recruitment outcomes.

9. Communicate recruitment progress, delays, and barriers to the Human Resources Director and appropriate hiring managers.

10. Recommend adjustments to recruitment sources or outreach activities when positions remain vacant or candidate pools do not meet organizational needs.

1. Review applications and resumes to determine whether candidates appear to meet established minimum qualifications.

2. Conduct initial telephone, virtual, or in-person screenings using approved and job-related screening criteria.

3. Coordinate interviews between candidates, hiring managers, interview panels, and other organizational representatives.

4. Develop or update structured, competency-based interview questions in collaboration with the Human Resources Director, hiring manager, and appropriate subject-matter experts.

5. Provide hiring managers with candidate materials and approved interview documentation.

6. Ensure that interview and selection documentation is complete, objective, job-related, and submitted to Human Resources.

7. Track candidate status in the applicant tracking system or human resources information system.

8. Communicate promptly and professionally with candidates regarding interviews, requests for additional information, delays, selection decisions, and next steps.

9. Coordinate reference checks and document the results in accordance with organizational procedures.

10. Escalate potential conflicts of interest, qualification discrepancies, inconsistent information, or other candidate concerns to the Human Resources Director.

11. Prepare conditional offer documentation after receiving all required approvals.

12. Coordinate pre-employment requirements and anticipated start dates with candidates and hiring managers.

1. Initiate and monitor required pre-employment and pre-placement screenings for employees, interns, students, and volunteers.

2. Coordinate applicable background checks, reference checks, exclusion and sanction screenings, driving-record reviews, drug screenings, health-related clearances, and other required verifications.

3. Communicate screening requirements and deadlines clearly to candidates and hiring managers.

4. Track outstanding screening requirements through completion.

5. Review screening results for completeness and refer findings requiring individualized assessment or additional review to the Human Resources Director.

6. Support legally compliant pre-adverse and adverse-action processes when directed by the Human Resources Director.

7. Ensure that individuals do not begin duties requiring screening, credentialing, training, or authorization until applicable requirements have been completed or an approved exception has been documented.

8. Complete and maintain employment eligibility verification documentation within required timelines.

9. Protect the confidentiality and security of applicant, employee, medical, background-check, and credentialing information.

10. Maintain documentation showing that applicable screenings were completed, reviewed, and resolved before placement.

1. Coordinate the initial and ongoing verification of licenses, registrations, certifications, education, training, professional experience, and other qualifications required for assigned positions.

2. Verify credentials through appropriate primary or authoritative sources when required.

3. Compare candidate qualifications with the applicable job description and established position requirements.

4. Identify missing, inconsistent, expired, restricted, or unverifiable credentials and promptly escalate concerns to the Human Resources Director or appropriate qualified leader.

5. Maintain accurate and organized credentialing records for employees, interns, students, volunteers, and other workforce members within the position’s assigned scope.

6. Track credential, license, registration, certification, and training expiration dates.

7. Provide advance renewal notifications to workforce members, supervisors, and other appropriate leaders.

8. Follow up on outstanding credentialing and renewal documentation.

9. Notify the Human Resources Director and appropriate program leadership when a required credential is approaching expiration, has expired, or may affect an individual’s ability to perform assigned duties.

10. Coordinate with clinical leadership, Quality and Compliance, and program leadership when clinical qualifications, scope-of-practice requirements, or position-specific credentials require subject-matter review.

11. Support periodic audits of credentialing and personnel records.

12. Correct administrative deficiencies and follow up on missing documentation identified during audits.

13. Prepare credentialing documentation requested for accreditation surveys, licensing reviews, payer reviews, internal audits, and other authorized examinations.

14. Maintain readily retrievable evidence demonstrating that required workforce qualifications have been verified.

Clinical competency and scope-of-practice determinations must be completed by an appropriately qualified clinical leader or subject-matter expert. The Specialist coordinates and documents the process but does not independently determine clinical competency.

1. Coordinate the onboarding process from acceptance of the offer through completion of initial organizational orientation and transition to the assigned department.

