Principal Executive Recruiter

Aurora•San Francisco, CA

11h•Hybrid

About The Position

Aurora is seeking a Principal Executive Recruiter to own executive and leadership hiring across the company. Reporting to the Head of Talent Acquisition, this role leads end-to-end searches for Director-and-above positions and advises executive leaders on organizational design, role scoping, market intelligence, and executive compensation. As the senior-most recruiter on the team, the recruiter will establish strong executive-search practices and help build Aurora’s leadership bench for its next phases of growth. The position partners with executive leaders, People Business Partners, Finance, Total Rewards, and Talent Acquisition leadership. It also shares market insights with the broader recruiting team, mentors recruiters and sourcers, and helps improve hiring practices through training. Aurora expects employees to work from an office at least three days per week; some roles may require up to five days based on operational needs.

Requirements

At least 10 years of recruiting experience, including significant executive-search ownership.
Proven record of owning end-to-end searches for Director- through C-level positions.
Experience serving as the primary search partner to C-suite and VP-level leaders and using data to influence role scope and hiring decisions.
Hands-on experience structuring and closing executive compensation packages, including base pay, bonus, equity, and sign-on components.
Deep sourcing expertise, including building talent maps and market intelligence for niche and senior talent pools.
Ability to run effective searches without dependence on any particular tool.
Ability to conduct highly confidential executive searches with discretion and sound judgment.
Hands-on use of AI to accelerate research and sourcing while maintaining high-quality output.
Track record of building strong peer relationships and driving shared initiatives within a recruiting team, in addition to partnering with business stakeholders.
Experience coaching Talent Acquisition team members or developing recruiting or sourcing training programs.

Nice To Haves

Experience partnering with founders or board members on C-level hires.
Experience hiring leaders in autonomy, AI/ML, robotics, or deep tech.
Experience partnering with People Business Partners on succession planning or leadership pipeline programs.

Responsibilities

Own the end-to-end search lifecycle for Director-and-above roles across Aurora, from kickoff and calibration through offer and close.
Design and calibrate executive interview processes and prepare search briefs and candidate summaries for interviewers and leaders.
Advise executive leaders using talent intelligence, market mapping, and competitive insights to shape organizational design, role scope, and hiring strategy.
Structure and negotiate executive offers with Total Rewards and Finance, including cash, equity, and sign-on components.
Partner with People Business Partners, Finance, and Talent Acquisition leadership on succession planning and company-wide leadership workforce planning.
Share market intelligence and search learnings with the broader Talent Acquisition team to strengthen hiring practices.
Mentor and coach recruiters and sourcers, and lead training to improve hiring practices across Talent Acquisition.