Director – Executive Talent Acquisition

JOB SUMMARY  

Talent 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 Director, Executive Talent Acquisition is part of Marriott's in-house executive search function and is accountable for leading high-impact executive searches that identify, attract, assess, and secure top leadership talent for critical roles across the organization. This role owns search strategy and execution in close partnership with senior executives, Human Resources leaders, and key stakeholders, providing market intelligence, talent insights, and a highly consultative, confidential, and candidate-centric executive search experience. 

CANDIDATE PROFILE  

Education and Experience  

Required 

• Bachelor's degree 

• 8+ years of Talent Acquisition experience, including 5+ 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 hiring managers to deliver successful executive hiring outcomes 

• Strong track record identifying, attracting, assessing, and hiring executive talent through proactive sourcing and executive search methodologies 

• Experience managing confidential and high-profile executive searches 

Preferred 

• Executive search firm experience or experience within 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 and offer strategies 

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES  

• Own the development and execution of executive search strategies, talent market engagement approaches, and search methodologies for critical leadership hiring needs, partnering with the Senior Director, Executive Talent Acquisition to ensure alignment with enterprise priorities and stakeholder expectations. 

• Build, influence, and maintain trusted relationships with senior executives, Human Resources leaders, HR Centers of Excellence, and key stakeholders to anticipate leadership needs, shape search priorities, and deliver effective executive search solutions. 

• Serve as a trusted advisor throughout the search process by providing talent market insights, candidate assessments, competitive intelligence, and recommendations that support executive hiring decisions. 

• Identify opportunities to improve executive search processes, tools, reporting, and operating practices to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and stakeholder experience. 

• Partner with Human Resources leaders and hiring managers to develop search strategies and successfully identify, attract, assess, and hire executive talent for critical leadership roles. 

• Conduct intake meetings to align on leadership requirements, target candidate profiles, assessment criteria, search strategy, and expected timelines. 

• Set clear expectations, milestones, and communication cadence for each executive search, ensuring stakeholders understand progress, risks, decision points, and shared accountabilities throughout the search lifecycle. 

• Lead full lifecycle executive searches, including talent mapping, market research, candidate identification, outreach, assessment, interviewing, offer development, negotiations, and onboarding. 

• Build and maintain executive talent pipelines and market maps that strengthen Marriott's access to external leadership talent. 

• Conduct market research and leverage competitive intelligence to identify talent opportunities and provide insight into talent availability, market trends, and competitive hiring practices. 

• Lead the development of executive offer recommendations in partnership with Compensation and Human Resources leaders, balancing internal equity, market competitiveness, business needs, and candidate expectations to support successful offer decisions. 

• Lead executive candidate negotiations, secure offer acceptance, and manage complex compensation discussions through successful close. 

• Manage pre-employment activities and onboarding coordination to ensure seamless experience for executive hires. 

• Maintain accountability for search documentation, compliance requirements, requisition management, offer approvals, and search process integrity. 

• Own visibility into search activity, pipeline health, search efficiency, and hiring outcomes, using data and stakeholder feedback to anticipate risks, drive accountability, and improve executive search effectiveness. 

• Manage highly confidential executive searches and sensitive leadership transitions with professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment. 

• Exercise sound judgment on complex searches, candidate assessments, talent market challenges, and executive hiring strategies, escalating to the Senior Director, Executive Talent Acquisition when enterprise alignment, senior stakeholder engagement, or risk mitigation is required. 

• Partner with colleagues across Talent Acquisition, Human Resources, and business functions on executive talent initiatives, talent mapping projects, leadership pipeline development, and recruiting technology enhancements. 

• Develop and maintain relationships with executive talent and industry networks to create ongoing access to high-potential leadership candidates.