Director of Talent AcquisitionMISSIONReporting to the VP of People, you will build and lead a global, AI-first Talent Acquisition function that consistently delivers high-quality hires aligned to Smartcat's growth goals and increasing talent density.
You will partner closely with FP&A and executive leadership to drive proactive, data-driven headcount planning, ensuring we hire the right people, at the right time, in the right locations.
You will lead a distributed TA team across the US and Europe, while managing external partners, and establishing a scalable hiring engine that leverages AI teammates to accelerate execution, improve decision-making, and reduce manual work.
In an AI-native company where AI is not a tool but how we operate, you will redefine how recruiting gets done, shifting from reactive hiring to predictive, system-driven talent acquisition
OUTCOMES- Increase Talent Density Across the Organization: Partner with leadership to ensure we are not just hiring, but upgrading the overall talent bar. Push back when needed, influence hiring decisions, and ensure every hire meaningfully raises the performance of the team.
- Deliver Quarterly Hiring Goals with Precision and Quality: Own and deliver all global hiring targets each quarter, ensuring we meet business needs while continuously raising the bar on talent density. You are accountable not just for speed, but for quality of hire and long-term impact.
- Build an AI-First Talent Acquisition Engine: Embed AI into every stage of recruiting, from sourcing to interview insights to decision-making. Implement AI-driven workflows that reduce manual effort by at least 30% and enable the team to operate faster and with better signal.
- Drive Strategic Headcount Planning with FP&A and Leadership: Partner closely with FP&A and executive leaders to forecast hiring needs, model different growth scenarios, and plan for hiring peaks and troughs. Bring rigor, data, and perspective to challenge assumptions and ensure disciplined hiring decisions.
- Build and Lead a High-Performing Global TA Team: Manage and develop a team of at least 3 recruiters across the US and Europe. Create a culture of ownership, speed, and continuous improvement, where the team operates with urgency and accountability.
- Own and Optimize External Recruiting Partnerships: Manage and hold third-party agencies accountable for performance, ensuring they deliver high-quality candidates aligned to our standards and timelines. Continuously evaluate ROI and optimize vendor strategy.
- Be a Strategic Partner to the Business: Act as a trusted advisor to executives and hiring managers. Challenge hiring plans, calibrate expectations, and ensure alignment between business goals and talent strategy.
HOW YOU'LL RAMPBy Day 30:- Become a power user of our recruiting and AI ecosystem, including Greenhouse as our ATS, sourcing tools, and AI teammates that support hiring workflows
- Deeply understand Smartcat's business model, growth strategy, and hiring needs across functions and geographies to hire at least 90% of projected hires per quarter.
- Build relationships with FP&A, executive leaders, and hiring managers to understand current and future hiring plans
- Assess current recruiting processes, pipelines, and partner performance, identifying immediate opportunities for improvement
- Present a 60-90 day plan to the VP of People on improvements to make and how we should implement them
By Day 60:- Begin driving hiring execution across priority roles, improving speed and candidate quality as measured by at least 85% retention rate of all new hires
- Partner with FP&A to refine headcount forecasts and align hiring plans with business goals to ensure that 100% of all projected hires per quarter are made.
- Implement initial AI-driven improvements to sourcing, screening, or interview processes
- Start to coach and elevate the TA team, setting clear expectations for performance and accountability
- Establish stronger rigor with external partners, including clear KPIs and performance tracking
By Day 90:- Build a predictable hiring engine that can flex with business needs, handling both rapid growth and slower periods with discipline
- Fully own global hiring delivery and forecasting, with clear visibility into pipeline health and risks
- Launch a scalable, AI-first recruiting workflow that improves efficiency and decision-making
- Present a 12-month Talent Acquisition strategy, aligned with company growth and talent density goals
- Establish yourself as a trusted partner to executives, confidently pushing back and influencing hiring decisions
WHAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED:- You operate with a results-first, data-driven mindset, taking ownership for outcomes rather than just activity, and consistently raising the standard for performance
- You have a track record of delivering against aggressive hiring targets without compromising on quality by using a data-driven approach and AI-first methodologies
- You have built and led high-performing Talent Acquisition teams in fast-scaling, global organizations
- You have successfully partnered with FP&A and executive leadership on headcount planning and workforce strategy
- You have implemented AI or automation into recruiting workflows, significantly improving efficiency and outcomes
- You know how to balance speed with rigor, and are comfortable challenging leaders to ensure the right hiring decisions are made
- You are a strong people leader who develops teams, sets a high bar, and creates accountability