2. Provide new employees with timely and accurate information regarding pre-employment requirements, orientation schedules, required documentation, workplace expectations, and their first day of work.

3. Prepare onboarding forms, checklists, personnel documents, and orientation materials.

4. Facilitate or coordinate new-hire orientation in accordance with the organization’s established curriculum.

5. Ensure that new employees receive information regarding:

   • Lifeline Connections’ mission, vision, values, and services;

   • Organizational policies and procedures;

   • Confidentiality and privacy requirements;

   • Ethical and professional conduct;

   • Workplace safety and emergency procedures;

   • Employee rights and responsibilities;

   • Mandatory reporting obligations;

   • Available employee resources;

   • Required training and competency expectations; and

   • Procedures for reporting safety, compliance, quality, or workplace concerns.

6. Ensure that each new employee receives or has access to an accurate job description identifying the position’s essential functions, minimum qualifications, reporting relationship, and performance expectations.

7. Coordinate with Information Technology, Payroll, Facilities, supervisors, and other departments regarding system access, equipment, identification badges, workspace, schedules, and operational readiness.

8. Ensure that required forms, acknowledgments, policies, and initial training assignments are completed and retained.

9. Coordinate department-specific onboarding handoffs with supervisors.

10. Provide supervisors with onboarding checklists and information regarding their responsibility to provide job-specific orientation, training, supervision, observation, and competency validation.

11. Monitor completion of assigned onboarding requirements and follow up on overdue documentation or training.

12. Conduct new-hire check-ins or distribute onboarding surveys as assigned.

13. Gather feedback from new employees and supervisors regarding the onboarding process.

14. Recommend practical improvements to the onboarding experience based on feedback, audit findings, and identified process barriers.

1. Coordinate recruitment, screening, onboarding, placement, and recordkeeping for interns, practicum students, trainees, and volunteers.

2. Serve as an administrative point of contact for educational institutions, community organizations, prospective interns, students, and volunteers.

3. Maintain relationships with colleges, universities, training programs, vocational schools, and community partners.

4. Coordinate affiliation agreements, placement agreements, learning objectives, schedules, supervision requirements, and other placement documentation with appropriate representatives.

5. Confirm that interns, students, and volunteers meet applicable screening, qualification, credentialing, confidentiality, orientation, safety, and training requirements before beginning their assignments.

6. Confirm that each placement has an identified organizational supervisor.

7. Coordinate with program and clinical leadership to verify that supervisors meet applicable organizational, educational, credentialing, and program requirements.

8. Maintain accurate records of placement dates, assigned programs, schedules, supervisors, completed hours, evaluations, and other required documentation.

9. Track available placement opportunities and communicate them to approved educational and community partners.

10. Monitor placement documentation and follow up on missing or incomplete requirements.

11. Coordinate the conclusion of placements, including final evaluations, access termination, return of organizational property, and closure of placement records.

12. Support the development of internship and volunteer pipelines that may lead to future employment opportunities.

13. Refer performance, conduct, supervision, safety, or placement concerns to the Human Resources Director and appropriate program leadership.

1. Maintain accurate and current information in the applicant tracking system, human resources information system, credentialing system, learning management system, and other assigned databases.

2. Process approved new-hire and workforce-entry documentation accurately and within established timelines.

3. Maintain recruitment, selection, screening, credentialing, onboarding, internship, and volunteer records in accordance with organizational confidentiality and record-retention requirements.

4. Review personnel and credentialing documentation for completeness and accuracy.

5. Identify and correct incomplete, inaccurate, duplicate, or outdated administrative records.

6. Develop and maintain recruitment and onboarding checklists, trackers, templates, workflows, and standard operating procedures.

7. Conduct routine audits of assigned records and processes.

8. Follow up with candidates, employees, supervisors, and leaders regarding missing or overdue documentation.

9. Prepare routine and special reports related to:

   • Open positions;

   • Candidate activity;

   • Recruitment sources;

   • Interview and offer activity;

   • Time to fill;

   • Offer acceptance;

   • New-hire onboarding;

   • Credential status;

   • Upcoming credential expirations;

   • Intern and volunteer placements; and

   • Other assigned workforce indicators.

