Head of Talent Acquisition

Jobtailor; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor is seeking an accomplished Senior Talent Acquisition leader to drive end-to-end recruiting across engineering, AI/ML, research, and product, while partnering with executives to shape hiring strategy.

You will design fast, rigorous, inclusive processes, coach interviewers, and build a scalable TA function as the company grows in the San Francisco area.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of full life cycle recruiting experience, ideally in high-growth technology, AI, deep tech, or similarly competitive talent markets.
• Experience as a hands-on Talent Acquisition leader or functional owner while personally carrying a meaningful requisition load.
• Exceptional direct-sourcing ability, with a track record of engaging and closing hard-to-reach passive candidates.
• Experience advising executives and senior hiring managers as a credible, pragmatic talent partner.
• Demonstrated experience integrating AI tools into recruiting workflows.
• Ability to use technology, automation, and disciplined prioritization to manage a broad and shifting workload.
• Comfort operating through ambiguity and changing priorities.
• Ability to move fluidly between strategy, leadership, and hands-on execution.
• Bias for simplifying process, focusing assessment on what matters most, and using evidence to guide decisions.
• High integrity and discretion with sensitive candidate and company information.
• Bachelor's degree, or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Personally run full life cycle recruiting searches across engineering, AI/ML, research, product, go-to-market, operations, and corporate functions.
• Handle executive and highly specialized roles from intake and market mapping through sourcing, assessment, offer, close, and onboarding handoff.
• Build creative sourcing strategies to engage exceptional passive talent.
• Advise executives and hiring managers on role design, candidate profiles, talent availability, market dynamics, and hiring strategy.
• Lead intake and search-strategy discussions covering requirements, assessment criteria, ownership, and timelines.
• Design hiring processes balancing speed, rigor, inclusion, and candidate experience.
• Build structured interviews, coach interviewers, drive timely feedback, resolve delays, and partner with Compensation on offers.
• Manage contract recruiters, sourcers, search firms, and agencies.
• Define the future structure, capabilities, and operating model of Talent Acquisition.
• Recruit, onboard, and develop the Talent Acquisition team as the company grows.
• Own and improve recruiting processes, workflows, documentation, and service standards.
• Adopt AI-enabled tools for sourcing, assessment, engagement, and reporting.
• Maintain ATS data discipline and partner with People Operations and Legal on employment law, policy, and data privacy compliance.
• Build executive dashboards covering pipeline health, conversion, time to fill, source effectiveness, offer acceptance, and agency spend.
• Use recruiting data to identify bottlenecks and improve forecasting.
• Help define the employee value proposition and partner with Marketing to strengthen the talent brand.

Skills

Full Life Cycle Recruiting

Talent Acquisition Leadership

Direct Sourcing

AI Tool Integration

Data-Driven Decision Making

Leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree, or equivalent experience

Tools

AI-Enabled Recruiting Tools

Applicant Tracking System (ATS)

Recruiting Dashboards

Automation Software

Data Reporting Tools

Job description

• Personally run full life cycle recruiting searches across engineering, AI/ML, research, product, go-to-market, operations, and corporate functions


• Handle executive and highly specialized roles from intake and market mapping through sourcing, assessment, offer, close, and onboarding handoff


• Build creative sourcing strategies to engage exceptional passive talent


• Advise executives and hiring managers on role design, candidate profiles, talent availability, market dynamics, and hiring strategy


• Lead intake and search-strategy discussions covering requirements, assessment criteria, ownership, and timelines


• Design hiring processes balancing speed, rigor, inclusion, and candidate experience


• Build structured interviews, coach interviewers, drive timely feedback, resolve delays, and partner with Compensation on offers


• Manage contract recruiters, sourcers, search firms, and agencies


• Define the future structure, capabilities, and operating model of Talent Acquisition


• Recruit, onboard, and develop the Talent Acquisition team as the company grows


• Own and improve recruiting processes, workflows, documentation, and service standards


• Adopt AI-enabled tools for sourcing, assessment, engagement, and reporting


• Maintain ATS data discipline and partner with People Operations and Legal on employment law, policy, and data privacy compliance


• Build executive dashboards covering pipeline health, conversion, time to fill, source effectiveness, offer acceptance, and agency spend


• Use recruiting data to identify bottlenecks and improve forecasting


• Help define the employee value proposition and partner with Marketing to strengthen the talent brand

Requirements

• 8+ years of full life cycle recruiting experience, ideally in high-growth technology, AI, deep tech, or similarly competitive talent markets


• Experience as a hands-on Talent Acquisition leader or functional owner while personally carrying a meaningful requisition load


• Exceptional direct-sourcing ability, with a track record of engaging and closing hard-to-reach passive candidates


• Experience advising executives and senior hiring managers as a credible, pragmatic talent partner


• Demonstrated experience integrating AI tools into recruiting workflows


• Ability to use technology, automation, and disciplined prioritization to manage a broad and shifting workload


• Comfort operating through ambiguity and changing priorities


• Ability to move fluidly between strategy, leadership, and hands-on execution


• Bias for simplifying process, focusing assessment on what matters most, and using evidence to guide decisions


• High integrity and discretion with sensitive candidate and company information


• Bachelor's degree, or equivalent experience

Core Competencies

Demonstrates extensive experience in full life cycle recruiting, particularly in high-growth technology and AI sectors, while effectively integrating AI tools into recruiting workflows. Capable of advising executives on talent strategy and managing a diverse team to enhance recruiting processes and candidate experience.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Full Life Cycle Recruiting


• Talent Acquisition Leadership


• Direct Sourcing Ability


• AI Tool Integration


• Data-Driven Decision Making

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Full Life Cycle Recruiting


• Direct Sourcing


• Candidate Assessment


• Recruiting Process Design


• Data Analysis


• Market Mapping


• Interview Structuring


• Onboarding


• Workforce Planning


• Talent Strategy Development

Soft Skills

• Communication


• Leadership


• Problem Solving


• Adaptability


• Integrity

Industry Keywords

• High-Growth Technology


• AI


• Deep Tech


• Talent Market Dynamics


• Employee Value Proposition

Tools & Technologies

• AI-Enabled Recruiting Tools


• Applicant Tracking System (ATS)


• Recruiting Dashboards


• Automation Software


• Data Reporting Tools