Head of Talent Acquisition

About Wednesday

Wednesday is a software engineering partner to ambitious companies. We specialize in Data Engineering , Applied AI , and Product Engineering , helping fast-growing businesses solve complex product engineering problems.

We're looking for a Head of Talent Acquisition to build, lead, and scale our recruiting function. You'll manage our team of Senior Technical Recruiters, drive hiring strategy, and ensure we consistently attract exceptional engineering talent to fuel our growth.

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 (initially)

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