Sr. Director, Executive Search

We are seeking a Sr. Director, Executive Search to design, scale, and lead our executive search function. In this strategic role, you will partner directly with C-suite executives and senior leadership to identify, engage, and hire top-tier executive talent. You will combine high-touch candidate engagement, data-driven sourcing strategies, and expert negotiation to drive critical leadership hires across the organization. You'll occupy the following roles: 

• Strategic Consultant: Partner with executives to accelerate product roadmaps, unlock innovation, and expand market share by aligning talent acquisition directly with corporate strategy.
• Elite Headhunter: Lead executive searches with the discretion and taste of a top-tier boutique firm—securing our unfair share of exceptional, passive talent.
• Experience Architect: Curate a differentiated, candidate-first recruiting journey to instill immediate trust, increasing offer-acceptance rates and fortifying internal confidence in the talent engine.
• Nurturer: Establish and foster long-term relationships with world-class leaders to engage talent well before a need arises, transforming recruitment from a cost center into a competitive advantage.
• Insight Driver: Use market signals, funnel intelligence, and pattern recognition to guide executive decision-making and provide high-leverage talent intelligence.
• Standard Bearer: Set a relentless bar for rigor to hold the organization to elite standards, ensuring maximum talent density.
• Team Leader: Recruit, mentor, and lead a high-performing team of executive recruiters, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous professional development.
• Velocity Engine: Build a function known for velocity, discretion, and consistently landing the right leaders to successfully shape the company.

You Will:

• Leadership & Strategy: Design and scale a world-class executive search function, including managing/coaching a small team, developing internal executive research capabilities, and leading succession planning.
• End-to-End Recruitment: Own and drive the entire executive recruitment lifecycle, from initial intake strategy to candidate offer and closing, ensuring a seamless, high-touch experience.
• Hands-on Execution: Remain actively involved in full-cycle execution for high-priority, mission-critical searches, personally driving candidate generation, engagement, and closing.
• Market Mapping & Sourcing: Develop sophisticated, data-driven market maps of executive talent across relevant technology and engineering domains.
• Candidate Engagement: Articulate the mission, vision, and culture compellingly to high-profile executive candidates, managing complex negotiations and relocation strategies.
• Confidentiality & Discretion: Handle highly sensitive candidate information and internal organizational plans with complete discretion.
• Executive Advisory: Serve as a trusted advisor to the CEO, C-suite, and senior leadership on talent planning and executive hiring best practices.
• Process Improvement: Drive continuous improvement in executive search processes, leveraging modern tools, metrics, and interview methodologies.
• Passive Candidate Conversion: Execute tailored strategies to reach and convert highly passive executive talent into active candidates.

You Have:

• Experience: 8+ years leading executive searches (Director level and above) and 15+ years of total recruiting experience.
• Domain Expertise: Proven track record recruiting executive talent in highly technical or rapidly scaling environments (e.g., software, hardware, AI/ML, autonomous systems).
• Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with strong ability to influence and present to C-level executives.
• Negotiation & Closing: Expertise in negotiating complex executive compensation packages and successfully closing candidates.
• Talent Intelligence: Ability to provide real-time competitive intelligence, benchmarking, and market signals to guide leadership decision-making.
• Education: Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.

You Are:

• Someone with a Proven Reputation: Distinguished track record in leading executive searches that serves as a trust proxy, allowing you to build executive trust quickly and command market attention.
• Excellent with Executive Operations: Ability to navigate executive team dynamics with ease, acting as a high-judgment negotiator who knows when to push, wait, or hold the bar.
• A Quality Assurer: Relentless advocacy for high talent density, prioritizing the long-term success of leadership hires over short-term requisition speed.
• Impact Prioritizer: Driven by company-shaping outcomes, focusing energy on high-leverage hires that fundamentally move the needle for the organization.
• Talent Attractor: Embody the excellence of our brand to compellingly persuade passive industry leaders to join our mission.