Senior Director/Director - Talent Acquisition & Culture, Engineering

AppLovin is seeking a Talent Acquisition & Culture Leader to shape how we attract, engage, and retain talent across our global Engineering organization. Reporting directly to the CTO, you will lead a small global team spanning recruiting, talent operations, and events. You will oversee technical recruiting, university programs, campus employer branding, talent development, and employee engagement, while partnering with the branding team to contribute to AppLovin’s broader employer brand.

This is an exciting opportunity for a hands-on talent leader to work directly within Engineering and help shape both the teams we build and the experience of being part of them. Culture is central to this role: how people connect, collaborate, and feel supported matters to their well-being and their ability to do exceptional work. In partnership with Engineering and HR leaders, you will bring that commitment to life through programs and experiences that support employee well-being, strengthen belonging, and build meaningful connections across our global teams.

You will combine this focus on people and culture with deep technical recruiting expertise and sound business judgment, setting strategic priorities, developing your team, and personally leading select senior, business-critical, and hard-to-fill searches.

What You’ll Do

• Shape and drive the global technical recruiting strategy, aligning hiring priorities, university programs, and recruiting events with business goals.
• Lead and develop a global team of recruiters, program managers, and events professionals, establishing clear priorities and accountability while personally driving select high-priority searches from sourcing through close.
• Partner with the CTO and Engineering leaders as a trusted talent advisor, translating business strategy into actionable hiring plans and anticipating future talent needs.
• Build and scale global university recruiting programs, deepening university partnerships and creating strong pathways from internships to full-time careers.
• Contribute to AppLovin’s overall employer branding efforts, partnering with the branding team.
• Lead our campus employer branding strategy through events and targeted campaigns that strengthen our university presence and connect with emerging talent.

What We’re Looking For

• 10+ years of recruiting experience, including at least 5 years managing people, with demonstrated success leading technical recruiting in a fast-moving, high-performing organization.
• Proven ability to build, coach, and develop global talent teams spanning recruiting, programs, and events, with clear expectations and accountability for results.
• A track record of personally attracting, assessing, and closing highly sought-after technical talent, including senior candidates and hires for hard-to-fill roles.
• A hands-on leadership approach that combines strategic thinking with disciplined execution and the ability to balance team leadership with direct recruiting ownership.
• Experience advising senior Engineering leaders across geographies, with the credibility to influence decisions, align stakeholders, and navigate competing priorities 
• Experience building or scaling university recruiting, internship, and new-graduate programs that create lasting talent pipelines is a plus
• Strong business acumen and analytical judgment, with the ability to challenge assumptions, anticipate talent needs, and connect recruiting priorities to business outcomes.
• Sound judgment and discretion in sensitive people matters, with the ability to recognize concerns and engage the appropriate HR or legal partners.

CA Base Pay Range 220000 - 330000 USD