Job DescriptionJOB SUMMARYTalent Acquisition at Marriott plays a critical role in enabling business performance by identifying, attracting, and hiring exceptional talent across the enterprise. Through Marriott's integrated Talent Acquisition model, we deliver talent solutions that strengthen leadership capability, support business growth, and advance the organization's priorities around developing great leaders, investing in associates, and providing access to opportunity.
The Senior Director, Executive Talent Acquisition leads Marriott's in-house executive search function, setting executive recruiting strategy, driving search execution, and strengthening the organization's ability to attract and hire exceptional leaders. As a trusted advisor to senior executives, Human Resources leaders, and key stakeholders, this role leads complex executive searches and provides guidance, coaching, and development to the Director, Executive Talent Acquisition. The Senior Director develops proactive search strategies, delivers talent market intelligence and competitive insights, drives continuous improvement, and ensures a consultative, confidential, and candidate-centered search experience.
Success in this role requires balancing hands-on execution of executive searches with leadership of Marriott's executive search strategy, influencing senior stakeholders, and strengthening the organization's long-term leadership talent pipeline.
This is a hybrid position at the Corporate Office based in Bethesda, MD.
CANDIDATE PROFILE Education and Experience Required
- 10+ years of Talent Acquisition experience, including 7+ years focused on executive search, executive recruiting, or senior leadership hiring
- Proven experience leading full lifecycle executive searches, including talent mapping, market research, candidate assessment, executive-level offer development, and negotiations
- Experience partnering with senior executives, Human Resources leaders, and business leaders to develop and execute executive hiring strategies
- Strong track record identifying, attracting, assessing, and hiring executive talent through proactive sourcing and executive search methodologies
- Experience leading, coaching, and developing recruiting professionals while driving executive search performance, capability building, and continuous improvement
- Experience managing confidential, high-profile, and business-critical executive searches
Preferred
- Executive search firm experience or experience leading an in-house executive search function
- Experience supporting executive hiring in a large, complex, matrixed organization
- Experience partnering with Compensation and Human Resources leaders on executive compensation recommendations, offer strategies, and executive negotiations
- Experience leveraging executive talent market intelligence and competitive insights to influence hiring decisions and search strategies
CORE WORK ACTIVITIES Executive Search Leadership
- Lead Marriott's in-house executive search function, establishing strategy, priorities, standards, and operating practices that drive successful executive hiring across the enterprise.
- Partner with senior executives, Human Resources leaders, and key stakeholders to anticipate leadership talent needs and develop search strategies that support business priorities and long-term organizational goals.
- Serve as the primary advisor on executive recruiting matters, delivering talent market intelligence, candidate assessments, competitive insights, and actionable recommendations that inform hiring decisions.
- Lead the most complex and business-critical executive searches, managing the full recruitment lifecycle from intake through offer acceptance and onboarding.
- Conduct intake meetings with hiring executives and Human Resources leaders to align on role requirements, candidate profiles, assessment criteria, search strategy, and timelines while setting clear expectations for successful execution.
- Develop and maintain relationships with executive talent, industry leaders, and external networks to strengthen leadership pipelines and build proactive access to top talent.
- Partner with Compensation and Human Resources leaders to develop competitive and equitable offer strategies and guide executive-level negotiations.
- Manage highly confidential searches and leadership transitions with sound judgment, professionalism, and discretion.
Executive Search Operations
- Own the effectiveness and continuous improvement of Marriott's executive search function, proactively identifying opportunities to enhance search quality, operational efficiency, stakeholder experience, and hiring outcomes.
- Establish and maintain executive search processes, standards, tools, and reporting to support consistent, high-quality hiring outcomes.
- Monitor search activity, pipeline health, hiring outcomes, and key recruiting metrics to identify trends, opportunities, and areas for improvement.
- Partner with Talent Acquisition Operations, Human Resources, and Centers of Excellence to improve recruiting processes, technology, reporting, and stakeholder experience.
- Drive adoption of recruiting technologies, AI-enabled capabilities, and emerging search practices to improve efficiency, increase capacity, and elevate the quality of executive search delivery.
- Establish standards for search deliverables, candidate presentations, market intelligence, and stakeholder communications to ensure materials are polished, insightful, and executive-ready.
Team Leadership & Development
- Provide day-to-day leadership, coaching, and development to the Director, Executive Talent Acquisition.
- Review search strategies, candidate slates, market intelligence, and hiring recommendations to ensure quality, consistency, and successful execution.
- Set priorities, allocate work, and ensure alignment of resources to support executive hiring needs and business objectives.
- Develop the team's capabilities in executive search, stakeholder management, executive presence, talent intelligence, technology adoption, and delivery of executive-ready recommendations.
