Director, Talent Strategy

Kinder's•Walnut Creek, CA

2d•$195,000 - $225,000•Onsite

About The Position

Our team is looking for a Director of Talent Strategy to define and lead how we hire as we scale. We need someone who knows what great looks like - from process, systems, and talent quality - but can also meet us where we are today and build toward that future in a practical, phased way. In this role, you’ll own the Talent Acquisition function end-to-end while partnering closely with the Sr. Director of People & Culture to shape how we scale the organization, raise the talent bar, and ensure every hire strengthens our culture. This role is for someone who believes talent is a primary driver of company performance—and knows how to build the systems and discipline to make that real.

Requirements

8+ years of experience in talent acquisition, recruiting leadership, or talent strategy.
Experience in a high-growth environment, with exposure to both building and scaling phases.
Demonstrated ability to build from imperfect starting points, not just operate in mature systems.
Strong judgment on talent; you can differentiate solid from exceptional consistently.
Ability to operate at both strategic and hands-on levels.
Strong business acumen and ability to align talent strategy with company outcomes.
Proven ability to influence and partner with senior leaders.

Nice To Haves

Strategic Thinking – Translating growth goals into actionable talent strategies
Decisiveness – Making high-quality hiring decisions with imperfect information
Accountability – Owning hiring outcomes, not just process
Communication Effectiveness – Influencing leaders and aligning stakeholders
Learning Agility – Adapting approach as the company scales
Customer Focus – Treating hiring managers and candidates as key stakeholders

Responsibilities

Define and execute a scalable talent strategy aligned to company growth to 400+ employees.
Translate business priorities into practical, phased hiring plans that balance speed, quality, and capacity.
Partner with senior leadership on org design, headcount planning, and sequencing of hires.
Lead and develop a recruiting function that can operate effectively today and scale for tomorrow.
Assess current processes and infrastructure, then incrementally build toward best-in-class systems.
Balance hands-on execution (when needed) with building long-term capability.
Establish and uphold a clear, consistent bar for A-level talent across the organization.
Design structured hiring practices that assess both performance and cultural alignment.
Partner closely with leaders on critical hires to ensure high-quality decision-making.
Coach and enable leaders to become strong, consistent talent evaluators.
Shift hiring from reactive and transactional to a core leadership capability.
Act as a trusted advisor to the Sr. Director of People & Culture on all talent-related decisions.
Build the recruiting infrastructure (processes, tools, metrics) needed to scale effectively.
Introduce data-driven decision-making across the hiring funnel (quality, speed, conversion).
Improve predictability and efficiency without compromising talent quality.
Ensure every hire raises the bar and aligns with company values.
Help define and reinforce what “great” looks like across roles and levels.
Protect and strengthen culture through thoughtful, consistent hiring practices.