10. Provide documentation requested for authorized internal reviews, external audits, accreditation surveys, licensing reviews, payer reviews, and investigations.

11. Maintain secure and organized records that are readily retrievable when needed.

1. Support Human Resources quality-improvement activities related to recruitment, screening, onboarding, credentialing, internships, and volunteer placements.

2. Monitor assigned workforce data and identify recurring errors, delays, vacancies, documentation gaps, or process barriers.

3. Report significant recruitment, credentialing, onboarding, screening, or documentation concerns to the Human Resources Director.

4. Assist with corrective-action plans resulting from personnel-file audits, credentialing audits, licensing reviews, accreditation surveys, or identified process deficiencies.

5. Track completion of assigned corrective actions.

6. Recommend revisions to recruitment tools, onboarding checklists, credentialing procedures, forms, templates, and training materials.

7. Assist with the development and implementation of measurable process-improvement activities.

8. Monitor whether implemented changes improve timeliness, accuracy, candidate experience, or workforce readiness.

9. Maintain documentation supporting the organization’s compliance and accreditation-readiness efforts.

10. Participate in Human Resources, quality, compliance, workforce-development, and process-improvement meetings as assigned.

1. Provide responsive and professional customer service to candidates, employees, interns, volunteers, supervisors, leaders, educational partners, and community organizations.

2. Communicate recruitment, credentialing, onboarding, and placement requirements clearly and respectfully.

3. Respond to inquiries within established service expectations.

4. Maintain productive working relationships with Human Resources, program leadership, clinical leadership, Quality and Compliance, Payroll, Information Technology, Facilities, Finance, and other organizational departments.

5. Provide hiring managers with procedural guidance regarding recruitment, interviews, candidate communication, selection documentation, and onboarding responsibilities.

6. Assist with training or technical guidance for supervisors regarding structured interviewing, onboarding documentation, and credentialing processes.

7. Represent Lifeline Connections professionally at career fairs, schools, community events, and other external recruitment activities.

8. Demonstrate cultural humility and sensitivity when interacting with individuals from different backgrounds, identities, professions, and lived experiences.

9. Maintain appropriate professional boundaries and protect confidential information.

The incumbent must demonstrate and maintain the following competencies:

Competency expectation: Demonstrates the ability to coordinate recruitment activities and produce qualified candidate pools for approved positions.

Observable behaviors include:

• Posts approved vacancies accurately and promptly;

• Selects appropriate recruitment sources;

• Maintains current candidate and vacancy information;

• Communicates regularly with hiring managers;

• Identifies positions requiring additional recruitment outreach; and

• Builds productive educational and community partnerships.

Competency expectation: Applies consistent, objective, and job-related screening and interview-coordination practices.

Observable behaviors include:

• Accurately compares candidate qualifications with position requirements;

• Uses approved screening questions and interview tools;

• Maintains complete selection documentation;

• Communicates professionally with candidates;

• Recognizes and escalates potential selection risks; and

• Protects confidential applicant information.

Competency expectation: Accurately verifies, documents, monitors, and communicates workforce qualification requirements.

Observable behaviors include:

• Completes assigned verification activities through appropriate sources;

• Identifies missing, expired, restricted, or inconsistent credentials;

• Maintains complete and auditable records;

• Tracks expiration and renewal dates;

• Communicates outstanding requirements promptly; and

• Escalates clinical or regulatory questions to qualified leadership.

Competency expectation: Coordinates an organized onboarding process that prepares workforce members to begin their responsibilities safely and effectively.

Observable behaviors include:

• Communicates pre-employment requirements clearly;

• Prepares accurate onboarding materials;

• Coordinates orientation and departmental handoffs;

• Tracks forms, training, and acknowledgments;

• Follows up on incomplete requirements; and

• Identifies onboarding barriers before they create operational or compliance risks.

Competency expectation: Coordinates organized and compliant intern, student, and volunteer placements.

