Head of Talent Acquisition

About Wednesday

Wednesday is a software engineering partner to ambitious companies. We specialize in Data Engineering

Head of Talent Acquisition

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Performance

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of Senior Technical Recruiters
• Conduct regular 1-on-1s, performance reviews, and create individualized development plans
• Build a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Make difficult decisions when performance or cultural fit issues arise
• Scale the team strategically as hiring demands grow

Strategic Planning & Execution

• Own the hiring roadmap in partnership with leadership, translating business goals into talent acquisition plans
• Build capacity models to ensure the team can meet aggressive hiring targets
• Develop and maintain recruiting playbooks, best practices, and SOPs
• Stay ahead of talent market trends and competitive intelligence

Metrics, Analytics & Accountability

• Define and track core recruiting KPIs: time-to-hire, quality of hire, source effectiveness, conversion rates, and recruiter productivity
• Hold team accountable to weekly/monthly hiring goals and individual performance targets
• Use data to identify bottlenecks, optimize processes, and forecast capacity
• Present regular talent acquisition insights to leadership
• Implement retrospectives to learn from wins and losses

Employer Branding & Candidate Experience

• Own Wednesday's employer brand strategy and recruitment marketing
• Build and execute talent marketing content, social media presence, and community partnerships
• Ensure exceptional candidate experience at every touchpoint and track satisfaction metrics
• Create feedback loops from candidates throughout the funnel

Compensation & Offer Strategy

• Design compensation frameworks and benchmarking strategies for technical roles
• Own offer negotiation strategy and train team on compensation conversations
• Partner with leadership on total rewards philosophy and market positioning

Process & Systems Optimization

• Own the recruiting tech stack (ATS, sourcing tools, assessment platforms, AI tools)
• Continuously refine processes to improve efficiency, quality of hire, and candidate experience
• Lead assessment strategy: oversee creation, monitor performance, and iterate based on data
• Ensure compliance and maintain thorough documentation

Stakeholder Partnership

• Build strong relationships with hiring managers across the organization
• Guide managers through role definition, calibration, and interview training
• Provide consultative guidance on market realities and hiring strategy
• Represent talent acquisition at leadership meetings and strategic planning

Operational Excellence

• Manage recruiting budget, vendor relationships, and contract negotiations
• Own onboarding and enablement of hires and vendors
• Handle entire HR team operations & admin activities
• Create career pathways for the recruiting team

Player-Coach Contribution

• Personally handle select high-priority searches to stay close to the work
• Model best-in-class recruiting behaviors and AI-driven workflows

What We're Looking For

• 10+ years in technical recruiting with 3-5+ years managing recruiting teams in high-growth startups or consulting/services companies
• Deep expertise in sourcing strategies, recruiting operations, and technical talent markets (Data Engineering, AI, Product Engineering)
• Proven track record building accountability structures and performance-managing teams with empathy and clarity
• Data-driven leader who uses metrics to optimize performance and translate business strategy into talent plans
• Hands-on experience leveraging AI and automation in recruiting workflows
• Excellent stakeholder management and executive communication skills
• Self-starter who thrives in fast-paced environments and embraces experimentation
• Passionate about building exceptional teams and recruiting excellence