Global Head of Early Talent Programs & Cohort Growth

Sharkninjaoperatingllc; Needham (MA); On-site; USD 153,000 - 187,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) matching

Employee stock purchase program

Generous paid time off

Job summary

SharkNinja in Needham, MA is seeking a Global Senior Manager, Early Talent Programs to own strategy, operations, and growth of Shark Programs and the broader Early Edge experience. This role provides executive visibility, advising Talent Access leadership, and shaping portfolio expansion with new cohorts in international markets.

You will lead a high-impact team, partner with university relations, and drive data-driven decision making to scale initiatives across North America, EMEA, and APAC,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; 8+ years of progressive experience with hiring managers, talent acquisition, D&I partners, recruiters, and senior leaders.
• Proven track record designing and scaling early career programs at global scale.
• Strong program/project management skills: planning, organizing, prioritizing multiple cohorts, timelines, budgets, and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Owns portfolio strategy and expansion, building business cases, and standing up new cohorts.
• Lead and develop the Early Talent team (recruiters, coordinators, program specialists) and manage program budgets.
• Oversee global program operations across AI Sharks, Robot Sharks, Social Sharks, Affiliates, and Web Development cohorts.

Skills

Early Talent Recruiting

University Relations

Program Leadership

People Leadership

AI-enabled talent programs

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

About Us

SharkNinjais a global product design and technology company, with a diversified portfolio of 5-star rated lifestyle solutions that positivelyimpactpeople’s lives in homes around the world. Powered by two trusted, global brands, Shark and Ninja, the company has a proventrack recordof bringing disruptive innovation to market and developing one consumer product after another has allowedSharkNinjato enter multiple product categories, driving significant growth and market share gains. Headquartered in Needham, Massachusetts with more than4,100associates, the company’s products are sold at key retailers, online and offline, and through distributors around the world.

AI at SharkNinja

At SharkNinja, we’re building an AI-native culture. We’re not waiting for the future; we’re creating it. Our people are expected to experiment boldly, adopt new tools, and continuously raise what’s possible to create meaningful impact for our consumers. If you believe the best way to do your job hasn’t been invented yet, you’ll fit right in.

Global Senior Manager, Early Talent Programs

Shark Programs, Recruiting & University Relations

SharkNinja • Talent Access • Needham, MA • Reports to: SVP, Talent Access

Are you ready to be part of something new and exciting? Our Early Talent function is in build mode — fast moving, dynamic, and full of opportunities to create and shape programs from the ground up. Since this role was first created, Early Talent at SharkNinja has become a CEO-sponsored growth engine: our Shark Programs now span AI, robotics, social, affiliates, and web development, with intern and co-op cohorts embedded directly in the business, delivering real work with real accountability. Today, that lgobal portfolio spans 400+ approved interns and co-ops roles across 9 concurrent cohorts, a multi-million-dollar program budget, and a footprint of 20+ countries across North America, EMEA, and APAC — with continued global expansion underway. This role offers hands-on ownership of that engine — requiring adaptability, creativity, and a willingness to jump in and refine and scale what's working.

The real opportunity? Running a hyper-growth, executive-visible portfolio at an inflection point — gaining rare experience in program design and expansion, and growing your career while making a meaningful, measurable impact. If you are excited by the idea of building, collaborating, and shaping the future of Early Talent at SharkNinja, this role is for you!

The Role

The Global Senior Manager, Early Talent Programs will own the strategy, operations, and growth of SharkNinja's Shark Programs and broader Early Edge experience — positioning SharkNinja as an employer of choice for early career talent. Operating with significant autonomy and executive visibility, you will serve as a strategic advisor to Talent Access leadership, P&C Business Partners, executive sponsors, and business leaders — shaping where the portfolio expands next, standing up new cohorts against defined launch conditions, and building the team and infrastructure the program needs to scale, including into new international markets. You are the enterprise subject matter expert on university relations, internship and co-op program design, and cohort operations, carrying forward a proven playbook: high-touch selection, hands-on daily coordination, defined scope frameworks, and performance scorecards that give every Shark a clear definition of success.

