Executive Recruiting and Employment Brand Manager

Ulta Beauty; Bolingbrook (IL); Hybrid; USD 106,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Ulta Beauty is seeking an Executive Recruitment & Employment Brand Manager at its Bolingbrook, IL corporate offices with a hybrid schedule. You will lead end-to-end executive search for VP+ leaders, translate growth plans into hiring strategies, and elevate Ulta Beauty’s employment brand.

You’ll partner with senior leaders to shape the EVP, build diverse leadership pipelines, monitor market trends, and ensure a high-touch candidate experience that reflects Ulta Beauty’s values.

Qualifications

• 8–12+ years of executive recruiting experience (corporate and/or retained search).
• Proven success placing VP+ leaders in complex, fast-paced organizations.
• Experience contributing to or leading employment branding or EVP initiatives.
• Strong executive presence and ability to influence senior stakeholders.
• Deep sourcing expertise and established executive talent networks.
• Experience in retail, beauty, consumer, or omnichannel organizations.
• Background working cross-functionally with marketing/communications on employer brand.
• Experience supporting transformation, growth, or digital innovation environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end executive search for VP+, enterprise leadership roles.
• Translate growth strategy into hiring plans and EVP initiatives.
• Build diverse, high-quality leadership pipelines aligned to succession.
• Provide market insights, talent intelligence, and competitive positioning.
• Partner with HR, Communications, and Marketing to evolve the EVP.
• Deliver a high-touch candidate experience reflecting Ulta Beauty’s culture.

Skills

Executive recruiting

Employer branding

EVP development

Stakeholder influence

Leadership networks

Retail/beauty experience

Cross-functional collaboration

Data-driven recruiting

Job description

Overview

Authentic. Supportive. Fun. To

Authentic. Supportive. Fun. To experience human resources at Ulta Beauty is to step out of the mundane and into an environment alive with optimistic energy. After all, success breeds opportunity, and the opportunities to help drive an organization at the top of its game to even greater heights are as uncommon as they are satisfying.

It’s fast, it’s ambitious, it’s anchored in trust. With the chance to move or flex based on new or existing interests and passions. If you want that rare culture of lived values, where “team” truly means something. Where the drive for excellence is balanced with a genuine desire to help and encourage. And where the mark you make will be seen and recognized—we challenge you to dream bigger. To imagine the possibilities.

THE IMPACT YOU CAN HAVE

• Position is located at corporate offices in Bolingbrook, IL (Hybrid work schedule – approx. 6 days in office per month)

The Executive Recruitment & Employment Brand Manager is a strategic talent leader responsible for identifying, attracting, and securing top executive talent while elevating Ulta Beauty’s employment brand in the external market. This role partners closely with senior leadership to build a strong, diverse leadership bench and amplifies Ulta Beauty’s reputation as an employer of choice through a compelling, differentiated executive talent narrative.

YOU'LL ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS BY:

• Lead end-to-end executive search for VP, SVP, and critical enterprise leadership roles across all enterprise functions
• Translate Ulta Beauty’s growth strategy into forward-looking executive hiring plans
• Build and maintain diverse, high-quality leadership pipelines aligned to succession planning priorities
• Identify emerging leadership trends across retail, beauty, and consumer industries
• Serve as a trusted advisor to Executive Committee members and senior leaders
• Lead intake, calibration, and selection discussions with a focus on capability, leadership behaviors, and culture alignment
• Provide market insights, talent intelligence, and competitive positioning
• Own and evolve Ulta Beauty’s executive employment brand strategy in partnership with HR, Communications, and Marketing
• Shape and articulate a compelling Executive Value Proposition (EVP) aligned to Ulta Beauty’s purpose, growth, and culture
• Ensure consistent, high-impact storytelling across executive search materials, candidate interactions, and external touchpoints
• Partner to activate the brand externally (e.g., thought leadership, executive talent mapping, industry engagement, and search firm alignment)
• Equip senior leaders with messaging and narratives to effectively attract top talent
• Continuously assess market perception and strengthen Ulta Beauty’s positioning as a destination for diverse executive talent
• Deliver a high-touch, “white-glove” executive candidate experience that reflects Ulta Beauty’s brand and values
• Ensure every candidate interaction reinforces Ulta Beauty’s culture of inclusivity, authenticity, and guest obsession
• Drive seamless execution from outreach through offer and onboarding
• Leverage direct sourcing, industry networks, and executive search partners to identify top-tier talent
• Build deep pipelines across retail, digital, consumer products, and adjacent industries
• Monitor competitor activity, talent trends, and brand perception to inform both recruiting and employment branding strategies
• Manage and optimize relationships with retained executive search firms
• Ensure partners effectively represent Ulta Beauty’s brand and deliver diverse, high-caliber candidate slates
• Track performance, drive accountability, and align partners to strategic priorities
• Drive consistent, efficient executive recruiting processes with strong governance
• Track and report key metrics (pipeline health, slate diversity, time-to-fill, acceptance rates, brand engagement)
• Leverage data and insights to continuously improve both recruiting outcomes and employment brand effectiveness

The Essentials Of Success

• 8–12+ years of executive recruiting experience (corporate and/or retained search)
• Proven success placing VP+ leaders in complex, fast-paced organizations
• Experience contributing to or leading employment branding or EVP initiatives
• Strong executive presence and ability to influence senior stakeholders
• Deep sourcing expertise and established executive talent networks
• Experience in retail, beauty, consumer, or omnichannel organizations
• Background working cross-functionally with marketing/communications on employer brand
• Experience supporting transformation, growth, or digital innovation environments

The pay range for this position is $106,000.00 - $140,000.00 / Year with the opportunity for eligible associates to earn additional compensation pursuant to the Company’s bonus plan. Exact pay will be based on factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, level, shift, geographic location, and business and organizational needs. Full-time positions are eligible for paid time off, health, dental, vision, life and disability benefits. Part-time positions are eligible for dental, vision, life, and disability benefits. For additional information concerning our benefits, visit our Benefits and Career Development page: https://learn.bswift.com/ulta

About

At Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ: ULTA), the possibilities are beautiful. Ulta Beauty is the largest North American beauty retailer and the premier beauty destination for cosmetics, fragrance, skin care products, hair care products and salon services. We bring possibilities to life through the power of beauty each and every day in our stores and online with more than 25,000 products from approximately 500 well-established and emerging beauty brands across all categories and price points, including Ulta Beauty’s own private label. Ulta Beauty also offers a full-service salon in every store featuring—hair, skin, brow, and make-up services.

We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with arrest records, conviction records, or other criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of any applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York City Fair Chance Act.