Strategic Projects Lead, Recruiting

Ladders; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 235,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Visa sponsorship available

Hybrid work environment

Lead cross-functional teams

Professional development resources

Job summary

Ladders is seeking a Strategic Projects Lead, Recruiting in New York City. You will shape recruiting strategy, govern operations, and build scalable programs across regions with cross-functional partners.

The role targets ambitious growth and requires turning ambiguity into structured, testable processes. The position emphasizes partnering with talent teams to optimize planning, governance, and delivery of recruiting initiatives, driving standards, and creating SOPs while navigating a hybrid

Qualifications

• 8–10+ years in program management, business operations, chief of staff, or people/talent roles at a fast-growing company.
• Experience working with talent teams and understanding day-to-day recruiting operations.
• Strong systems thinking with ability to connect pieces and anticipate downstream effects.

Responsibilities

• Define and address ambiguous recruiting challenges by creating testable solutions and scalable programs.
• Coordinate planning, review, and decision-making across recruiting support teams for cohesive operations.
• Identify and resolve systemic friction rather than addressing isolated issues.
• Drive process design and adoption for company-wide changes affecting recruiting.
• Manage headcount and workforce planning, ensuring readiness for new regions.
• Set standards for interviewing practices and lead cross-team diagnostics.
• Transform analytics into streamlined documentation and SOPs.
• Manage communication without bottlenecks, with fluency in recruiting systems and their impacts.

Skills

Program management

People/talent ops

Systems thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic planning

Job description

For our client, we are seeking a Strategic Projects Lead, Recruiting to join the team of a leader in the Pharmaceuticals & Biotech space. This role will sit at the center of recruiting strategy and operational execution, turning ambiguous challenges into scalable programs and clear decision frameworks. You will partner closely with talent teams and key cross-functional stakeholders to improve how recruiting work is planned, governed, and delivered. The position is well suited for someone who can connect systems, surface friction points, and build structure that supports growth across new regions and evolving workforce needs.

Location: New York City, NY - US based candidates only, no visa sponsorship available

Compensation: $235,000 – $300,000 annually

Responsibilities

• Define and address ambiguous recruiting challenges by creating testable solutions and scalable programs.
• Coordinate planning, review, and decision-making across recruiting support teams to ensure cohesive operations.
• Identify and resolve systemic friction rather than addressing isolated issues.
• Drive process design and adoption for company-wide changes affecting recruiting.
• Manage headcount and workforce planning, ensuring readiness for new regions.
• Set standards for interviewing practices and lead cross-team diagnostics.
• Transform analytics into streamlined documentation and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Manage communication without creating bottlenecks, with fluency in recruiting systems and their impacts.

Qualifications

• 8-10+ years in program management, business operations, chief of staff, or people/talent roles at a fast-growing company.
• Experience working closely with talent teams and understanding day-to-day recruiting operations.
• Strong systems thinking skills, with the ability to connect pieces and anticipate downstream effects.
• History of managing multiple complex workstreams and prioritizing effectively with little guidance.
• Ability to create structure in ambiguous environments and set strategic direction.

Benefits

• Visa sponsorship available for qualified candidates.
• Hybrid work environment with a minimum office attendance of 25%.
• Opportunities to lead cross-functional teams and influence recruitment strategies.
• Access to professional development resources and networking opportunities within the company.
• Collaborative workplace culture focused on strategic growth.

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.