Director, Talent Acquisition – Brands

Gap Inc; New York (NY); On-site; USD 182,000 - 237,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Merchandise discount

Paid time off

401(k) plan with company matching

Employee stock purchase plan

Insurance coverage

Job summary

Gap Inc. is seeking a Director of Talent Acquisition – Brands to lead recruiting strategy for Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta.

You will build and guide a team, partner with senior leaders, and translate brand strategy into talent plans to attract top design and brand talent. You will lead across functions, optimize capacity, and champion AI-enabled recruiting practices to improve speed and quality of hires.

Qualifications

• Experience leading design/brand recruiting in apparel or related industries.
• Proven ability to lead large recruiting teams and coach recruiters.
• Ability to translate business strategy into talent priorities and recruiting plans.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Brands TA team, setting expectations and developing talent.
• Own the Brands recruiting strategy aligned with business priorities.
• Advise senior leaders using market intelligence to inform talent decisions.
• Build pipelines for critical capabilities in design and creative.
• Manage cross-functional recruiting across pods and maintain operating rhythms.
• Develop hiring manager capability and ensure a positive candidate experience.
• Use data to diagnose and improve hiring quality and efficiency.
• Lead selected critical searches and collaborate with executive search for leadership roles.
• Support internal mobility and capability planning with HR and Talent Management.
• Drive adoption of TA playbooks, technology, and AI to increase capacity.

Skills

Brand recruiting

Leadership

Talent strategy

Stakeholder management

AI-enabled tools

Tools

Sourcing technologies

AI tools

Job description

At Gap Inc., we create culture as much as we create clothes. Our ambition is to become a high-performing house of iconic American brands that shape culture. Our portfolio—Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta—each brings a distinct point of view to how we show up in the world and serve our customers. Old Navy democratizes style with quality and value for all. Gap champions originality through essential pieces that celebrate individuality. Banana Republic is rooted in a spirit of discovery, creating modern pieces inspired by craftsmanship and travel. Athleta champions the Power of She through confidence, strength, and movement. We’re driven by a shared purpose: to bridge gaps—between people, perspectives, and possibilities—to create a better world. We’re building a team that performs at a high level—people who think boldly, take ownership, and turn ideas into impact. If you’re ready to learn fast and help shape what’s next, you’ll fit right in.

About The Role

As Director, Talent Acquisition – Brands, you will lead recruiting strategy and execution for Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta, bringing deep design and brand recruiting expertise, strong people leadership, and operational excellence to how we attract and hire outstanding talent. Your team will support design, creative, product development, merchandising, inventory management, marketing, digital, and related brand functions. Reporting to the Senior Director, Talent Acquisition, you will partner with senior business and HR leaders to translate each brand’s strategy, product direction, and evolving capability needs into effective talent strategies. You will lead and develop the Brands TA team, building trusted talent advisors who understand the business, anticipate talent needs, and influence decisions that strengthen business performance. Aligned with the broader TA strategy, you will strengthen recruiting practices, optimize capacity and execution, and champion technology, AI, and new ways of working that improve quality, speed, and business impact.

What you’ll do

• Lead, coach, and develop the Brands TA team, setting clear expectations, managing performance, and building judgment through feedback and practice while fostering a culture of trust, accountability, and shared learning
• Own the Brands recruiting strategy, translating distinct brand identities, business priorities, product direction, and workforce needs into actionable talent plans aligned with the broader TA strategy
• Advise senior brand and HR leaders, using business context and market intelligence to identify talent needs, challenge assumptions, and recommend trade-offs that advance business priorities
• Bring deep design and creative recruiting expertise to sourcing and assessment, building external talent relationships and proactive pipelines for critical and emerging capabilities
• Lead recruiting across functional pods, balancing capacity against search complexity and business priorities, clarifying ownership, resolving barriers, and establishing effective operating rhythms
• Build hiring manager capability and shared accountability for clear success criteria, high assessment standards, timely decisions, and an inclusive, thoughtful candidate experience
• Use recruiting data and business feedback to diagnose root causes, remove barriers, and measure improvements in hiring quality, effectiveness, and business outcomes
• Personally lead selected critical searches within the Brands remit and partner with Executive Search on leadership hiring
• Partner with HR, Talent Management, and Early Talent leadership to support internal mobility, anticipate capability needs, and deliver recruiting support for relevant programs
• Lead the adoption of TA playbooks, technology, and AI, guiding the team through change and simplifying work to create capacity for talent relationships, assessment, and advising the business

Who you are

• Deep design and creative recruiting expertise within apparel, fashion, or a closely related environment, including established talent networks and experience partnering with leaders on portfolio and capability assessment
• Demonstrated success leading and developing sizable recruiting teams across multiple functions or brands, with the ability to coach experienced recruiters and team leaders, elevate performance, and build accountability
• Strong understanding of brand and product organizations, with experience translating business strategy, customer needs, and product direction into recruiting priorities and talent strategies
• Proven ability to develop recruiters who ask insightful business questions, assess talent challenges, and influence leaders with clear, evidence-based recommendations
• Credibility and influence with senior business and HR leaders, with the ability to build relationships, communicate clearly, constructively challenge assumptions, and navigate a matrixed organization
• Strong operational leadership, including prioritizing complex search portfolios, managing capacity, establishing effective ways of working, and delivering measurable results
• Experience using recruiting data, talent intelligence, sourcing technologies, and AI- enabled tools to improve decision-making, productivity, and hiring outcomes
• Demonstrated ability to lead through change with sound judgment, curiosity, openness to feedback, and a commitment to inclusive practices, team development, and continuous learning

Salary Range

Salary Range: $182,000.00 - $236,600.00

Employee pay will vary based on factors such as qualifications, experience, skill level, competencies and work location. We will meet minimum wage or minimum of the pay range (whichever is higher) based on city, county and state requirements.

Benefits at Gap Inc.

• Merchandise discount for our brands: 50% off regular-priced merchandise at Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic and Athleta, and 30% off at Outlet for all employees.
• One of the most competitive Paid Time Off plans in the industry.*
• Employees can take up to five "on the clock" hours each month to volunteer at a charity of their choice.*
• Extensive 401(k) plan with company matching for contributions up to four percent of an employee’s base pay.*
• Employee stock purchase plan.*
• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance.*

Gap Inc. is an equal-opportunity employer and is committed to providing a workplace free from harassment and discrimination. We are committed to recruiting, hiring, training and promoting qualified people of all backgrounds, and make all employment decisions without regard to any protected status. We have received numerous awards for our long-held commitment to equality and will continue to foster a diverse and inclusive environment of belonging. In 2022, we were recognized by Forbes as one of the World's Best Employers and one of the Best Employers for Diversity.