Natalie Okeefe

About Natalie Okeefe

n••••••@smithbrothersusa.com | 86••••••42 I’m passionate about building strong…

Experience

1. Recruiter

   Smith Brothers Insurance, LLC.

   Apr 2023 — Present · Glastonbury, CT, US

   Pioneered the internal talent acquisition function as the agency’s first in-house Recruiter, developing and executing a comprehensive hiring strategy aligned with organizational goals.• Partner closely with the CFO & Director of People to manage all open requisitions and ensure consistent, strategic recruiting support across the enterprise.• Collaborate with hiring managers across departments to understand team needs, define role requirements, and align sourcing strategies for high-impact hiring.• Partner with hiring managers and the CFO in staying disciplined within established salary ranges, ensuring compensation equity and budget alignment across roles.• Own the end-to-end offer process, including extending offers, managing approvals, and leading all salary and offer negotiations with selected finalists.• Designed and implemented end-to-end recruiting workflows, significantly improving process efficiency and standardization.• Spearheaded the successful rollout of the agency\'s first ATS and LinkedIn Recruiter, modernizing TA operations and enabling scalable growth.• Build and maintain proactive talent pipelines for hard-to-fill and low-application roles, enhancing candidate quality and reducing time-to-fill.• Conduct initial phone screens and thoroughly vet sourced and applied applicants to ensure fit with both role & company culture.• Manage candidate communications and deliver a high-touch experience that reinforces the agency’s “Great Place to Work” strategy.• Champion employer branding initiatives to position the agency as an employer of choice in a competitive talent market.• Gained understanding of brokerage insurance practice areas—supporting Surety, Large Commercial, Small Commercial, Personal Lines, Private Client Group, and Employee Benefits—to enhance candidate conversations and sourcing effectiveness.• Earned P&C license to deepen industry knowledge and better engage with talent and stakeholders in the insurance marketplace.