Fanatics

Executive Recruiter - Talent Strategist

Fanatics • $188K — $220K *
Staffing
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 10+ years of experience in talent acquisition with a focus on executive recruiting
  • Proven ability to manage executive search firm partnerships successfully
  • Expertise in using LinkedIn Recruiter and LinkedIn Talent Insights
  • Strong communication skills with executive presence
  • Established network of executive relationships built on trust and credibility
  • Familiarity with AI recruiting tools and a curious mindset about their application
  • High emotional intelligence and adaptability required
  • Must reside in New York City with knowledge of the local talent market

Responsibilities

  • Own and manage the strategic talent network referral program, actively cultivating relationships
  • Track and manage executive referrals throughout their recruitment process
  • Maintain a warm, curated roster of executive candidates across functions
  • Keep executive referral data organized and up-to-date in Greenhouse CRM
  • Deliver weekly reports on executive hiring metrics to leadership
  • Lead full-cycle recruiting for executive roles in non-tech functions
  • Develop and maintain partnerships with executive search firms to enhance hiring efforts

Benefits

  • Access to direct engagement with C-suite executives
  • Opportunity to significantly impact the organization’s leadership
  • Work within a culture that values technology, sports, and fandom
  • Visibility and responsibility as a senior partner in the recruitment process
  • Professional development opportunities in AI recruiting and executive search
Full Job Description
Role Summary

Fanatics Collectibles is building the future of sports collecting - and the leaders we hire will define what that looks like. Based in New York City, this is a relationship management role where you will own and grow our strategic talent network referral program, build and steward a world-class talent bench, and drive full-cycle recruitment for selected VP+ leadership roles. Success in this role will be driven by the quality of the relationships and talent networks you cultivate.

You are a strategic relationship builder and trusted advisor who takes a consultative approach to identifying the right talent for Fanatics Collectibles. You'll manage executive referrals, keep an engaged bench of candidates mapped across every key function, and work with stakeholders who will expect you to learn our business and have a point of view on the talent we bring into the organization.

What You'll Own

Referral Management
  • Own, evolve, and grow the top-performer referral program - a key driver of our hiring network strategy. This is not a passive intake process: you actively cultivate referral sources, network them through Collectibles, and hold the program to a high standard.
  • Manage every executive referral from first touch through disposition - ensure every referral is appropriately tracked and remains engaged throughout the process.
  • Build and maintain an active bench - a curated roster of warmed, relationship-managed leaders across every key function. Continuously expand and strengthen the executive talent bench through ongoing relationship development and market mapping.
  • Own the health and hygiene of executive referral data in Greenhouse CRM - profiles tagged, stages current, outreach logged.
  • Deliver weekly reporting to TA and business leadership on talent coming in from our strategic talent network: screens completed, HM conversations, offers extended, and full pipeline disposition.

VP+ Full-Cycle Recruiting
  • Own end-to-end recruitment for some executive roles across all non-tech functions at Fanatics Collectibles - from kick-off through close. Leverage established talent pipelines and relationships to accelerate executive search efforts.
  • Partner directly with C-suite and senior leadership to understand role requirements, success profiles, and the cultural bar for leadership hires.
  • Maintain a deep, living bench of executive talent by function. Relationships are built and sustained through regular touchpoints.
  • Lead and manage executive search firm partnerships - in partnership with finance, - scope engagement terms, set clear expectations, manage deliverables, and hold firms accountable to our hiring bar and timeline. Know when to run a search yourself through your own network and when to bring in a retained partner.
  • Leverage LinkedIn Recruiter and LinkedIn Talent Insights to map executive talent markets, identify movement signals, and build targeted slates with conviction.
  • Conduct executive-level screens and assessments; deliver polished, well-briefed candidate presentations to senior stakeholders.
  • Lead complex offer negotiations and manage executive onboarding transitions in partnership with People Operations.

Executive Bench & Network Management
  • Manage the executive talent bench as a strategic organizational asset. Maintain active relationships with senior leaders across key functions, tracking movement, motivation, and availability. When a VP+ req opens, you will have candidates in queue ready to be considered.
  • Activate and expand your network deliberately - referral sources, former colleagues, search firm contacts, industry events, and NYC's sports and media community. Use LinkedIn Talent Insights and AI tools to generate market maps and competitive intelligence that sharpen search strategy and surface names your network hasn't surfaced yet.
  • Share executive talent signals and bench updates with TA and business leadership on a regular cadence - proactively, rather than only when a position becomes available. Surface names worth knowing, flag who's on the move, and make the bench visible so leadership can engage it.


What We're Looking For
  • 10+ years of talent acquisition experience with a majority focused on executive and VP+ recruiting - and a track record that shows relationship management and opportunistically identifying talent.
  • Track record of managing executive search firm relationships - you know how to get the most out of a retained search partner and how to make the relationship a successful partnership for all.
  • Deep LinkedIn Recruiter and LinkedIn Talent Insights expertise - you can run an executive talent market map from scratch and build a slate with conviction.
  • Strong executive presence and communication - you're comfortable in the room with C-suite stakeholders and can represent the TA function credibly at the highest levels.
  • An established executive network built on credibility, trust, and long-term professional relationships. You develop executive relationships over time and leverage those connections to support future hiring needs.
  • Experience with AI recruiting tools and genuine curiosity about how to deploy them in executive search.
  • Must have high EQ and discretion and have a genuine track record of adaptability and flexibility.
  • Based in New York City with deep market fluency and an existing network across NYC's sports, media, consumer, or technology ecosystem.


Tools & Tech

LinkedIn Recruiter • LinkedIn Talent Insights • Greenhouse • AI Tools (Claude, ChatGPT, Glean or equivalent) • Executive Search Firm Management • Slack • Airtable • Charthop

Why Fanatics Collectibles

Fanatics Collectibles sits at the intersection of culture, technology, and fandom - and the leaders we bring in from your network will define the next chapter. This role is based in New York City, where the talent market is dense, the relationships run deep, and the opportunity for meaningful executive engagement is significant. You'll operate with the trust and visibility of a true senior partner: direct access to the C-suite, ownership of the executive bench, and a mandate to build something that outlasts any single search. This role offers the opportunity to make a significant impact on the future leadership of the organization.

The salary range represents base pay only and does not include short-term or long-term incentive compensation. This salary range is specific to New York City and may not be applicable to other locations. When determining base pay, as part of a final compensation package, we consider several factors such as location, experience, qualifications, and training. For information about our benefits, please visit https://benefitsatfanatics.com/

NYC Salary Range

$188,750-$220,000 USD

About Fanatics

Fanatics is a leading retailer of licensed sports merchandise. The company was founded in 1995 and has grown to become the largest online retailer of officially licensed sports merchandise in the world. Fanatics offers a wide range of products, including jerseys, hats, and other apparel, as well as collectibles and memorabilia. The company has partnerships with all major sports leagues and teams, as well as with individual athletes. Fanatics is committed to providing a seamless shopping experience for its customers and has invested heavily in technology and logistics to ensure fast and reliable delivery.
Learn more about Fanatics
Size
5,000 employees
Industry
Founded
1995

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