Observable behaviors include:

• Confirms placement requirements;

• Maintains agreements and placement documentation;

• Coordinates screening and orientation requirements;

• Tracks placement dates, hours, supervisors, and evaluations;

• Maintains effective relationships with placement partners; and

• Escalates placement or supervision concerns appropriately.

Competency expectation: Produces accurate, complete, timely, confidential, and retrievable records.

Observable behaviors include:

• Enters information accurately into assigned systems;

• Maintains organized electronic and physical records;

• Conducts routine record reviews;

• Corrects identified discrepancies;

• Protects confidential information; and

• Produces reliable reports and supporting documentation.

Competency expectation: Communicates clearly, respectfully, and effectively with internal and external stakeholders.

Observable behaviors include:

• Responds to inquiries promptly;

• Explains processes in understandable language;

• Maintains professionalism during difficult interactions;

• Handles sensitive information with discretion;

• Follows through on commitments; and

• Builds productive working relationships.

Competency expectation: Manages multiple vacancies, candidates, credentials, deadlines, and onboarding activities without compromising accuracy.

Observable behaviors include:

• Prioritizes work based on urgency, risk, and operational need;

• Meets established deadlines;

• Maintains accurate tracking systems;

• Identifies potential delays in advance;

• Communicates when assistance or escalation is needed; and

• Follows assignments through completion.

Competency expectation: Demonstrates integrity, sound judgment, discretion, and adherence to organizational expectations.

Observable behaviors include:

• Protects sensitive applicant and workforce information;

• Applies established procedures consistently;

• Avoids actual or perceived conflicts of interest;

• Reports concerns through appropriate channels;

• Maintains professional boundaries; and

• Treats candidates, employees, persons served, and partners respectfully.

Competency expectation: Uses feedback, data, and audit findings to support improvements in recruitment, onboarding, and credentialing processes.

Observable behaviors include:

• Identifies recurring administrative errors or delays;

• Recommends practical process improvements;

• Participates in assigned corrective-action activities;

• Tracks the results of implemented changes;

• Updates tools and documentation when directed; and

• Demonstrates openness to feedback and new procedures.

Performance may be evaluated using quantitative and qualitative measures, including:

1. Accuracy and completeness of recruitment, screening, onboarding, credentialing, intern, and volunteer records.

2. Percentage of workforce members completing applicable screening and credentialing requirements before beginning assigned duties.

3. Timeliness of credential verification, renewal notification, and escalation of expired or restricted credentials.

4. Accuracy and timeliness of job postings and candidate-status updates.

5. Time to complete candidate screenings and interview coordination.

6. Responsiveness to candidates and hiring managers.

7. Timeliness and accuracy of applicant tracking and human resources information system data.

8. Completion of orientation documentation, acknowledgments, and initial training assignments.

9. Results of personnel-file, credentialing, and onboarding audits.

10. Timely correction of identified deficiencies.

11. Hiring-manager and new-hire feedback regarding recruitment and onboarding services.

12. Maintenance of educational, community, internship, and volunteer partnerships.

13. Demonstrated contribution to assigned process-improvement goals.

Specific performance targets will be established by the Human Resources Director based on organizational priorities, staffing levels, available resources, and the volume of recruitment and onboarding activity.

1. Associate degree in human resources, business administration, healthcare administration, organizational development, public administration, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.

2. At least two years of experience in recruitment, onboarding, credentialing, human resources administration, healthcare administration, workforce development, or a related field.

3. Experience coordinating multiple applicants, vacancies, onboarding activities, or administrative deadlines.

4. Experience maintaining confidential personnel, applicant, credentialing, healthcare, or similarly sensitive records.

5. Experience using an applicant tracking system, human resources information system, credentialing system, or comparable database.

6. Experience with Microsoft Office or comparable business applications.

1. Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, healthcare administration, organizational development, public administration, or a related field.

2. Experience working in behavioral health, substance-use treatment, mental health, healthcare, social services, or another regulated human-services environment.

3. Experience coordinating professional licenses, certifications, registrations, background checks, or other workforce qualifications.

