As a Manager of Research & Talent Insights, you are the strategic engine of our search process. You won't just source names, you will architect the map of the competitive landscape. This is a highly visible Individual Contributor (IC) role designed for a sophisticated researcher who blends strong presentation skills and deep investigative rigor with the ability to translate complex market data into actionable executive hiring strategies.

The Role

Successful Researchers at Capital One are both curious detectives and true talent advisors. You will be responsible from initial market segmentation and exhaustive talent mapping to the strategic engagement of passive executive prospects. As a talent advisor, you will provide the data-driven "why" behind every search strategy to Recruiters, HRBPs, and Business Leaders.

The Ideal Candidate

• Intellectual Curiosity: Driven by a passion for understanding how organizations solve complex problems through their human capital, you deconstruct corporate structures and draw parallels to the talent needs – both current and future – of Capital One.

• Data-Driven Storyteller: You possess the research rigor to manipulate first- and third-party data into polished, high-impact deliverables that influence senior stakeholder decisions.

• Architect: You don't just source talent – you build comprehensive talent ecosystems, identifying under-the-radar leaders through creative sourcing, rigorous cross-referencing and presence in the external talent market.

• High-Stakes Communicator: You are comfortable presenting a market point of view to a VP+ population, defending your research methodology and insights with confidence.

• Empowered Collaborator: You are dedicated to cultivating a dynamic and impactful leadership landscape by empowering collaboration across the executive search lifecycle. You thrive in a win-as-a-team environment, emphasizing precision and continuous improvement to ensure that your talent mappings, insights and talent network serve as a shared foundation for collective recruiting success.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Talent Mapping: Execute exhaustive, best-in-class talent mappings for niche, competitive executive roles across Product, Risk, Legal, Human Resources, Technology and Financial Services.

• Market Intelligence: Act as a subject matter expert on competitor organizational design, compensation trends, and talent movements, proactively sharing market trends with the team and leadership.

• Bench Builder: Move beyond active searches to build bench strength for future leadership needs, identifying and nurturing high-potential talent 12–24+ months ahead of open roles.

• Executive Engagement: Draft bespoke, high-touch outreach strategies that resonate with passive, world-class executives.

• Process Innovation: Continuously refine Capital One’s research toolkit, integrating AI-driven sourcing tools and advanced Boolean/OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) techniques to stay ahead of the curve.

What You’ll Need to be Successful

• Analytical Rigor: A proven ability to take a broad, ambiguous search and distill it into a precise, tiered target list.

• Executive Presence: The ability to communicate with concise clarity to high-level stakeholders.

• Strategic Intuition: You understand the difference between a "good candidate" and a Capital One leader, finding a fit based on competencies and culture, not just titles.

• Agility & Growth Mindset: The resilience to pivot search strategies based on real-time market feedback without losing momentum, coupled with a lifelong learner's appetite to adapt and grow your skills as the talent landscape evolves.

• Collaborative Approach: A genuine team-player attitude; you view your research as a shared asset and proactively partner with teammates to ensure the collective success of the Executive Recruiting team.

We recognize that many life paths can contribute to interest in this role. We value all experience, whether gained in a classroom or through other paths, and invite everyone who meets the qualifications to apply for this role.

Basic Qualifications

• High School Diploma, GED, or equivalent certification.

• At least 5 years of experience in executive research, talent and market intelligence, talent acquisition, human resources or a combination.

Preferred Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in an elite executive search firm or a sophisticated in-house executive research function.

• Proven track record of delivering 0-to-1 talent maps for complex, technical, or specialized functional areas.

• Experience using data visualization (Decks, Tableau, or similar) to present talent landscapes to executive recruiting leadership as well as senior business leaders.

• Experience leading initiatives to optimize research workflows or implementing new talent intelligence technologies.

At this time, Capital One will not sponsor a new applicant for employment authorization for this position.

The minimum and maximum full-time annual salaries for this role are listed below, by location. Please note that this salary information is solely for candidates hired to perform work within one of these locations, and refers to the amount Capital One is willing to pay at the time of this posting. Salaries for part-time roles will be prorated based upon the agreed upon number of hours to be regularly worked.

Candidates hired to work in other locations will be subject to the pay range associated with that location, and the actual annualized salary amount offered to any candidate at the time of hire will be reflected solely in the candidate’s offer letter.

Capital One offers a comprehensive, competitive, and inclusive set of health, financial and other benefits that support your total well-being. Learn more at theCapital One Careers website. Eligibility varies based on full or part-time status, exempt or non-exempt status, and management level.