Job description

Overview We are hiring a Senior Executive Recruiter, Client Aligned. As a member of Microsoft’s Global Executive Talent Acquisition team, you’ll help shape the company’s future leadership. The team is responsible for Partner-level and above hiring and advises Microsoft’s senior leaders on executive talent strategy, succession planning, leadership capability, organizational design, and long-term workforce planning. You'll partner closely with business leaders to identify, attract, and assess leadership talent while building proactive talent pipelines that support Microsoft's evolving business priorities. This role requires strategic thinking, executive presence, market insight, and the ability to influence talent decisions at the highest levels of the organization. We are seeking a Client Aligned Executive Recruiter who moves seamlessly between strategic advisory and hands-on search execution. The ideal candidate brings sound judgment, curiosity, and the drive to solve complex talent challenges while building the leadership teams that will define Microsoft’s future. You may be a great fit for this role if you: • Enjoy partnering with senior leaders as a trusted advisor and thought partner. • Think strategically while executing with speed, discipline, and precision. • Are energized by identifying exceptional talent and building relationships long before a hiring need exists. • Demonstrate executive presence and the ability to influence senior stakeholders. • Bring external market insights and challenge conventional thinking around talent. • Navigate ambiguity and competing priorities with confidence, operate independently while exercising sound judgment, and maintain a bias for action. • Are passionate about leveraging AI, talent intelligence, and data-driven insights to elevate executive recruiting. • Foster collaboration and contribute to the growth and success of others. Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond. Responsibilities Executive Search & Talent Strategy • Lead full-cycle executive searches for Partner, Vice President, and Corporate Vice President roles across Microsoft, with a focus on Engineering organizations and related technical domains. • Partner closely with sourcing and research teams to develop market maps, uncover non-obvious talent pools, and build proactive, long-term executive pipelines. • Partner closely with sourcing and research teams to identify, assess, and engage executive talent while building proactive, long-term leadership pipelines. • Cultivate relationships with senior leaders and executive talent across the technology ecosystem and adjacent industries. Stakeholder Engagement & Talent Advisory • Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, translating business priorities, organizational context, and leadership needs into executive talent strategies. • Consult with executives on complex talent and leadership challenges, using business acumen and external market expertise to shape hiring decisions and leadership teams. • Leverage market intelligence, competitive insights, and talent analytics to provide an external perspective on leadership talent, market dynamics, and emerging talent opportunities. • Influence critical talent decisions by challenging conventional thinking, calibrating leaders to the external market, and introducing differentiated talent solutions. • Partner with HR and Talent Management on succession planning, leadership mapping, and talent reviews, bringing an external market perspective to internal talent discussions. • Build alignment across senior stakeholders throughout complex searches, navigating differing perspectives, competing priorities, and ambiguity within a matrixed, global environment. Candidate Experience & Executive Assessment • Deliver a highly personalized, high-touch candidate experience throughout the executive search lifecycle, building trust and ensuring thoughtful, consistent engagement from initial outreach through close. • Build relationships with executive candidates by understanding their motivations, career aspirations, and decision criteria and tailoring the experience accordingly. • Assess executive talent for leadership capability, business impact, organizational influence, functional expertise, and alignment with the role and organization. • Guide candidates through complex hiring processes with transparency and discretion, anticipating potential barriers and partnering with senior leaders to maintain engagement and momentum. • Develop and execute closing strategies for high-priority executive talent, navigating candidate motivations, competing opportunities, and potential barriers to successfully attract and secure leaders. Data, AI & Operational Excellence • Leverage AI-powered tools, talent intelligence platforms, and data insights to improve recruiting outcomes and drive innovation in executive hiring. • Analyze hiring trends, talent market dynamics, and pipeline health to inform decision making. • Champion continuous improvement of executive recruiting processes, tools, and best practices. Other • Embody our culture  and values Qualifications Required/minimum qualifications • Bachelor's Degree AND 6+ years talent acquisition experience (e.g., recruiting, sourcing), HR experience, or industry experience related to role • OR equivalent experience Additional or preferred qualifications • Bachelor's Degree AND 12+ years talent acquisition experience (e.g., recruiting, sourcing), HR experience, or industry experience related to role • OR Master's Degree AND 8+ years talent acquisition experience (e.g., recruiting, sourcing), HR experience, or industry experience related to role • OR equivalent experience. • Experience recruiting executive and senior technical talent, including leadership hiring across technology, gaming, or closely related industries. • Experience in an external executive search firm or agency environment. • Experience leveraging AI-enabled recruiting tools, talent intelligence platforms, and data-driven approaches to deliver business impact. • Experience hiring and advising on senior leadership talent, including Partner-level, Vice President, General Manager, or equivalent roles. Demonstrated ability to influence senior business leaders and executive stakeholders. Experience developing talent strategies, conducting executive assessments, and building leadership pipelines. Talent Acquisition IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $106,400 - $203,600 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $137,600 - $222,600 per year. Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: careers.microsoft.com This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.

Requirements

Must-haves

You may be a great fit for this role if you:
Enjoy partnering with senior leaders as a trusted advisor and thought partner.
Think strategically while executing with speed, discipline, and precision.
Are energized by identifying exceptional talent and building relationships long before a hiring need exists.
Demonstrate executive presence and the ability to influence senior stakeholders.
Bring external market insights and challenge conventional thinking around talent.
Navigate ambiguity and competing priorities with confidence, operate independently while exercising sound judgment, and maintain a bias for action.
Are passionate about leveraging AI, talent intelligence, and data-driven insights to elevate executive recruiting.
Foster collaboration and contribute to the growth and success of others.
Executive Search & Talent Strategy
Lead full-cycle executive searches for Partner, Vice President, and Corporate Vice President roles across Microsoft, with a focus on Engineering organizations and related technical domains.
Partner closely with sourcing and research teams to develop market maps, uncover non-obvious talent pools, and build proactive, long-term executive pipelines.
Partner closely with sourcing and research teams to identify, assess, and engage executive talent while building proactive, long-term leadership pipelines.
Cultivate relationships with senior leaders and executive talent across the technology ecosystem and adjacent industries.
Stakeholder Engagement & Talent Advisory
Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, translating business priorities, organizational context, and leadership needs into executive talent strategies.
Consult with executives on complex talent and leadership challenges, using business acumen and external market expertise to shape hiring decisions and leadership teams.
Leverage market intelligence, competitive insights, and talent analytics to provide an external perspective on leadership talent, market dynamics, and emerging talent opportunities.
Influence critical talent decisions by challenging conventional thinking, calibrating leaders to the external market, and introducing differentiated talent solutions.
Partner with HR and Talent Management on succession planning, leadership mapping, and talent reviews, bringing an external market perspective to internal talent discussions.
Build alignment across senior stakeholders throughout complex searches, navigating differing perspectives, competing priorities, and ambiguity within a matrixed, global environment.
Candidate Experience & Executive Assessment
Deliver a highly personalized, high-touch candidate experience throughout the executive search lifecycle, building trust and ensuring thoughtful, consistent engagement from initial outreach through close.

Nice-to-haves

Additional or preferred qualifications

Application prep

Use the role’s language and application details while tailoring your materials.

Keywords to mirror

Platform: eightfold
Effort: medium