4. Experience coordinating internships, practicums, student placements, or volunteer programs.

5. Experience developing relationships with colleges, universities, vocational programs, workforce-development organizations, or community partners.

6. SHRM-CP, PHR, or another relevant human resources or credentialing certification.

7. Experience supporting recruitment or onboarding across multiple organizational locations.

8. Experience preparing workforce reports, process trackers, standard operating procedures, or audit documentation.

1. Working knowledge of recruitment, candidate screening, interviewing, onboarding, credentialing, and personnel-record practices.

2. Ability to review job descriptions and compare candidate qualifications with established position requirements.

3. Ability to manage confidential and sensitive information appropriately.

4. Strong written and verbal communication skills.

5. Strong interpersonal and customer-service skills.

6. Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.

7. Strong time-management skills and the ability to meet deadlines.

8. Ability to manage multiple assignments in a high-volume and time-sensitive environment.

9. Ability to recognize incomplete, inaccurate, inconsistent, or potentially concerning information.

10. Ability to follow established policies, procedures, workflows, and approval requirements.

11. Ability to exercise sound judgment and recognize when a matter must be escalated.

12. Ability to prepare accurate reports, checklists, correspondence, and documentation.

13. Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite or comparable software.

14. Proficiency with applicant tracking, human resources information, credentialing, learning management, or similar systems.

15. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with candidates, employees, supervisors, leaders, and external partners.

16. Ability to work respectfully with individuals from diverse cultural, professional, socioeconomic, and lived-experience backgrounds.

17. Ability to maintain reliable attendance and punctuality.

18. Ability to travel between Lifeline Connections locations and attend external recruitment activities as required.

Competency for this position will be evaluated during the introductory period and at least annually thereafter in accordance with organizational policy.

Competency may be demonstrated through:

• Direct observation;

• Review of work products;

• Recruitment and onboarding record audits;

• Credentialing-file audits;

• Data-accuracy reviews;

• Scenario-based exercises;

• Demonstration of system proficiency;

• Completion of assigned training;

• Performance against established indicators;

• Feedback from hiring managers and internal partners; and

• Successful completion of assigned process-improvement activities.

When a competency deficiency is identified, the supervisor may establish an appropriate plan for additional education, training, coaching, supervision, reassessment, or corrective action.

The physical and environmental requirements described below are representative of those required to perform the essential functions of the position:

1. Prolonged periods of sitting and working at a computer.

2. Frequent use of standard office equipment, telephones, videoconferencing systems, and electronic information systems.

3. Ability to communicate effectively in person, by telephone, through videoconferencing, and in writing.

4. Ability to travel between organizational locations and attend external recruitment activities.

5. Occasional standing, walking, bending, reaching, and carrying recruitment or orientation materials.

6. Ability to work in administrative, clinical, residential, and community-based behavioral health environments.

7. Ability to manage interruptions, changing priorities, and periods of increased recruitment or onboarding activity.

Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

All Lifeline Connections workforce members are expected to:

1. Support the organization’s mission, vision, values, and commitment to persons served.

2. Maintain confidentiality and protect sensitive organizational, applicant, employee, and patient information.

3. Follow organizational policies, procedures, ethical expectations, and applicable requirements.

4. Complete required education and training within established timelines.

5. Promote a safe, respectful, inclusive, and professional work environment.

6. Report safety, compliance, ethical, credentialing, quality, or workplace concerns through appropriate channels.

7. Participate in performance evaluation, competency assessment, supervision, and quality-improvement activities.

8. Maintain reliable attendance and punctuality.

9. Perform other duties consistent with the position’s purpose, qualifications, and level of responsibility, as assigned.

This job description identifies the position’s primary responsibilities and competency expectations. It is not intended to contain a complete list of every responsibility, duty, or activity that may be assigned.

Duties and responsibilities may be modified based on organizational needs, program changes, regulatory requirements, staffing levels, or the qualifications of the incumbent. Any substantial change to the position’s essential functions, minimum qualifications, reporting relationship, or credentialing responsibilities should be reviewed by Human Resources.

Lifeline Connections is committed to equal employment opportunity and to providing reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable requirements.