What You'll Own

• Portfolio strategy and expansion: assess where the Shark and Early Edge model goes next, build the business case with executive sponsors, and stand up new cohorts against the program's launch conditions — sponsorship, assessment rigor, daily coordination, and performance frameworks
• Team and infrastructure: hire, build, and lead the Early Talent recruiting and program team (recruiters, coordinators, program specialists) — hands-on in year one, transitioning to team-led execution as the portfolio scales — including program budget, vendor, and platform ownership
• Global program operations across the Shark portfolio — AI Sharks/SharkByte, Robot Sharks, Social Sharks, and the newest cohorts in Affiliates and Web Development — including cohort calendars, onboarding, scope charters, stand-up cadences, and 30/45-day scorecard reviews
• Recruiting oversight: set intake standards with business sponsors, own sourcing strategy and assessment design, and ensure a high-touch, 5-star candidate experience — including executive-level referrals — executed day-to-day through the recruiting team you build and lead
• University relations: campus partnerships, co-op program relationships, career fairs, and employer brand activation that keeps SharkNinja's pipeline diverse and full — across our U.S. hubs and expansion markets
• Early Edge programming: mentorship, community events, cross-cohort experiences, and weekly Innovation Pod programming in partnership with program sponsors
• Executive partnership: operate as the connective tissue between executive sponsors, hands-on delivery leaders, and P&C — keeping every cohort healthy and every sponsor informed with executive-ready readouts
• The conversion engine: tracking performance through each term and managing the intern-to-co-op-to-full-time pathway, including return offers and flip-to-permanent recommendations
• Data & storytelling: program metrics, conversion and quality-of-hire trends, and executive-ready readouts that tell the story behind the data

What Success Looks Like

• Owns program success end to end from day one — hands-on where it counts — while building the team, processes, and infrastructure that let the portfolio scale beyond any one person
• Drives communication and collaboration with key stakeholders — executives, HRBPs, employer brand, and delivery leaders — to ensure the health of every cohort
• Influences senior decision makers with a solution-oriented approach and consistent accountability; comfortable presenting to and being challenged by C-level sponsors
• A curious, courageous builder: rolls up sleeves to build an industry-leading Early Talent program, embraces obstacles, and keeps a long-term view on program goals
• Comfortable challenging others and being challenged while maintaining strong collaboration
• Enthused to dig into data and metrics to uncover trends, tell the story behind the data, and drive investment decisions

Desired Experience

• Proven experience in early talent recruiting and university relations, with a track record of designing and scaling early career programs at global scale
• Demonstrated program leadership of internship or co-op cohorts — design, recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and conversion — ideally across multiple concurrent programs
• Bachelor's degree and 8+ years of progressive experience working with hiring managers, talent acquisition partners, D&I partners, recruiters, and senior leaders; demonstrated people leadership, including building and scaling a team
• Strong program and project management skills: planning, organizing, and prioritizing multiple cohorts, timelines, budgets, and stakeholders at once
• Experience owning a P&L or program budget of $1M+
• Comfort with AI-enabled ways of working — using AI tools to scale sourcing, communications, and program reporting — and enthusiasm for leading AI-forward talent programs
• Passion for developing early talent and creating positive learning experiences; flexibility to adapt in a fast-paced, changing environment

SharkNinja Success Drivers

Rarely Satisfied • Progress over Perfection • Details Make the Difference • Winning is a Team Sport • Communicate for Impact

Salary and Other Compensation: The annual salary range for this position is displayed below. Factors which may affect starting pay within this range may include geography/market, skills, education, experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.

The Company offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements: medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts (HSA) with company contribution, 401(k) retirement plan with matching, employee stock purchase program, life insurance, AD&D, short-term disability insurance, long-term disability insurance, generous paid time off, company holidays, parental leave, identity theft protection, pet insurance, pre-paid legal insurance, back-up child and eldercare days, product discounts, referral bonus program, and more.

Pay Range

$153,000—$187,000 USD

Our Culture

At SharkNinja, we don’t just raise the bar—we push past it every single day. Our Outrageously Extraordinary mindset drives us to tackle the impossible, push boundaries, and deliver results that others only dream of. If you thrive on breaking out of your swim lane, you’ll be right at home.

What We Offer

We offer competitive health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, employee stock purchase options, wellness programs, SharkNinja product discounts, and more.We empower your personal and professional growth with high impact Learning Programs featuring bold voices redefining what’s possible. When you join, you’re not just part of a company—you’re part of an outrageously extraordinary community. Together, we won’t just launch products—we’ll disrupt entire markets.

At SharkNinja, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are vital to our global success. Valuing each unique voice and blending all of our diverse skills strengthens SharkNinja’s innovation every day. We support ALL associates in bringing their authentic selves to work, making an impact, and having the opportunity for career acceleration. With help from our leadership, associates, and our community, we aim to have equity be a key component of the SharkNinja DNA.

Learn more about us:
Life At SharkNinja
Outrageously Extraordinary

SharkNinja Candidate Privacy Notice

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• For candidates based in Vietnam, please refer to this Candidate Privacy Notice.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other class protected by legislation, and local law. SharkNinja will consider reasonable accommodations consistent with legislation, and local law. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact SharkNinja People & Culture [e-mail]