Head of Talent Acquisition - AI, Start-Up

Hawkwood l People & Talent Recruiting; City Of London; On-site; GBP 110,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading AI start-up in London seeks a dedicated Talent Acquisition Lead. You will play a pivotal role in building the global talent function from the ground up, partnering with executive leadership to define hiring strategies and build high-performance teams. This role demands at least 6 years of experience in recruiting with a proven track record of speed and excellence. Join to help shape a generational company during this exciting period of growth.

Qualifications

• 6+ years in recruiting or talent leadership with a track record of hiring quickly.
• Experience in fast-growing startups or high-performance organizations.
• Deep understanding of technical roles and go-to-market strategies.

Responsibilities

• Build the global talent strategy across major cities.
• Partner with executive leadership to define hiring plans.
• Create a repeatable recruiting engine from sourcing to closing.

Skills

Proven experience in recruiting or talent leadership

Experience scaling teams in high-performance organizations

Exceptional sourcing ability

Strong communication and candidate-experience instincts

Job description

Location: London, King’s Cross

Working style: On-site

Salary: £110-130k + stock options

Contract: Full-time

Introduction

Hawkwood are partnering with a tier-one AI start-up that has recently secured one of the largest Series A funding rounds in history.

Following this record-breaking raise, the business is experiencing extraordinary demand from some of the world’s most sophisticated financial institutions for access to its platform. Having already emerged as one of the fastest-growing AI companies in Europe, the company is now preparing to triple in size over the next year.

Founded by serial entrepreneurs who have successfully built and exited their last two companies, the team brings a rare combination of proven execution, technical depth, and relentless ambition. This track record, paired with a high-performance, execution-driven culture, has positioned the business on a steep trajectory toward market dominance. This is a unique opportunity to join one of the most exciting start-ups at a genuinely pivotal moment.

About the role

As the first dedicated Talent Acquisition hire, you will play a central role in building and scaling a global talent function from the ground up. You’ll partner directly with the founders to define the hiring strategy, build high-performance teams, and shape the culture and standards of a generational company.

Reporting into the Chief of Staff, this is a high-ownership, high-intensity role designed for someone who thrives in ambiguity, operates with urgency and wants to influence the DNA of an iconic organisation.

What you’ll do

• Build and own the global talent strategy across London, New York, San Francisco, and Hong Kong.
• Partner directly with the CEO and CTO to understand business needs and translate them into world-class hiring plans.
• Build a repeatable end-to-end recruiting engine from sourcing, screening, assessment, and closing.
• Hire across product, engineering, sales, customer success, operations, and leadership.
• Develop a top-tier sourcing strategy that proactively identifies exceptional candidates before they enter the market.
• Define the standards, processes, and operating rhythm for hiring at scale.
• Build talent brand and outreach motions that reflect the ambition and intensity of the business.
• Ensure every hire raises the bar - culturally, technically, and operationally.
• Establish the systems, data, and reporting to support rapid headcount growth.
• Serve as a cultural steward : shaping values, performance expectations, and leadership development.

About you

• Proven experience (ideally 6+ years) in recruiting or talent leadership, with a track record of hiring exceptional talent at speed.
• Experience scaling teams at a fast-growing startup or high-performance organisation.
• Experience in designing, operationalising, and executing a rigorous, repeatable hiring process.
• Deep understanding of technical and go-to-market roles.
• Exceptional sourcing ability - you know how to find and close people others can’t reach.
• Strong communication, storytelling, and candidate-experience instincts.
• High ambition - you want to help build a generational company, not a "nice" one.
• High-agency - you run fast, stay organised under pressure, and can juggle execution and strategy.

Next steps

If you are interested in this opportunity, we kindly request that you apply via this LinkedIn advert, as opposed to sending us an email or a LinkedIn direct message. We are eager to ensure that each candidate application is considered fairly and receives a consistent experience. Unfortunately, we cannot ensure this standard if you enquire about a role via email or LinkedIn message, as it falls outside of our established process.