Sr. Director, Executive Search

Ladders; San Mateo (CA); On-site; USD 323,000 - 365,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity eligibility

Onsite flexibility

Benefits package

Professional development

Strategic talent initiatives

Job summary

Ladders in San Mateo, CA is seeking a Sr. Director, Executive Search to build and scale our executive search function. This leader will own high-priority searches from strategy through close, with a strong emphasis on market mapping, candidate engagement, and complex negotiations.

The role requires discretion, strong judgment, and the ability to influence talent decisions in a fast-moving environment. Collaboration with talent planning and hiring stakeholders is essential to success.

Qualifications

• 8+ years leading executive searches at Director level and above
• 15+ years total recruiting experience
• Proven track record recruiting in technical, rapidly scaling environments
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Expertise in negotiating complex executive compensation packages
• Ability to provide real-time competitive intelligence
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience

Responsibilities

• Design and scale an executive search function
• Own and drive the entire executive recruitment lifecycle
• Actively participate in full-cycle execution for high-priority searches
• Develop data-driven market maps of executive talent
• Manage candidate engagement and complex negotiations
• Handle sensitive candidate information with discretion
• Serve as an advisor on talent planning and executive hiring
• Drive continuous improvement in executive search processes

Skills

Executive search leadership

Total recruiting experience

Technical recruiting in scaling envs

Negotiation of executive compensation

Exceptional communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience

Job description

For our client, we are seeking a Sr. Director, Executive Search to join the team of a leader in the Retail & Consumer Goods space.

This leader will build and scale the executive search function, shaping how critical leadership roles are identified, assessed, and hired across the organization. The role will own high-priority executive searches from strategy through close, with a strong emphasis on market mapping, candidate engagement, and complex negotiations. The Sr. Director will partner closely with talent planning and hiring stakeholders to strengthen executive hiring outcomes and improve search effectiveness. This is a highly visible role requiring discretion, strong judgment, and the ability to influence talent decisions in a fast-moving environment.

Location: San Mateo, CA - US based candidates only, no visa sponsorship available

Compensation: $323,030 – $364,920 annually

Responsibilities

• Design and scale an executive search function
• Own and drive the entire executive recruitment lifecycle
• Actively participate in full-cycle execution for high-priority searches
• Develop data-driven market maps of executive talent
• Manage candidate engagement and complex negotiations
• Handle sensitive candidate information with discretion
• Serve as an advisor on talent planning and executive hiring
• Drive continuous improvement in executive search processes

Qualifications

• 8+ years leading executive searches at Director level and above
• 15+ years total recruiting experience
• Proven track record recruiting in technical, rapidly scaling environments
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Expertise in negotiating complex executive compensation packages
• Ability to provide real-time competitive intelligence
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience

Benefits

• Equity compensation eligibility
• Onsite work flexibility
• Access to a comprehensive benefits package
• Professional development opportunities
• Ability to shape strategic talent acquisition initiatives

Our client is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every qualification—your background could be exactly what this team needs.